In the social media sphere, videos offer creators a uniquely powerful way to grab attention, define their brand, and capture genuine human emotions. As a result, many are striving to capitalise on this opportunity to shape and refine their business.
Establishing a spotlight has become extremely difficult in a world where billions of videos are watched daily. In such a case, thumbnails are always there to your rescue. If you think that, as long as the content is good, the thumbnail doesn’t matter, you’re probably on the wrong track. Thumbnails serve as entrance tickets for your audience to visit your world. Visitors who are not naturally drawn to your thumbnail will most likely avoid tapping on your video. Therefore, leaving a good first impression on them has become essential!
People decide whether your video is worth their time in a split second, and making your thumbnail stand out in such a vast ocean of social media is no easy job. Hence, in this blog, we will discover some tips and tricks to creating irresistible thumbnails that will leave your audience no choice but to click on your video:
1. Bring emotions to build instant rapport
People need emotions and feelings wherever they go. Bringing a sense of emotion into your thumbnail piques the viewer’s interest and makes them see what caused the emotion in the video. Emotions such as happiness, sadness, and anger are the supporting tools that will take your thumbnail from bland to exciting.
If you intend to include people in your thumbnail, ensure they are looking straight at the camera, contacting their eyes with their viewers. Communicate your thoughts and actions with your audience.
2. Add a click-worthy title
Just because your images are essential doesn’t mean your words aren’t. Words can make a lot of difference in the social media game. So make sure to add the text your audience is currently looking for. Write something that catches the eye and conveys the essence of your video at a glance.
Here are a few tips for turning your titles into click magnets that will drive tonnes of traffic to your video:
- Since video thumbnails are tiny, they do not provide enough room to add lengthy titles. Thus, be sure to include a short yet effective title!
- Create a title that is accurate, engaging, and simple to understand.
- Research shows that headlines that include numbers can generate 73% more social shares and engagement (source). Numbers will also keep your videos structured and organised. Hence, incorporate specific numbers into your title to make your thumbnail more appealing to visitors.
- Try to give a sneak preview of your video while maintaining the quality of your text!
3. Resonate the video content
The purpose of a thumbnail is to inform viewers about the content of your video; hence it is essential to centre your thumbnail on the main subject. Hooking your viewers with a fanciful thumbnail and then showing them something “unrelated” will surely derail their expectations. Remember, they will never consider watching your videos again once you break their trust. So make sure your thumbnail reflects the content present in your video.
4. Colour gets you more clicks!
Colour is one of the best tools to help you get the attention of your viewers. Try to experiment and determine what colour or colours will drive your audience to click on your video. The more enticing your colour schemes are, the more people will notice your thumbnail!
5. Never forget to include your logo!
Adding a logo is a great way to distinguish yourself from a crowded field. “Logo” resembles your brand and will represent your company much better than any other element. It is always a good idea to include your logo in the thumbnails of your videos. This way, people will quickly recognise that the video is yours.
6. Maintain consistency in your thumbnail
The best way to keep your audience happy is by keeping thumbnails consistent across all your social videos. Consistency style can be achieved by using the same colour schemes or fonts, recognisable presenters that your audience can get to know, and watermarks to increase brand awareness. Plus, place your logo in the exact location to maintain consistency in your thumbnail.
7. Trial and test the process
Try working with different texts, colours, and artworks to see what works best for indulging your target audience. Then, once you’ve mastered it, repeat the process and improve your channel over time.
Check out these tips to make your video content stand out on social media!
Thumbnails are frequently overlooked as a last-minute decoration for any video. But, we hope you will employ the above techniques to harness the power of thumbnails and land your audience right into your video content.
Thumbnails are more critical than videos because they are the face of your videos, which can either open or close doors to a broader audience. In addition, your thumbnail serves as the foundation for your social video content production. So, set a strategic goal to create a thumbnail that can generate a massive number of clicks on your social videos.