If you are looking for how to change thumbnails on YouTube, then this article is for you.
The steps of changing thumbnail are easy, but you will have to verify your YouTube account in order to be eligible for changing custom thumbnail.
In this guide, I will take you to the step by step process of how to change thumbnails on youtube. But, before diving into the steps, you should know a few things. (optional)
What is a video thumbnail on YouTube?
YouTube video thumbnail is a kind of image or short video clip representing the content inside the video.
It is a tool to run a clickbait campaign for your uploaded video. It helps a lot in terms of getting views.
Types of thumbnail
There are two types of thumbnails we can consider.
Number one is automatic video thumbnails for unverified channels, and the second one is custom thumbnails for verified youtube channels.
Standard Size of a custom thumbnail
The standard size of a YouTube video custom thumbnail is 1280 x 720 or 16:9.
It is essential to know the standard size of a youtube video thumbnail so that the subject you are placing on the thumbnail is appropriately aligned.
Benefits of custom thumbnail
There are lots of benefits of having a custom thumbnail of a YouTube video. A video thumbnail is a summary of video content so that it plays a vital role in terms of getting views and subscribers.
Below I have tried to cover a few most prominent benefits of having a custom thumbnail in YouTube video.
Increase CTR:
Click-Through Rate (CTR) can be increased by adding a clickbait thumbnail. An amazing and emotions evoking thumbnail attract people to watch your YouTube video.
So, when you add a good quality custom thumbnail, it attracts more viewers to click on your video.
Chance to go viral:
As many of your video thumbnails get clicks, your videos will get views. When people view your videos, they may engage with your content.
The virality of a video depends on the engagement rate of the video. So, the good quality thumbnail can get a lot of likes, comments, and shares. As a result, your video can go viral.
Convey the message at a glance:
We all know that the first impression is the last impression. So, it is essential for a video that can attract viewers with its first impression.
You should describe your content by telling the whole story of your video in your thumbnail. So that by adding a good quality thumbnail, you can bring a positive impact on your YouTube channel.
How to change a thumbnail on YouTube
In this section, we will discuss the step by step guide of how to change video thumbnail on YouTube for free.
To change a thumbnail on YouTube, all you need to go to your channel dashboard and then click on the video management tab appearing on the upper right side. It will take you to the studio page.
You will see all of your videos are listed there; select your video to change the thumbnail and hover over it.
When you hover over it, you will see some options. From there, click on the "pen 🖊️" icon so that it will take you to the edit page of the video.
Scroll down the edit page and find the option of changing custom thumbnails.
Upload a custom thumbnail, or simply choose from automatically generated thumbnails.
Now scroll up the page so that you can see how your thumbnail looks like.
Hit the save button appearing on the upper right side and then go to your channel dashboard to see your video thumbnail is successfully changed.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a guide on how to change the thumbnail on YouTube, this article is absolutely for you.
To change the thumbnail, follow the steps like go to your channel dashboard, then go to video management, then edit the video to change the thumbnail on YouTube.
