Since the birth of YouTube in February 2005, the never-ending battle between thumbnail aesthetics and SEO has been a hot topic. And striking  a balance between the two has never been more important, whether you have less than 1K subscribers or have the coveted diamond plaque on your wall. But what does great thumbnail SEO mean, and how do you achieve it?

It is not a secret that thumbnails are a crucial aspect of YouTube SEO. An optimized thumbnail can significantly improve your video's visibility and click-through rate (CTR). Today we are sharing actionable SEO strategies to help you up your thumbnail game:

"Thumbnails for your videos, playlists and even your channel are used throughout YouTube to promote your content." - Andres Palmiter, YouTube Official Blog

1. Use Select Keywords 

While keywords are typically associated with titles and descriptions, designing visuals that align with carefully selected keywords can create a cohesive and attractive package that draws in viewers.

Understanding the Role of Keywords in Thumbnails

When the imagery in your thumbnail complements the keywords in your title and description, you know you are doing something right. This helps to reinforce the video’s topic and make it more appealing to potential viewers. This synergy is the key to higher click-through rates and better engagement.

Examples and Strategies for Using Keywords in Thumbnails

Visual Representation of Keywords

Your thumbnail should visually represent the primary keyword or topic of your video. This helps viewers immediately understand what the video is about, even before reading the title or description.

Example

Keyword: "How to Bake a Chocolate Cake"

Thumbnail: A high-quality image of a chocolate cake being sliced or with a piece on a plate to highlight its texture and appeal. Include elements like baking utensils and ingredients to reinforce the baking process.

Text Overlays with Keywords

Add text overlays to your thumbnail that include your main keywords to enhance clarity and attract new viewers. The text should be concise and emphasize the message of your video. Here at Better Thumbnails, we recommend bold fonts like Archivo Black, Cooper Hewitt Heavy, Oswald etc.

Example

Keyword: "DIY Home Décor Tips"

Thumbnail: An image of a beautifully decorated living room with the text overlay "DIY Décor" or "Home Décor Tips" in bold, readable fonts.

Pro Tip

Use complementary color schemes for easier readability e.g. gold text on navy blue living room

Highlight Your Unique Selling Point

If your video covers a unique angle, use keywords in your thumbnail to highlight this. This can differentiate your video from other YouTubers in your niche.

Example

Keyword: "Quick Weight Loss Exercises"

Thumbnail: An image of a person performing an exercise with a stopwatch or clock icon to signify faster results, with the text "10-Minute Exercises" or "Fast Weight Loss".

Using Icons and Symbols

Icons and symbols can effectively represent keywords, especially if they are universally recognized. This can be particularly useful if your video targets a global audience.

Example

• Keyword: "Travel Guide to Paris"

• Thumbnail: An image of the Eiffel Tower with a plane icon and the text "Paris Travel Guide".

Emotionally Charged Keywords

If your video’s keyword evokes strong emotions, your thumbnail should reflect this. Emotional thumbnails can significantly increase viewer engagement and click-through rates. 

Example

• Keyword: "Heartwarming Animal Rescue Stories"

• Thumbnail: A close-up of a rescued animal with expressive eyes, with the text "Rescue Stories" or "Heartwarming".

Pro Tip          

Thumbnails featuring faces with expressive emotions tend to connect more with viewers on a psychological level. 

Combining Visual and Textual Elements

Combine both visual and textual elements that reflect your keywords. This dual approach ensures that your thumbnail communicates the video content exclusively.

Example

• Keyword: "Top 10 Healthy Smoothie Recipes"

• Thumbnail: A colorful array of smoothie glasses with a prominent text overlay "Top 10 Smoothies" or "Healthy Smoothie Recipes".

2. Use High-Resolution Images

Quality matters a great deal. And yes, the YouTube algorithm do judge a book by its cover. The psychological effect of a high-resolution thumbnail has been confirmed many times from performance metrics.  Look, it is simple, high-quality images look professional and appealing to the eye, so, the algo recommends, and people click. 

Pro Tip

Upload a PNG or JPEG thumbnail with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. It should be under 2MBs.

Why High-Resolution Images Matter

SEO-friendly. High-quality thumbnails are favored by YouTube’s algorithm, which means boosted video ranking and discoverability. 

Clear Visibility. Detailed and sharp images are easier to see, even on small screens like smartphones. 

Key Elements of High-Resolution Thumbnails

Here are five steps to ensure you use high-resolution images effectively in your thumbnails:

• Proper Aspect Ratio and Quality

Maintain a 16:9 aspect ratio to ensure your thumbnail looks good on all devices – smartphones, tablets, laptops etc.

Use a resolution of at least 640x360 pixels to avoid blurriness. But as we said earlier, 1280x720 is ideal.

• Subject Focus

Apply a shallow depth of field to blur the background and make the subject stand out.

Avoid cluttered backgrounds that can distract from the main subject.

• Color Vibrancy and High Contrast

Enhance the colors in your images using photo editing softwares such as Photoshop.

Increase contrast and use color correction to make the main elements pop.

3. Develop a Brand and Stick with it. 

Branding consistency will help build recognition with the search engine, attract more viewers, and build a loyal audience. We have put together a guide for effective branding in your thumbnails, with examples from popular YouTube channels.

Key Elements of Consistent Branding

• Color Scheme

A consistent color scheme helps establish a visual identity that viewers can associate with your brand. For example, Chris Williamson uses blue and white consistently in his podcast video thumbnails. And for clips, he throws in a red border around the subject – for differentiation, and variety. This has created a recognizable and professional look that really makes his channel stand out. 

Pro Tip

Choose 2-3 primary colors for your thumbnails and use them consistently for backgrounds, text, and other elements. 

•  Logo Placement

A logo is the most prominent feature on your brand, after color scheme. Therefore, include it in every thumbnail to help reinforce your brand identity. Here at Better Thumbnails, we design thumbnail logos that are at least  40-50 pixels height, with at least 50 pixels from the border. We also recommend putting your logo in the top right corner, for better visibility. 

• Typography

Using the same fonts and text styles across your thumbnails creates a cohesive look. Choose 1 - 2 sans-serif bold and semi-bold fonts such as Gorva and Montserrat semi-bold. You may use the bold fonts for your key message and semi-bold ones for explanations or other information.  

Other Elements for Brand Consistency

• Visual style

• Layout and Composition

Pro Tip💡

Use a template for your thumbnails to ensure uniformity. Maintain similar positioning for text, images, and other brand elements.

SEO-Focused Thumbnails Doesn't Mean Boring

Converting thumbnails simultaneously  teach the prospective viewer about what the video is about, convey a brand message, and look good. But that doesn’t mean thumbnails have to be run-of-the-mill. Sure, you could opt for something okay and get a couple of views. 

But to make a strong impression and delight both your audience and the algorithm, you’ll need to go the extra mile. Conduct quarterly reviews of your thumbnail SEO strategy and update those that are not bringing in views, especially on videos with high impression but low CTR.