If you want to take your YouTube videos to the next level, these seven best practices can help.<\/p>\n
7 YouTube Thumbnail Best Practices<\/h2>\n1. Ensure You Have The Correct YouTube Thumbnails Size<\/h3>\n
To get started, make sure you are using the optimal thumbnail size, which should be\u00a01280 pixels wide by 720 pixels tall, with a minimum width of 640 pixels. The ideal ratio is 16:9 as this is used most often in YouTube players and previews.<\/p>\n
So, YouTube thumbnails will be small when you see them in a search. However, it will expand to the size of the video when it is played in the suggested playlist. It\u2019s easier to have a large size that you can scale down rather than a smaller size you need to size up.<\/p>\n Some other details to remember are:<\/p>\n By staying in the correct image size range, you can ensure that your thumbnails look crisp and clear.<\/p>\n YouTube may automatically select an image that you can use, but if not, you can always export a still image\u00a0using video editing software<\/a>. What\u2019s even better is that even if you don\u2019t have any software, you can simply pause the video to a still image that you like and take a screenshot.<\/p>\n Using someone\u2019s face that you want to be \u201cthe face\u201d of the company is a great idea. Having one person as \u201cthe spokesperson\u201d will humanize the business so that people can start to associate with a real person and not just a company.<\/p>\n Some companies might create an image thumbnail that represents the video content. This could include a title or a summary of what the video will be like in addition to the name of the brand\/business or a logo.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a great way to quickly and easily show what viewers can expect when they click on this video before they even click on it.<\/p>\n If you want to truly grab your audience\u2019s attention, try including a still image from the video with graphics in the background. This is popular when a video includes people, such as a vlog or a talk show.<\/p>\n![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/blog.twentyoverten.com\/files\/YouTube-Thumbnail-Dimensions.jpeg\")
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2. Use A Still Image From The Video for Your YouTube Thumbnails<\/h3>\n
3. Create A Customized Graphic<\/h3>\n
![\"Boost](\"https:\/\/blog.twentyoverten.com\/files\/Screen-Shot-2021-08-03-at-6.13.52-PM.png\")
\nAs you can see in the thumbnail image above with Chief Evangelist of\u00a0FMG<\/a>,\u00a0Samantha Russell<\/a>, the still image is of her face, and regular viewers will come to recognize her as \u201cthe face\u201d of the brand. She is smiling, and the image is used over a background with:<\/p>\n\n
4. Combine The Video Still With The Graphic<\/h3>\n