Video thumbnails are often overlooked by social media creators, but they can be a powerful marketing tool. An engaging thumbnail will attract more people to your content because it sparks curiosity. After all, your video will only get views if it gets “clicks.”
There are different types of thumbnails and we’re going to give you a rundown of what they are and how to create them.
What Is a Thumbnail?
A video thumbnail is the small image you see before playing a video. The term “thumbnail” comes from the concept of an image or video frame being reduced to the size of an actual thumbnail. It acts as a preview or summary of what’s to come.
Typically, people select a frame from the video to act as the thumbnail, but this can result in uninteresting or even blurred thumbnails. Think of it as taking a screenshot from a playing video—the image won’t have a very high quality due to movement and a lack of effects.
Alternately, editors can create a separate thumbnail image and edit it into the video. This gives you more freedom since you can use still, high-quality images, apply effects, and add text to verbally describe the content. You can also create animated thumbnails, which is ideal for apps like TikTok where the thumbnails are animated.
Why Are Thumbnails Important?
A lot of creators consider thumbnails a triviality or an afterthought, but it’s just as important as any other part of the video editing process. The thumbnail gives potential viewers a summary of the theme or concept of the video. And it also gives them an overview of the aesthetic and your brand.
If your thumbnails are boring or don’t convey enough information, people will be more likely to tap away. Apart from giving a preview of the content, a good thumbnail also lets viewers know that you take your content seriously and that they can rely on you for consistency and good performance.
The Key Elements of a Good Social Media Thumbnail
Before you get started with creating your thumbnail, there are some key elements to consider.
1. Highlight the Subject
The purpose of a thumbnail is to let viewers know what the video is about, so it’s essential that you focus your thumbnail around the main subject. For example, if you created a video edit of a singer’s onstage performance, use a photo of them during that performance for the thumbnail.
2. Include Your Brand
If the type of videos you shoot or edit have a specific coloring, overlay, or use effects, include that in the thumbnail too. Let the aesthetic of the thumbnail match or complement the style of the video.
3. Don’t Go Overboard
Try to avoid using too many effects, stickers, and text in the thumbnail since it can distract from the subject. Your editing should enhance the subject, not drown it out.
4. Be Consistent
We know that inspiration for creativity can hit us at any time, which will probably result in a desire to switch up your aesthetic. But try to keep it as consistent as possible.
If the platform you’re using has a layout of three videos per row on your profile, keep the same aesthetic for six or nine videos before changing it. This will result in a rectangular grid with thumbnails that are grouped by style.
5. Keep It as Short as You Can
The thumbnail is going to end up in the video as its own clip. Therefore it’s important to keep it as short as your video editor allows you to cut a clip, or as short as the platform’s animated thumbnail duration. This way, viewers will only see it for a split second before or after the video, and it won’t distract from the content.
6. Use the Correct Sizing Ratio
The thumbnail size ratio needs to be the same as the video, or else you’ll end up with empty, unwanted borders in the thumbnail.
How to Create a Thumbnail
There are a few different methods you can use to create a thumbnail. Let’s discuss all of them.
Edit an Image
First, obtain a high-quality picture of the subject in the video. Keep it related to the content; so if you’re making a bedroom redecorating vlog, get some good snaps of you holding up a paintbrush.
There are plenty of image editing apps at your disposal to get the perfect edit. In this article, we’re using Video Star, a video editor for iOS.
A good aesthetic tip is to make use of borders to make it look neat and professional. Also, turn up the exposure and sharpness to make the image clearer.
To put the thumbnail in your video, you need to export the edited image to your photo library. Then, open your video editor, go to the very beginning or end of the video, and split it into another clip that’s as short as the editor allows. Now, import the thumbnail image to that clip.
Most video editing apps allow you to edit pictures as well. So you can follow the same method for splitting the clip, and edit the image in the video editor itself. This eliminates the need for photo editing apps and additional exporting and importing, as the sizing ratio is already set to that of the video.
Create an Animated Thumbnail
Some platforms animate thumbnails, and while you can still use a motionless image, taking advantage of animation might attract more viewers.
First, determine for how long the platform plays an animated thumbnail once through, then split your video into a clip of that length at the beginning or end. Find a segment of the video that is clear and catchy, preferably before editing with motion, and import it to that clip. Edit it in the same style you would with a still image thumbnail.
Since the animation of a thumbnail is so short-lived, adding a slow-mo effect will help the thumbnail seem less fast-paced. You can also add a reverse effect so the subject appears to go back and forth in an endless loop.
Note that if you use a still image for a platform with animated thumbnails, you’ll need to cut its clip to the same length of the duration of the animation. Otherwise, the thumbnail image will include playback of the video.
Choosing a Thumbnail From the Video
When you upload a video to a social media platform, you’ll be prompted to select a thumbnail. If you’ve edited your own, simply drag the cursor to the start or end of the video depending on where you included it. And if you’ve entirely skipped the thumbnail customization step, you’re still going to need to select a thumbnail from the video.
To ensure that you select a good, unedited thumbnail from the video, the video itself will need high-quality editing. Make sure it’s in high definition and that there are moments that don’t have too much motion or blurriness. Ensure that you’re also using good coloring for the video as well.
Create Flashy Thumbnails For Social Media
A thumbnail is a viewer’s first impression of your content, so it’s not a step you want to skip. Going the easy route and selecting a thumbnail from the video isn’t always the worst choice, but you can definitely up your brand presence by customizing your own thumbnails.