Why do I need a Custom Thumbnail?

You want to stand out and – BE the Squirrel! YouTube selects a thumbnail for your video if you don’t upload one.  You really don’t want it to capture you with a goofy look on your face!

You want to have something that is eye-catching. When people are scrolling through YouTube deciding whether or not to watch a video, they will often look at the title and the thumbnail. If it looks appealing, they’ll watch. If it doesn’t, they’ll move to the next video.

Also, the screenshot that YouTube selects may also be blurry.  It’s simply an image grabbed from your video. You want to use a clear image created just for your video.

Stand out

Your thumbnail should be used to draw attention to your video and get people to view it, your ultimate goal – More views!

Don’t be shy!

I recommend that you have your image on your thumbnail. This lets people know that they have the right channel and helps you build a relationship with your potential clients.  I typically take lots of different images and just pick one to use for each video.

When I originally started posting videos on YouTube, I was using the same image for each thumbnail. When you look through them, it can appear to be the same video. While the title on there is different, a lot of times if you’re flipping through fast, it looks like that same video!

You want to have something different and unique for every video so that it stands out. (More Views!)

Canva tutorial video –  How to Make a Custom Youtube Thumbnail 

Check out the full tutorial above.  Here is a bullet point list to help you as you go:

1. Login to Canva.com (create a FREE account).
2. Create a new image with dimensions 1280 pixels x 720 Pixels.
3. Change your background color (Use your brand colors).
4. Add your title – You can add something eye-catching also!
5. Upload your Image.
6. Add an element with rounded edges around the image.
7. Add your logo.
8. Download your image.

Now your image is ready to be used for your YouTube video!

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