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In 2024, Discover the Best 12 Free and Paid Video Game Openings for YT
Discover the Best 12 Free and Paid Video Game Openings for YT
Best 12 YouTube Gaming Intro Makers - Free and Paid
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When searching the words “intro maker”, thousands of results jump into your eyes, but only a few of them are suitable for YouTube gamers . Luckily, we did it for you. After 34 hours’ research and comparison, we finally rounded up the 12 best gaming intro makers, sorted by online and desktop solutions. Hopefully, these intro makers will help you convert more viewers to your subscribers like those noted YouTubers did.
Read on to know how to take your video to the next level with these gaming intro makers and templates.
You may also like: Top 10 Best Free Music and Sound Effect Resources for Games >>
- Part 1: 4 Best Desktop YouTube Gaming Intro Makers
- Part 2: 8 Best Online Intro Makers for YouTube Gaming
- Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
- Bonus: Best Intro Templates for YouTube Gamer
Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )
Part 1: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming [Desktop Software Solutions for Windows/Mac/Linux]
Before I recommend the YouTube Gaming Intro Makers, I want to share how we make a stunning YouTube intro, so that you can see in creating a video intro, which elements should be included. Check the video tutorial below to get some tips and tricks for making YouTube Intro.
Those who wish to have more control over their video editing needs are advised to pick desktop software solutions like Filmora and After Effects, and Blender, etc. They can serve the editing needs of beginners as well as professionals. So, in the first part, I’ll show you some of the best gaming intro makers for YouTube video, some of them are free to use, others may need to subscribe.
1. Wondershare Filmora: Freemium
Wondershare Filmora is a great tool that you can use to create a film-look YouTube video, including gaming video intros. What’s more, it offers you lots of pre-made intros with text and title animation, elements, overlays, effects, and transitions. Besides the inbuilt presets and templates for making gaming intro makers, you can find more video effects for gaming intro making in the Filmstock effects store . The 8 Bit Gamer and blockbuster effects are also perfect choices for making gaming intros. After finishing the editing, you can directly upload the video to YouTube from the program.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
You may also like: Best 3D Intro Makers for YouTube Videos
2. After Effects: ($19.99/month)
Editing YouTube gaming intro task becomes easier when you have Adobe Effects on your desktop computer. Most of the professionals love to access this platform due to its wide range of effects and presentation templates.
Now, if you are a member of Filmstock, you can download some Free After Effects Templates and use it in After Effects to make a stunning gaming intro without paying extra money.
3. Blender: (Free)
It is a well known open source and free of cost gaming intro maker that can process 3D pipelines with ease. It can easily handle processes like motion tracking, composition, rendering, simulation, animation, rigging and modeling etc. It may appear difficult for beginners to make a gaming intro with this free intro maker but professionals can definitely create wonders with this software tool.
4. Cinema 4D: $3510.5
This is a complete and complex software for 3D video animation, it’s developed by MAXON Computer GmbH in Germany, and it gives you almost all the power and control over 3D design and creation. It is very expensive ($3510.5) and complex, so if you just want a simple and quick intro, we don’t recommend this to you to make a simple gaming intro.
Part 2: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming - Online solution
If you are a beginner, then you should go ahead with the online free gaming intro maker tools below. They have a wide range of pre-made templates and you can operate them with ease even without messing up with deep any technical details.
1. Panzoid(Free):
It is a well known online video editing software tool that also possesses abilities of background editor and can also generate quick clips to fulfill instant needs. As it is available for free and works online so beginners can easily switch to this editor anytime from anywhere using their handheld devices. This free to use software tool allows users to complete editing tasks with advanced 3D animations , but the only downside of this tool is its too many annoying ads.
You can find many tutorials about how to use Panzoid on YouTube if you have any questions.
2. Renderfx ($24.99 only):
The high definition effect is the most beautiful part in my opinion. You would definitely love to have a professional class video editing solution for your YouTube gaming needs. Renderfx allows gamers to generate eye-catching videos for YouTube channel uploads; they can prepare presentations, outros, and intros over here.
3. Renderforest ($29.99/Export):
There are lots of interesting things to talk about Renderforest. It contains a wide range of video templates such as neon power logo, electromagnetic logo, neon lightroom, fly-in-fire logo, and many more. You can create various videos for free by utilizing all its advanced features, but in case if you want to expert your created video out without the watermark, then you have to pay $29.99 per export.
4. ivipid($1.99 to $34.99)
If you are more focused on customization needs and want to create something unique for your next YouTube gaming video, then Lvipid.com is here to serve all your needs. There are unlimited stunning themes, including awesome animation cards and video intro personalization options. Note that you have to use credits to start producing a new video on this platform.
5. Moovly Studio: ($5 per Month)
Here is an advanced multimedia solution that is hosted over the cloud platform and assists users in developing promotional videos and animations with a few simple to follow steps. You can enjoy these services with payment of $5/month only.
6. Introchamp: ($5 per template)
As the name indicates, this online tool is master in the creation of video intros, so you need not apply additional efforts to get desired results. Simply pay amount $4.98 to $11.95 and collect all fantastic graphics, text options, and music to complete your task.
7. Intromaker: ($5 to $20 only)
Its stunning designer wizard can assist you in logo designing; just upload your desired image with .jpg or .png extension and merge it into your video background to have impressive results. Its simple editing interface makes editing tasks much easier for beginners. One of the disadvantages is that you can’t preview the result before you finish the order.
8. Flixpress: ($49.44/month)
It provides a wide range of services like handling business promos, slideshows, ads, and YouTube Intros. It offers variable pricing plans so that beginners can start with free ones, and professionals can choose low-cost plans with ease. One can avail access to a full library with a payment of $49.44/month.
Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
If you’re new to YouTube video creation, here we introduce 3 easiest ways that can help you make fascinating gaming intros.
1. Using video intro makers
No matter you are a beginner or a professional, these intro makers offer you multiples options to make wonderful gaming intros from pre-made templates or from nothing.
2. Hiring freelancers
It is also possible to get professional assistance online from top platforms like Peopleperhour , Upwork , Fiverr and, Valoso etc. Those who are not able to find enough time to edit their game videos can hire a well experienced professional online. They charge an hourly basis or as per the work offered by you. They can complete the customization task on your behalf.
3. Taking use of pre-made intro templates
Some websites/YouTube channels over the Internet also offer attractive pre-made templates that are time-saving solutions and can definitely fulfill the purpose of excellent video intro. You can collect fantastic templates from sites like Editorsdepot, VideoBlocks, and Pushedtionsanity, etc.
Note: The intro part is needed to be very short; probably, a maximum of 5 seconds is sufficient to create the impact; otherwise, your audience will become impatient, and they will run away.
Part 4: Best Intro Templates for YouTube gamer [Free Intro Templates Download Sites]
If you’re using Blender, After Effects, Sony Vegas, Cinema 4D, etc, you’ll be happy to find that there are a lot of free intro templates on the Internet. Just download them, and replace the text by your channel name, no further editing skills asked. You can pick some of the best collections from here.
The newly released stock media library Filmstock effects store is a good website to download free intros and customize it based on your personalized needs.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Click the image below to visit this effects store directly. If you are looking for some free items which are totally free to download and use, you can check the Free video effects, footage, music and photos .
Filmstock Stock Media Library ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Editors Depot
Editors depot has thousands of stock videos and templates with free intros available. You can download them then edit in Blender, Cinema 4D, After Effects, or Sony Vegas.
2. VideoBlocks
Videoblocks has after effect templates you can simply download and bring into Photoshop. All you need to do with these templates is insert your name and import the music, the background images and graphics are all generated.
3. Pushedtionsanity
PushedToInsanity is a site designed to provide the users with the latest and best FREE templates for Cinema 4D, After Effects, and Sony Vegas. You will find lots of Intro Templates, Outro Templates, Banner Templates, and almost everything you need for your YouTube videos. You can check their YouTube Channel to watch all the intro templates
After reading so many YouTube gaming intro makers, you may have exhausted. So we have made a simple comparison table about each intro maker, and below is the list of best online and desktop gaming intro makers that can complete the intro making the task as per your choice, pick any of these as per your needs.
You can click the platform name in the form to check the detailed intro about it directly.
| Type | Platform | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Panzoid.com | Free |
| Renderfx | $24.99 to remove the watermark | |
| Renderforest | $29.99/export | |
| Ivipid.com | 1.99$ to $34.99 | |
| Moovly Studio | $5/month | |
| Introchamp | $5 per templates | |
| Intromaker | $5 to $20 | |
| Flixpress | $129.99 monthly for full libray and liftime storage | |
| Desktop | Wondershare Filmora | $59.99 lifetime |
| After Effects | $19.99/monthly | |
| Blender | Free | |
| Cinema 4D | $3510.5 |
Wondershare Filmora is an amazing intro maker for YouTube gamers, besides the various inbuilt titles, animations, filters, transitions and music library, Filmora also has some stunning editing tools to empower your creativity.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When searching the words “intro maker”, thousands of results jump into your eyes, but only a few of them are suitable for YouTube gamers . Luckily, we did it for you. After 34 hours’ research and comparison, we finally rounded up the 12 best gaming intro makers, sorted by online and desktop solutions. Hopefully, these intro makers will help you convert more viewers to your subscribers like those noted YouTubers did.
Read on to know how to take your video to the next level with these gaming intro makers and templates.
You may also like: Top 10 Best Free Music and Sound Effect Resources for Games >>
- Part 1: 4 Best Desktop YouTube Gaming Intro Makers
- Part 2: 8 Best Online Intro Makers for YouTube Gaming
- Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
- Bonus: Best Intro Templates for YouTube Gamer
Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )
Part 1: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming [Desktop Software Solutions for Windows/Mac/Linux]
Before I recommend the YouTube Gaming Intro Makers, I want to share how we make a stunning YouTube intro, so that you can see in creating a video intro, which elements should be included. Check the video tutorial below to get some tips and tricks for making YouTube Intro.
Those who wish to have more control over their video editing needs are advised to pick desktop software solutions like Filmora and After Effects, and Blender, etc. They can serve the editing needs of beginners as well as professionals. So, in the first part, I’ll show you some of the best gaming intro makers for YouTube video, some of them are free to use, others may need to subscribe.
1. Wondershare Filmora: Freemium
Wondershare Filmora is a great tool that you can use to create a film-look YouTube video, including gaming video intros. What’s more, it offers you lots of pre-made intros with text and title animation, elements, overlays, effects, and transitions. Besides the inbuilt presets and templates for making gaming intro makers, you can find more video effects for gaming intro making in the Filmstock effects store . The 8 Bit Gamer and blockbuster effects are also perfect choices for making gaming intros. After finishing the editing, you can directly upload the video to YouTube from the program.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
You may also like: Best 3D Intro Makers for YouTube Videos
2. After Effects: ($19.99/month)
Editing YouTube gaming intro task becomes easier when you have Adobe Effects on your desktop computer. Most of the professionals love to access this platform due to its wide range of effects and presentation templates.
Now, if you are a member of Filmstock, you can download some Free After Effects Templates and use it in After Effects to make a stunning gaming intro without paying extra money.
3. Blender: (Free)
It is a well known open source and free of cost gaming intro maker that can process 3D pipelines with ease. It can easily handle processes like motion tracking, composition, rendering, simulation, animation, rigging and modeling etc. It may appear difficult for beginners to make a gaming intro with this free intro maker but professionals can definitely create wonders with this software tool.
4. Cinema 4D: $3510.5
This is a complete and complex software for 3D video animation, it’s developed by MAXON Computer GmbH in Germany, and it gives you almost all the power and control over 3D design and creation. It is very expensive ($3510.5) and complex, so if you just want a simple and quick intro, we don’t recommend this to you to make a simple gaming intro.
Part 2: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming - Online solution
If you are a beginner, then you should go ahead with the online free gaming intro maker tools below. They have a wide range of pre-made templates and you can operate them with ease even without messing up with deep any technical details.
1. Panzoid(Free):
It is a well known online video editing software tool that also possesses abilities of background editor and can also generate quick clips to fulfill instant needs. As it is available for free and works online so beginners can easily switch to this editor anytime from anywhere using their handheld devices. This free to use software tool allows users to complete editing tasks with advanced 3D animations , but the only downside of this tool is its too many annoying ads.
You can find many tutorials about how to use Panzoid on YouTube if you have any questions.
2. Renderfx ($24.99 only):
The high definition effect is the most beautiful part in my opinion. You would definitely love to have a professional class video editing solution for your YouTube gaming needs. Renderfx allows gamers to generate eye-catching videos for YouTube channel uploads; they can prepare presentations, outros, and intros over here.
3. Renderforest ($29.99/Export):
There are lots of interesting things to talk about Renderforest. It contains a wide range of video templates such as neon power logo, electromagnetic logo, neon lightroom, fly-in-fire logo, and many more. You can create various videos for free by utilizing all its advanced features, but in case if you want to expert your created video out without the watermark, then you have to pay $29.99 per export.
4. ivipid($1.99 to $34.99)
If you are more focused on customization needs and want to create something unique for your next YouTube gaming video, then Lvipid.com is here to serve all your needs. There are unlimited stunning themes, including awesome animation cards and video intro personalization options. Note that you have to use credits to start producing a new video on this platform.
5. Moovly Studio: ($5 per Month)
Here is an advanced multimedia solution that is hosted over the cloud platform and assists users in developing promotional videos and animations with a few simple to follow steps. You can enjoy these services with payment of $5/month only.
6. Introchamp: ($5 per template)
As the name indicates, this online tool is master in the creation of video intros, so you need not apply additional efforts to get desired results. Simply pay amount $4.98 to $11.95 and collect all fantastic graphics, text options, and music to complete your task.
7. Intromaker: ($5 to $20 only)
Its stunning designer wizard can assist you in logo designing; just upload your desired image with .jpg or .png extension and merge it into your video background to have impressive results. Its simple editing interface makes editing tasks much easier for beginners. One of the disadvantages is that you can’t preview the result before you finish the order.
8. Flixpress: ($49.44/month)
It provides a wide range of services like handling business promos, slideshows, ads, and YouTube Intros. It offers variable pricing plans so that beginners can start with free ones, and professionals can choose low-cost plans with ease. One can avail access to a full library with a payment of $49.44/month.
Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
If you’re new to YouTube video creation, here we introduce 3 easiest ways that can help you make fascinating gaming intros.
1. Using video intro makers
No matter you are a beginner or a professional, these intro makers offer you multiples options to make wonderful gaming intros from pre-made templates or from nothing.
2. Hiring freelancers
It is also possible to get professional assistance online from top platforms like Peopleperhour , Upwork , Fiverr and, Valoso etc. Those who are not able to find enough time to edit their game videos can hire a well experienced professional online. They charge an hourly basis or as per the work offered by you. They can complete the customization task on your behalf.
3. Taking use of pre-made intro templates
Some websites/YouTube channels over the Internet also offer attractive pre-made templates that are time-saving solutions and can definitely fulfill the purpose of excellent video intro. You can collect fantastic templates from sites like Editorsdepot, VideoBlocks, and Pushedtionsanity, etc.
Note: The intro part is needed to be very short; probably, a maximum of 5 seconds is sufficient to create the impact; otherwise, your audience will become impatient, and they will run away.
Part 4: Best Intro Templates for YouTube gamer [Free Intro Templates Download Sites]
If you’re using Blender, After Effects, Sony Vegas, Cinema 4D, etc, you’ll be happy to find that there are a lot of free intro templates on the Internet. Just download them, and replace the text by your channel name, no further editing skills asked. You can pick some of the best collections from here.
The newly released stock media library Filmstock effects store is a good website to download free intros and customize it based on your personalized needs.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Click the image below to visit this effects store directly. If you are looking for some free items which are totally free to download and use, you can check the Free video effects, footage, music and photos .
Filmstock Stock Media Library ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Editors Depot
Editors depot has thousands of stock videos and templates with free intros available. You can download them then edit in Blender, Cinema 4D, After Effects, or Sony Vegas.
2. VideoBlocks
Videoblocks has after effect templates you can simply download and bring into Photoshop. All you need to do with these templates is insert your name and import the music, the background images and graphics are all generated.
3. Pushedtionsanity
PushedToInsanity is a site designed to provide the users with the latest and best FREE templates for Cinema 4D, After Effects, and Sony Vegas. You will find lots of Intro Templates, Outro Templates, Banner Templates, and almost everything you need for your YouTube videos. You can check their YouTube Channel to watch all the intro templates
After reading so many YouTube gaming intro makers, you may have exhausted. So we have made a simple comparison table about each intro maker, and below is the list of best online and desktop gaming intro makers that can complete the intro making the task as per your choice, pick any of these as per your needs.
You can click the platform name in the form to check the detailed intro about it directly.
| Type | Platform | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Panzoid.com | Free |
| Renderfx | $24.99 to remove the watermark | |
| Renderforest | $29.99/export | |
| Ivipid.com | 1.99$ to $34.99 | |
| Moovly Studio | $5/month | |
| Introchamp | $5 per templates | |
| Intromaker | $5 to $20 | |
| Flixpress | $129.99 monthly for full libray and liftime storage | |
| Desktop | Wondershare Filmora | $59.99 lifetime |
| After Effects | $19.99/monthly | |
| Blender | Free | |
| Cinema 4D | $3510.5 |
Wondershare Filmora is an amazing intro maker for YouTube gamers, besides the various inbuilt titles, animations, filters, transitions and music library, Filmora also has some stunning editing tools to empower your creativity.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When searching the words “intro maker”, thousands of results jump into your eyes, but only a few of them are suitable for YouTube gamers . Luckily, we did it for you. After 34 hours’ research and comparison, we finally rounded up the 12 best gaming intro makers, sorted by online and desktop solutions. Hopefully, these intro makers will help you convert more viewers to your subscribers like those noted YouTubers did.
Read on to know how to take your video to the next level with these gaming intro makers and templates.
You may also like: Top 10 Best Free Music and Sound Effect Resources for Games >>
- Part 1: 4 Best Desktop YouTube Gaming Intro Makers
- Part 2: 8 Best Online Intro Makers for YouTube Gaming
- Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
- Bonus: Best Intro Templates for YouTube Gamer
Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )
Part 1: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming [Desktop Software Solutions for Windows/Mac/Linux]
Before I recommend the YouTube Gaming Intro Makers, I want to share how we make a stunning YouTube intro, so that you can see in creating a video intro, which elements should be included. Check the video tutorial below to get some tips and tricks for making YouTube Intro.
Those who wish to have more control over their video editing needs are advised to pick desktop software solutions like Filmora and After Effects, and Blender, etc. They can serve the editing needs of beginners as well as professionals. So, in the first part, I’ll show you some of the best gaming intro makers for YouTube video, some of them are free to use, others may need to subscribe.
1. Wondershare Filmora: Freemium
Wondershare Filmora is a great tool that you can use to create a film-look YouTube video, including gaming video intros. What’s more, it offers you lots of pre-made intros with text and title animation, elements, overlays, effects, and transitions. Besides the inbuilt presets and templates for making gaming intro makers, you can find more video effects for gaming intro making in the Filmstock effects store . The 8 Bit Gamer and blockbuster effects are also perfect choices for making gaming intros. After finishing the editing, you can directly upload the video to YouTube from the program.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
You may also like: Best 3D Intro Makers for YouTube Videos
2. After Effects: ($19.99/month)
Editing YouTube gaming intro task becomes easier when you have Adobe Effects on your desktop computer. Most of the professionals love to access this platform due to its wide range of effects and presentation templates.
Now, if you are a member of Filmstock, you can download some Free After Effects Templates and use it in After Effects to make a stunning gaming intro without paying extra money.
3. Blender: (Free)
It is a well known open source and free of cost gaming intro maker that can process 3D pipelines with ease. It can easily handle processes like motion tracking, composition, rendering, simulation, animation, rigging and modeling etc. It may appear difficult for beginners to make a gaming intro with this free intro maker but professionals can definitely create wonders with this software tool.
4. Cinema 4D: $3510.5
This is a complete and complex software for 3D video animation, it’s developed by MAXON Computer GmbH in Germany, and it gives you almost all the power and control over 3D design and creation. It is very expensive ($3510.5) and complex, so if you just want a simple and quick intro, we don’t recommend this to you to make a simple gaming intro.
Part 2: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming - Online solution
If you are a beginner, then you should go ahead with the online free gaming intro maker tools below. They have a wide range of pre-made templates and you can operate them with ease even without messing up with deep any technical details.
1. Panzoid(Free):
It is a well known online video editing software tool that also possesses abilities of background editor and can also generate quick clips to fulfill instant needs. As it is available for free and works online so beginners can easily switch to this editor anytime from anywhere using their handheld devices. This free to use software tool allows users to complete editing tasks with advanced 3D animations , but the only downside of this tool is its too many annoying ads.
You can find many tutorials about how to use Panzoid on YouTube if you have any questions.
2. Renderfx ($24.99 only):
The high definition effect is the most beautiful part in my opinion. You would definitely love to have a professional class video editing solution for your YouTube gaming needs. Renderfx allows gamers to generate eye-catching videos for YouTube channel uploads; they can prepare presentations, outros, and intros over here.
3. Renderforest ($29.99/Export):
There are lots of interesting things to talk about Renderforest. It contains a wide range of video templates such as neon power logo, electromagnetic logo, neon lightroom, fly-in-fire logo, and many more. You can create various videos for free by utilizing all its advanced features, but in case if you want to expert your created video out without the watermark, then you have to pay $29.99 per export.
4. ivipid($1.99 to $34.99)
If you are more focused on customization needs and want to create something unique for your next YouTube gaming video, then Lvipid.com is here to serve all your needs. There are unlimited stunning themes, including awesome animation cards and video intro personalization options. Note that you have to use credits to start producing a new video on this platform.
5. Moovly Studio: ($5 per Month)
Here is an advanced multimedia solution that is hosted over the cloud platform and assists users in developing promotional videos and animations with a few simple to follow steps. You can enjoy these services with payment of $5/month only.
6. Introchamp: ($5 per template)
As the name indicates, this online tool is master in the creation of video intros, so you need not apply additional efforts to get desired results. Simply pay amount $4.98 to $11.95 and collect all fantastic graphics, text options, and music to complete your task.
7. Intromaker: ($5 to $20 only)
Its stunning designer wizard can assist you in logo designing; just upload your desired image with .jpg or .png extension and merge it into your video background to have impressive results. Its simple editing interface makes editing tasks much easier for beginners. One of the disadvantages is that you can’t preview the result before you finish the order.
8. Flixpress: ($49.44/month)
It provides a wide range of services like handling business promos, slideshows, ads, and YouTube Intros. It offers variable pricing plans so that beginners can start with free ones, and professionals can choose low-cost plans with ease. One can avail access to a full library with a payment of $49.44/month.
Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
If you’re new to YouTube video creation, here we introduce 3 easiest ways that can help you make fascinating gaming intros.
1. Using video intro makers
No matter you are a beginner or a professional, these intro makers offer you multiples options to make wonderful gaming intros from pre-made templates or from nothing.
2. Hiring freelancers
It is also possible to get professional assistance online from top platforms like Peopleperhour , Upwork , Fiverr and, Valoso etc. Those who are not able to find enough time to edit their game videos can hire a well experienced professional online. They charge an hourly basis or as per the work offered by you. They can complete the customization task on your behalf.
3. Taking use of pre-made intro templates
Some websites/YouTube channels over the Internet also offer attractive pre-made templates that are time-saving solutions and can definitely fulfill the purpose of excellent video intro. You can collect fantastic templates from sites like Editorsdepot, VideoBlocks, and Pushedtionsanity, etc.
Note: The intro part is needed to be very short; probably, a maximum of 5 seconds is sufficient to create the impact; otherwise, your audience will become impatient, and they will run away.
Part 4: Best Intro Templates for YouTube gamer [Free Intro Templates Download Sites]
If you’re using Blender, After Effects, Sony Vegas, Cinema 4D, etc, you’ll be happy to find that there are a lot of free intro templates on the Internet. Just download them, and replace the text by your channel name, no further editing skills asked. You can pick some of the best collections from here.
The newly released stock media library Filmstock effects store is a good website to download free intros and customize it based on your personalized needs.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Click the image below to visit this effects store directly. If you are looking for some free items which are totally free to download and use, you can check the Free video effects, footage, music and photos .
Filmstock Stock Media Library ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Editors Depot
Editors depot has thousands of stock videos and templates with free intros available. You can download them then edit in Blender, Cinema 4D, After Effects, or Sony Vegas.
2. VideoBlocks
Videoblocks has after effect templates you can simply download and bring into Photoshop. All you need to do with these templates is insert your name and import the music, the background images and graphics are all generated.
3. Pushedtionsanity
PushedToInsanity is a site designed to provide the users with the latest and best FREE templates for Cinema 4D, After Effects, and Sony Vegas. You will find lots of Intro Templates, Outro Templates, Banner Templates, and almost everything you need for your YouTube videos. You can check their YouTube Channel to watch all the intro templates
After reading so many YouTube gaming intro makers, you may have exhausted. So we have made a simple comparison table about each intro maker, and below is the list of best online and desktop gaming intro makers that can complete the intro making the task as per your choice, pick any of these as per your needs.
You can click the platform name in the form to check the detailed intro about it directly.
| Type | Platform | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Panzoid.com | Free |
| Renderfx | $24.99 to remove the watermark | |
| Renderforest | $29.99/export | |
| Ivipid.com | 1.99$ to $34.99 | |
| Moovly Studio | $5/month | |
| Introchamp | $5 per templates | |
| Intromaker | $5 to $20 | |
| Flixpress | $129.99 monthly for full libray and liftime storage | |
| Desktop | Wondershare Filmora | $59.99 lifetime |
| After Effects | $19.99/monthly | |
| Blender | Free | |
| Cinema 4D | $3510.5 |
Wondershare Filmora is an amazing intro maker for YouTube gamers, besides the various inbuilt titles, animations, filters, transitions and music library, Filmora also has some stunning editing tools to empower your creativity.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
When searching the words “intro maker”, thousands of results jump into your eyes, but only a few of them are suitable for YouTube gamers . Luckily, we did it for you. After 34 hours’ research and comparison, we finally rounded up the 12 best gaming intro makers, sorted by online and desktop solutions. Hopefully, these intro makers will help you convert more viewers to your subscribers like those noted YouTubers did.
Read on to know how to take your video to the next level with these gaming intro makers and templates.
You may also like: Top 10 Best Free Music and Sound Effect Resources for Games >>
- Part 1: 4 Best Desktop YouTube Gaming Intro Makers
- Part 2: 8 Best Online Intro Makers for YouTube Gaming
- Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
- Bonus: Best Intro Templates for YouTube Gamer
Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )
Part 1: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming [Desktop Software Solutions for Windows/Mac/Linux]
Before I recommend the YouTube Gaming Intro Makers, I want to share how we make a stunning YouTube intro, so that you can see in creating a video intro, which elements should be included. Check the video tutorial below to get some tips and tricks for making YouTube Intro.
Those who wish to have more control over their video editing needs are advised to pick desktop software solutions like Filmora and After Effects, and Blender, etc. They can serve the editing needs of beginners as well as professionals. So, in the first part, I’ll show you some of the best gaming intro makers for YouTube video, some of them are free to use, others may need to subscribe.
1. Wondershare Filmora: Freemium
Wondershare Filmora is a great tool that you can use to create a film-look YouTube video, including gaming video intros. What’s more, it offers you lots of pre-made intros with text and title animation, elements, overlays, effects, and transitions. Besides the inbuilt presets and templates for making gaming intro makers, you can find more video effects for gaming intro making in the Filmstock effects store . The 8 Bit Gamer and blockbuster effects are also perfect choices for making gaming intros. After finishing the editing, you can directly upload the video to YouTube from the program.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
You may also like: Best 3D Intro Makers for YouTube Videos
2. After Effects: ($19.99/month)
Editing YouTube gaming intro task becomes easier when you have Adobe Effects on your desktop computer. Most of the professionals love to access this platform due to its wide range of effects and presentation templates.
Now, if you are a member of Filmstock, you can download some Free After Effects Templates and use it in After Effects to make a stunning gaming intro without paying extra money.
3. Blender: (Free)
It is a well known open source and free of cost gaming intro maker that can process 3D pipelines with ease. It can easily handle processes like motion tracking, composition, rendering, simulation, animation, rigging and modeling etc. It may appear difficult for beginners to make a gaming intro with this free intro maker but professionals can definitely create wonders with this software tool.
4. Cinema 4D: $3510.5
This is a complete and complex software for 3D video animation, it’s developed by MAXON Computer GmbH in Germany, and it gives you almost all the power and control over 3D design and creation. It is very expensive ($3510.5) and complex, so if you just want a simple and quick intro, we don’t recommend this to you to make a simple gaming intro.
Part 2: Best YouTube Intro Makers for Gaming - Online solution
If you are a beginner, then you should go ahead with the online free gaming intro maker tools below. They have a wide range of pre-made templates and you can operate them with ease even without messing up with deep any technical details.
1. Panzoid(Free):
It is a well known online video editing software tool that also possesses abilities of background editor and can also generate quick clips to fulfill instant needs. As it is available for free and works online so beginners can easily switch to this editor anytime from anywhere using their handheld devices. This free to use software tool allows users to complete editing tasks with advanced 3D animations , but the only downside of this tool is its too many annoying ads.
You can find many tutorials about how to use Panzoid on YouTube if you have any questions.
2. Renderfx ($24.99 only):
The high definition effect is the most beautiful part in my opinion. You would definitely love to have a professional class video editing solution for your YouTube gaming needs. Renderfx allows gamers to generate eye-catching videos for YouTube channel uploads; they can prepare presentations, outros, and intros over here.
3. Renderforest ($29.99/Export):
There are lots of interesting things to talk about Renderforest. It contains a wide range of video templates such as neon power logo, electromagnetic logo, neon lightroom, fly-in-fire logo, and many more. You can create various videos for free by utilizing all its advanced features, but in case if you want to expert your created video out without the watermark, then you have to pay $29.99 per export.
4. ivipid($1.99 to $34.99)
If you are more focused on customization needs and want to create something unique for your next YouTube gaming video, then Lvipid.com is here to serve all your needs. There are unlimited stunning themes, including awesome animation cards and video intro personalization options. Note that you have to use credits to start producing a new video on this platform.
5. Moovly Studio: ($5 per Month)
Here is an advanced multimedia solution that is hosted over the cloud platform and assists users in developing promotional videos and animations with a few simple to follow steps. You can enjoy these services with payment of $5/month only.
6. Introchamp: ($5 per template)
As the name indicates, this online tool is master in the creation of video intros, so you need not apply additional efforts to get desired results. Simply pay amount $4.98 to $11.95 and collect all fantastic graphics, text options, and music to complete your task.
7. Intromaker: ($5 to $20 only)
Its stunning designer wizard can assist you in logo designing; just upload your desired image with .jpg or .png extension and merge it into your video background to have impressive results. Its simple editing interface makes editing tasks much easier for beginners. One of the disadvantages is that you can’t preview the result before you finish the order.
8. Flixpress: ($49.44/month)
It provides a wide range of services like handling business promos, slideshows, ads, and YouTube Intros. It offers variable pricing plans so that beginners can start with free ones, and professionals can choose low-cost plans with ease. One can avail access to a full library with a payment of $49.44/month.
Part 3: 3 Easiest Ways to Make a Gaming Intro
If you’re new to YouTube video creation, here we introduce 3 easiest ways that can help you make fascinating gaming intros.
1. Using video intro makers
No matter you are a beginner or a professional, these intro makers offer you multiples options to make wonderful gaming intros from pre-made templates or from nothing.
2. Hiring freelancers
It is also possible to get professional assistance online from top platforms like Peopleperhour , Upwork , Fiverr and, Valoso etc. Those who are not able to find enough time to edit their game videos can hire a well experienced professional online. They charge an hourly basis or as per the work offered by you. They can complete the customization task on your behalf.
3. Taking use of pre-made intro templates
Some websites/YouTube channels over the Internet also offer attractive pre-made templates that are time-saving solutions and can definitely fulfill the purpose of excellent video intro. You can collect fantastic templates from sites like Editorsdepot, VideoBlocks, and Pushedtionsanity, etc.
Note: The intro part is needed to be very short; probably, a maximum of 5 seconds is sufficient to create the impact; otherwise, your audience will become impatient, and they will run away.
Part 4: Best Intro Templates for YouTube gamer [Free Intro Templates Download Sites]
If you’re using Blender, After Effects, Sony Vegas, Cinema 4D, etc, you’ll be happy to find that there are a lot of free intro templates on the Internet. Just download them, and replace the text by your channel name, no further editing skills asked. You can pick some of the best collections from here.
The newly released stock media library Filmstock effects store is a good website to download free intros and customize it based on your personalized needs.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Click the image below to visit this effects store directly. If you are looking for some free items which are totally free to download and use, you can check the Free video effects, footage, music and photos .
Filmstock Stock Media Library ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Editors Depot
Editors depot has thousands of stock videos and templates with free intros available. You can download them then edit in Blender, Cinema 4D, After Effects, or Sony Vegas.
2. VideoBlocks
Videoblocks has after effect templates you can simply download and bring into Photoshop. All you need to do with these templates is insert your name and import the music, the background images and graphics are all generated.
3. Pushedtionsanity
PushedToInsanity is a site designed to provide the users with the latest and best FREE templates for Cinema 4D, After Effects, and Sony Vegas. You will find lots of Intro Templates, Outro Templates, Banner Templates, and almost everything you need for your YouTube videos. You can check their YouTube Channel to watch all the intro templates
After reading so many YouTube gaming intro makers, you may have exhausted. So we have made a simple comparison table about each intro maker, and below is the list of best online and desktop gaming intro makers that can complete the intro making the task as per your choice, pick any of these as per your needs.
You can click the platform name in the form to check the detailed intro about it directly.
| Type | Platform | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Panzoid.com | Free |
| Renderfx | $24.99 to remove the watermark | |
| Renderforest | $29.99/export | |
| Ivipid.com | 1.99$ to $34.99 | |
| Moovly Studio | $5/month | |
| Introchamp | $5 per templates | |
| Intromaker | $5 to $20 | |
| Flixpress | $129.99 monthly for full libray and liftime storage | |
| Desktop | Wondershare Filmora | $59.99 lifetime |
| After Effects | $19.99/monthly | |
| Blender | Free | |
| Cinema 4D | $3510.5 |
Wondershare Filmora is an amazing intro maker for YouTube gamers, besides the various inbuilt titles, animations, filters, transitions and music library, Filmora also has some stunning editing tools to empower your creativity.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.
- Part 1: Create and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
- Part 2: Tools to Create Custom YouTube Video Thumbnails
- Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
- Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a YouTube Custom Thumbnail
- Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails to Get More Clicks
- Part 6: YouTube Thumbnail FAQs
How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]
We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.
Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube
After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.
In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.
1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.
2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.
3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.
In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.
Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails
Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva
Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.
Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.
You may also like: Best online Photo Editor
2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp
Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.
Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:
Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube
Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.
In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.
- After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.
- On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.
- Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
- Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.
If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .
Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail
- About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
- About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
- You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
- You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.
One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!
You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art
To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.
You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube
Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks
The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.
1. Stay On Topic
Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.
Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.
This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.
A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.
2. Don’t Be Mysterious
A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.
Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.
Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.
If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?
When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!
3. People Like People
Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.
Just make sure you’re in them.
You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.
So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?
4. Check Out The Competition
Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.
Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!
For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?
5. Use Color in Interesting Ways
You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.
Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.
Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?
6. Make Your Text Huge
Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.
The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.
Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail
1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?
When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.
2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?
Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.
3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?
Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.
4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?
When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
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- Updated at : 2024-05-26 15:34:15
- Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/in-2024-discover-the-best-12-free-and-paid-video-game-openings-for-yt/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
