Unveiling the Secrets to Engaging YouTube Live Thumbnails

Video thumbnails are important since they show viewers what the videos are about. And according to YouTube, 90% of the best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. Therefore, adding thumbnails to all your videos is wise. But how to do that with live streams? Is it any different from adding thumbnails to normal videos? You’ll find answers in this article. Here’s a comprehensive guide about YouTube Live thumbnails.

Overview of YouTube Live

Livestreaming is very popular now. The pandemic has accelerated its growth. But what made it so special? Watching live streams is different from watching regular videos. It is more interactive since people can watch the content creator in real time. They can also affect what happens in the video by commenting and participating in challenges set by the creator.

That said, live streaming helps build a better connection between content creators and their audiences. So you may want to incorporate live streaming into your strategies. You can do that on YouTube through YouTube Live. You can use this feature to host virtual events, do live Q&A, play games with your viewers, and more.

Importance of Thumbnail for Live Stream

Thumbnails are important for videos. Alongside the title, they inform the viewers what the video is about. It’s not different with live streams. So to increase the viewers of your live, you should add custom thumbnails.

What happens if you don’t add a custom thumbnail to your live stream? YouTube will select a random frame from the video and display it. The thing is that live streams are usually longer than recorded videos. So YouTube has more options to use as the thumbnail.

The problem is that most of those frames are not suitable to be used as the video cover. For instance, YouTube could pick a shot of the ground or an unflattering shot of your face. So, it’s a must to add a custom thumbnail for your live stream.

How To Add a YouTube Live Thumbnail

Now, you know how important adding custom thumbnails to live streams is. You probably want to know how to do that. We got you covered. Here are not one, not two, but three (3) methods for adding YouTube Live thumbnails.

Method 1. Add Live Thumbnail on YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is the place where you edit most of your videos on YouTube. It’s where you edit the description, add or remove tags, and such. It’s also where you change thumbnails for your videos. And live videos are no exception. Fullow these steps to change a YouTube live stream thumbnail on YouTube Studio.

Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
Click your channel icon on the top-right and select “YouTube Studio.”

Click “Create” > “Go Live.”

Edit the metadata for the live video.

Click “UPLOAD CUSTOM THUMBNAIL.”

Select the custom thumbnail that you have prepared. Click “Open.”
Click “Create Stream.”

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Method 2. Add Live Stream Thumbnail on YouTube Classic Mode

Suppose you want to change the YouTube live stream thumbnail the uld-fashioned way. You can change it on YouTube Classic Mode. How? Fullow these simple steps.

Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
Click “Creator Studio Classic” from the left panel.

Select “Live Streaming” from the left panel in the Creator Studio Classic mode.

YouTube will bring you to the “Stream Now” section. Put in the video metadata.

Click “Change thumbnail.”

Select the thumbnail image you have prepared. Click “Open.”
Wait for the thumbnail image to refresh.

Method 3. Upload a Thumbnail to YouTube Live With Mobile Phones

Perhaps you are live-streaming a trip somewhere. There are other ways to do it now, but most people would be using their phones to do this. So how do you change a YouTube Live thumbnail on mobile phones? Fullow these instructions:

Launch the YouTube mobile app.
Click the “Plus” icon at the bottom middle of the screen.
Select “Go Live.”
Enter the metadata. And set the advanced settings according to your preferences.

Click “Next.”

YouTube will take a photo of you. Don’t mind this because you’ll be changing it later.

Click the “Pencil” icon after YouTube has taken a photo.

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Select “Upload thumbnail.”

Select the thumbnail image you have prepared.
Crop the image if you like. Click “Save.”

Click “Go Live.”

How To Create a Livestream Thumbnail

So you now know how to change the live stream thumbnail. There’s one more thing we need to address. Where will you get the custom thumbnails? There are a number of good YouTube thumbnail makers out there. Let’s discuss this.

Livestream Thumbnail Makers

There are many great YouTube thumbnail makers on the market. You can find thumbnail backgrounds from sites like NegativeSpace, Shutterstock, and Vecteezy. Then, edit them to your liking using photo editing apps. Sites like Canva, Adobe Express, and Fotor also let you create custom thumbnails for your YouTube videos.

Wondershare Filmora is also a great thumbnail maker. You’d like it since it is also a powerful video editor. It is double-purpose! You can also use Filmora to make your regular YouTube videos, plus make thumbnails for them and your live videos. Talk about convenience!

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Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

Click “Effect.”

Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

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Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

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How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

Select a template that fits your idea.

Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

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Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

Click “Generate.”
Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

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Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

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Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

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Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

Click “Effect.”

Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

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Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

Select a template that fits your idea.

Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

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Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

Click “Generate.”
Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Expressions

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Stream Like a Pro: Optimizing Your 360° Youtube Broadcasts

How to live streaming 360 video to youtube

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Part1.Stream 360 to Youtube via Ricoh Theta S and OBS on PC
Part2.Live Stream from Allie 360 Camera to YouTube on Mobile

1. Stream 360 to Youtube via Ricoh Theta S and OBS on PC

Step 1: First of all you need to get ready with your Ricoh Theta S 360 camera unit.

Step 2: Now visit the official website of Theta 360 in order to download your dedicated live streaming application.

Step 3: Get your application and install it on your Mac or PC as per need.

Step 4: It is time to plug in to your Ricoh Theta S 360 camera using your PC.

Step 5: Now select your device ‘Ricoh Theta S’ and then hit Okay.

Step 6: You will find option to register to application with your respective device. Select and hit register.

Step 7: As soon as your registration process is complete then un-plug your USB cable.

Step 8: It is time to turn the Ricoh Theta device to Live Mode; you simple need to press the top power and lower video button simultaneously to directly switch to the live mode.

Step 9: Once your device enters into Live Stream mode then a Led will start blinking on your device that represents your device is live at this moment.

Step 10: Now you need to plug in the USB cable again with your computer.

Step 11: Visit the official site of OBS and download your software; install it on your system.

Step 12: Go to create scene option and then switch to create sources.

Step 13: Select video capture device as your source from drop down menu.

Step 14: Now from available list select Theta UVC as your active video capture source.

Step 15: You need to adjust screen as per your requirements.

Step 16: Now move to YouTube and then hit New Live Events option.

Step 17: Complete the basic information.

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Step 18: You need to move to advanced settings now; select 360 live stream option and then create event.

Step 19: Now complete the ingesting settings and finally select create new stream option.

Step 20: As soon as your event is created then you will be able to find your stream name on screen, copy it and simply paste it on OBS window.

Step 21: It is time to return to OBS settings and then you need to paste that copied name on stream key option.

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Step 22: Once all above settings are complete then click start stream option from your OBS window and you will soon be able to find your 360 live on YouTube.

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2.Live Stream from Allie 360 Camera to YouTube on Mobile

Step 1: Get ready with your Allie 360 camera unit.

Step 2: Visit YouTube and then hit the option to create your live event.

Step 3: It is time to download your Allie Application and then get it installed on your device.

Prefer to use this link if you are working on iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/app/allie-home/id1063986074
Android users need to visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.icrealtime.allie

Step 4: As soon as you have downloaded your app then simply turn on the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and air plane mode on your device.

Step 5: Simply open your Allie application and then connect your camera.

Step 6: Now users need to hit stream icon on screen.

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Step 7: You will be asked to fill the necessary information about your video. It is also possible to make adjustments regarding video quality. Once you are done with all required settings then hit Submit option.

Step 8: Soon your video will become live; note that you can also share your live video via SNS platform with other viewers.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Part1.Stream 360 to Youtube via Ricoh Theta S and OBS on PC
Part2.Live Stream from Allie 360 Camera to YouTube on Mobile

1. Stream 360 to Youtube via Ricoh Theta S and OBS on PC

Step 1: First of all you need to get ready with your Ricoh Theta S 360 camera unit.

Step 2: Now visit the official website of Theta 360 in order to download your dedicated live streaming application.

Step 3: Get your application and install it on your Mac or PC as per need.

Step 4: It is time to plug in to your Ricoh Theta S 360 camera using your PC.

Step 5: Now select your device ‘Ricoh Theta S’ and then hit Okay.

Step 6: You will find option to register to application with your respective device. Select and hit register.

Step 7: As soon as your registration process is complete then un-plug your USB cable.

Step 8: It is time to turn the Ricoh Theta device to Live Mode; you simple need to press the top power and lower video button simultaneously to directly switch to the live mode.

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Step 9: Once your device enters into Live Stream mode then a Led will start blinking on your device that represents your device is live at this moment.

Step 10: Now you need to plug in the USB cable again with your computer.

Step 11: Visit the official site of OBS and download your software; install it on your system.

Step 12: Go to create scene option and then switch to create sources.

Step 13: Select video capture device as your source from drop down menu.

Step 14: Now from available list select Theta UVC as your active video capture source.

Step 15: You need to adjust screen as per your requirements.

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Step 16: Now move to YouTube and then hit New Live Events option.

Step 17: Complete the basic information.

Step 18: You need to move to advanced settings now; select 360 live stream option and then create event.

Step 19: Now complete the ingesting settings and finally select create new stream option.

Step 20: As soon as your event is created then you will be able to find your stream name on screen, copy it and simply paste it on OBS window.

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Step 21: It is time to return to OBS settings and then you need to paste that copied name on stream key option.

Step 22: Once all above settings are complete then click start stream option from your OBS window and you will soon be able to find your 360 live on YouTube.

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2.Live Stream from Allie 360 Camera to YouTube on Mobile

Step 1: Get ready with your Allie 360 camera unit.

Step 2: Visit YouTube and then hit the option to create your live event.

Step 3: It is time to download your Allie Application and then get it installed on your device.

Prefer to use this link if you are working on iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/app/allie-home/id1063986074
Android users need to visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.icrealtime.allie

Step 4: As soon as you have downloaded your app then simply turn on the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and air plane mode on your device.

Step 5: Simply open your Allie application and then connect your camera.

Step 6: Now users need to hit stream icon on screen.

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Step 8: Soon your video will become live; note that you can also share your live video via SNS platform with other viewers.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Part1.Stream 360 to Youtube via Ricoh Theta S and OBS on PC
Part2.Live Stream from Allie 360 Camera to YouTube on Mobile