The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Thumbnail Sizes

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Thumbnail Sizes

Kevin Lv12

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Thumbnail Sizes

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube in 2024

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You must have heard the phrase, Never judge a book by its cover. But actually, we do judge everything by its cover. The same is the case with Youtube videos. No matter how good the content of your video is if you are unable to convey that with the thumbnail of your video, it will not bring any good to your channel. If you are looking forward to growing your channel and attracting more viewers, then having an appealing and eye-catching thumbnail is one of the most important factors. There are several things to be considered while creating a custom thumbnail if you want to make your videos look stunning and engaging. By following all these points, you can increase the chances of your channel’s growth.


In this article, we have 5 chapters for you:


Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

Being a content creator, you never know which device is being used by the viewer to watch your videos. It can be a smartphone, laptop, pc, or smart TV. It is very important to keep all these devices in mind while choosing a Youtube thumbnail size. For the best possible results, consider the following points while making a thumbnail for your Youtube videos.

  • To cover all the devices perfectly, set the thumbnail resolution to 1280x720
  • Save the thumbnail in JPG, GIF, or PNG format
  • Try not to cross the 2MB limit
  • Make sure to use a 16:9 aspect ratio for perfect results throughout the devices

youtube-thumbnail-size


How Important is a Custom Thumbnail?

Custom Thumbnail is a tool through which the viewers can understand everything about a video. It tells the viewers what to expect from a video, what not to expect, and what the video is all about. no matter if you create amazing content, if the thumbnail is not good enough to covey that to the viewers, all your hard work will be of no use and will not bring any good to your channel and its growth. According to Google ,90% of best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. It shows the importance of custom thumbnails.

piechart-importance-of-custom-thumbnail.png


Best Practice From Experiences

Now, since we know the importance of having a custom thumbnail, it is important to know how to make a thumbnail for Youtube look perfect, appealing, and eye-catching at the same time. There are some points to be considered while creating a thumbnail for Youtube. We will provide you with the best practices that we have learned throughout our journey of using Youtube and growing it from zero.

7 best practices can help you make your Youtube thumbnail stand out from the crowd and make its way out.

  1. Show your face

In a world full of machines and computers, people love to listen and interact with people instead of computer-generated voices and a voice without a face. Showing your face on a Youtube thumbnail makes it more appealing to users to click and listen to the person who is being shown in the thumbnail. Humans are more inclined towards faces. When there is a human element in a video, it increases its effectiveness. Check out the pics below, which one are you most likely to click through?

comparison-of-showing-face-or-not

  1. Use Simple Fonts

With your face, it is necessary to put some text on your Youtube thumbnail to let viewers know what this video is all about without clicking or watching it. Don’t use fancy fonts on Youtube thumbnail. It makes it hard for the viewers to read and understand what to expect in the video, especially for those watching YouTube on their 5 inches screen smartphone, ultimately decreasing the chances of your video being clicked and watched. I personally recommend you to use give these fonts a go while making YouTube thumbnail.

simple-fonts-recommended

  1. Use Phrases, not sentence

If you have ever noticed, Youtube thumbnails are very small in size, making it hard for viewers to notice any small elements. According to YouTube , more than 70% of Youtube watch time comes from mobile devices. While adding text in a thumbnail, instead of using sentences, make sure to use only words and make them large in size that can easily be noticed on small screens. Summurise your video in no more than 5 words.

piechart-youtube-watchtime-percentage

use-phrases-not-sentences

  1. Put every stuff on left side

When we navigate to a Youtube thumbnail and place the cursor on it, it shows us two icons, “Watch Later” and “Add to Queue,” located on its right size. Come on, you don’t want your beautiful thumbnail that cost you a few hours be covered. To avoid these icons from hiding your important stuff of thumbnail, make sure to put everything on the right side of your thumbnail.

put-stuff-on-left

  1. Have a unique and Consistent style

Try to make all your thumbnails follow the same style. Following the same style for all your Youtube thumbnails will make your channel look unique and all your videos identical. It will be easy for viewers to identify your videos when they see them. It gives your channel a touch of its unique brand.

unique-and-consistent-style

  1. Use elements to grab the attention

To make your Youtube thumbnail more appealing to the viewers, add circles and arrows to grab viewers’ attention to something very important in the video. It will increase the curiosity in the viewers and make them click your videos to learn more.

use-elements-to-grab-attention

  1. Choose the right tool

This whole process seems to be very hectic and time taking, but do you know, you can do everything on just one software? There is no need to edit a video in a different software then make a thumbnail in another software. With Filmora X, you can perform all these tasks on a single platform with so many amazing features. Whether you want to remove the background of your image or add attractive titles to it, Filmora X has got you covered.

  1. Avoid clickbait and irrelevant pics and title

It is one of the old tricks that so many people on Youtube use. It undoubtedly brings you clicks and more views, but once the viewer realizes that you have used irrelevant pictures or texts to attract them**. I**n reality, your video doesn’t contain any information related to it, you are going to lose their trust. They are never going to click on your videos again. Even if you don’t use such a trick anymore. Try to avoid such activities. Avoiding such activities can make your channel grow in the long term. Only use the text and images that are relevant to your content and stick to that.

  1. Choose your preview window wisely

Do you know that Youtube can show a 3-second preview of your video when someone hovers the cursor over it? It is one of the best ways to show the viewers the content of your video even when they don’t click on your video. These three seconds will help them decide whether to click on your video or not. This preview is selected by the system from the first half of your video according to its relevance and similarity with the topic. That’s why it is very important to add related information in the first half of the video, otherwise, Youtube will choose it randomly. If the preview is not selected for two days, it means your video is not eligible for it.

choose-preview-wisely


How to Make a Fortnite Thumbnail Super Fast and Free?

Many of you might be interested in how to make a fortnite thumbnail, so here it is. To make a Fortnite thumbnail for free, we are going to use Filmora X. Filmora X contains all kinds of features and elements that are required for a perfect and eye-catching thumbnail. To get started, make sure to download and install the latest version of Filmora X.

  1. Before we start making Fortnite Thumbnails, we have to take a screenshot of the gameplay. Open Fortnite and go to the Career tab. Here you will find Replays.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step1

  1. It contains all your recent gameplays. We can use it to take a screenshot. If you are using a console, you will find 10 recent gameplays here. But if you are a PC user, you can find the last 100 gameplays. Select the gameplay you want to take a screenshot from.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step2

  1. For our preferred angle, choose “Drone Free Camera” mode from the bottom right corner of the screen. It will allow us to use our preferred angle without any restriction. Choose an angle and take a screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step3

  1. Open Filmora X, make sure to select the 16:9 screen ratio. Import the screenshot that you have taken from Fortnite.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step4

  1. Place it into the timeline to start working on it.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step5

  1. Now to separate the character from the background, go to the Effects. Under effects, you can find a tab named AI Portraits. Click on AI Portrait. Now drag the Human Segmentation and drop it on the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step6

  1. It will ask you to purchase it. But there is no need to do that. Just hit Try It.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step7

  1. This effect will remove the background of your screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step8

  1. Now you can add a background of your choice. You can upload an image or choose a simple color from Filmora’s Media tab and drag it below the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step9

  1. To add text to the screenshot, go to Titles. Here you can find a wide range of different and unique titles to choose from for your Fortnite Thumbnail. Choose any of the titles and place them accordingly.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step10

  1. To make it more attractive, we can add icons and other elements from Filmora’s Element tab. You can also download the stickers from the internet and use them.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step11

  1. After completing the thumbnail, click on the Snapshot icon located below the preview tab of Filmora. Or press “CTRL+ALT+S”. It will save a screenshot into the media panel of Filmora.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step12

  1. Right-click on the screenshot and navigate to “Reveal in Explorer”. It will open the folder that contains all the screenshots taken from Filmora. Now you can use it as a Fortnite Thumbnail.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step13


How to Add a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video in YouTube

Once you have successfully created a custom thumbnail, you can use it in your videos on Youtube.

  1. Open Youtube Studio and upload your video. While uploading the video, you can see a section named “Thumbnail”. Under this section, click on “Upload Thumbnail”.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step1

  1. Select the thumbnail that you have made. Just like the one Fortnite thumbnail that we have created using Filmora X.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step2

  1. The thumbnail will be uploaded and attached to the video. Now you can process all the settings and publish the video.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step3

Conclusion

Thumbnail is the first thing that helps the viewer decide whether to click on a video or ignore it. Which increases the importance of having a well-structured and attractive thumbnail. By following the above guide, you can make an astonishing and clickable thumbnail in no time. For better and quick results, we recommend you using Filmora X. It allows you to perform all the tasks from video editing to thumbnail creation on a single platform.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You must have heard the phrase, Never judge a book by its cover. But actually, we do judge everything by its cover. The same is the case with Youtube videos. No matter how good the content of your video is if you are unable to convey that with the thumbnail of your video, it will not bring any good to your channel. If you are looking forward to growing your channel and attracting more viewers, then having an appealing and eye-catching thumbnail is one of the most important factors. There are several things to be considered while creating a custom thumbnail if you want to make your videos look stunning and engaging. By following all these points, you can increase the chances of your channel’s growth.


In this article, we have 5 chapters for you:


Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

Being a content creator, you never know which device is being used by the viewer to watch your videos. It can be a smartphone, laptop, pc, or smart TV. It is very important to keep all these devices in mind while choosing a Youtube thumbnail size. For the best possible results, consider the following points while making a thumbnail for your Youtube videos.

  • To cover all the devices perfectly, set the thumbnail resolution to 1280x720
  • Save the thumbnail in JPG, GIF, or PNG format
  • Try not to cross the 2MB limit
  • Make sure to use a 16:9 aspect ratio for perfect results throughout the devices

youtube-thumbnail-size


How Important is a Custom Thumbnail?

Custom Thumbnail is a tool through which the viewers can understand everything about a video. It tells the viewers what to expect from a video, what not to expect, and what the video is all about. no matter if you create amazing content, if the thumbnail is not good enough to covey that to the viewers, all your hard work will be of no use and will not bring any good to your channel and its growth. According to Google ,90% of best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. It shows the importance of custom thumbnails.

piechart-importance-of-custom-thumbnail.png


Best Practice From Experiences

Now, since we know the importance of having a custom thumbnail, it is important to know how to make a thumbnail for Youtube look perfect, appealing, and eye-catching at the same time. There are some points to be considered while creating a thumbnail for Youtube. We will provide you with the best practices that we have learned throughout our journey of using Youtube and growing it from zero.

7 best practices can help you make your Youtube thumbnail stand out from the crowd and make its way out.

  1. Show your face

In a world full of machines and computers, people love to listen and interact with people instead of computer-generated voices and a voice without a face. Showing your face on a Youtube thumbnail makes it more appealing to users to click and listen to the person who is being shown in the thumbnail. Humans are more inclined towards faces. When there is a human element in a video, it increases its effectiveness. Check out the pics below, which one are you most likely to click through?

comparison-of-showing-face-or-not

  1. Use Simple Fonts

With your face, it is necessary to put some text on your Youtube thumbnail to let viewers know what this video is all about without clicking or watching it. Don’t use fancy fonts on Youtube thumbnail. It makes it hard for the viewers to read and understand what to expect in the video, especially for those watching YouTube on their 5 inches screen smartphone, ultimately decreasing the chances of your video being clicked and watched. I personally recommend you to use give these fonts a go while making YouTube thumbnail.

simple-fonts-recommended

  1. Use Phrases, not sentence

If you have ever noticed, Youtube thumbnails are very small in size, making it hard for viewers to notice any small elements. According to YouTube , more than 70% of Youtube watch time comes from mobile devices. While adding text in a thumbnail, instead of using sentences, make sure to use only words and make them large in size that can easily be noticed on small screens. Summurise your video in no more than 5 words.

piechart-youtube-watchtime-percentage

use-phrases-not-sentences

  1. Put every stuff on left side

When we navigate to a Youtube thumbnail and place the cursor on it, it shows us two icons, “Watch Later” and “Add to Queue,” located on its right size. Come on, you don’t want your beautiful thumbnail that cost you a few hours be covered. To avoid these icons from hiding your important stuff of thumbnail, make sure to put everything on the right side of your thumbnail.

put-stuff-on-left

  1. Have a unique and Consistent style

Try to make all your thumbnails follow the same style. Following the same style for all your Youtube thumbnails will make your channel look unique and all your videos identical. It will be easy for viewers to identify your videos when they see them. It gives your channel a touch of its unique brand.

unique-and-consistent-style

  1. Use elements to grab the attention

To make your Youtube thumbnail more appealing to the viewers, add circles and arrows to grab viewers’ attention to something very important in the video. It will increase the curiosity in the viewers and make them click your videos to learn more.

use-elements-to-grab-attention

  1. Choose the right tool

This whole process seems to be very hectic and time taking, but do you know, you can do everything on just one software? There is no need to edit a video in a different software then make a thumbnail in another software. With Filmora X, you can perform all these tasks on a single platform with so many amazing features. Whether you want to remove the background of your image or add attractive titles to it, Filmora X has got you covered.

  1. Avoid clickbait and irrelevant pics and title

It is one of the old tricks that so many people on Youtube use. It undoubtedly brings you clicks and more views, but once the viewer realizes that you have used irrelevant pictures or texts to attract them**. I**n reality, your video doesn’t contain any information related to it, you are going to lose their trust. They are never going to click on your videos again. Even if you don’t use such a trick anymore. Try to avoid such activities. Avoiding such activities can make your channel grow in the long term. Only use the text and images that are relevant to your content and stick to that.

  1. Choose your preview window wisely

Do you know that Youtube can show a 3-second preview of your video when someone hovers the cursor over it? It is one of the best ways to show the viewers the content of your video even when they don’t click on your video. These three seconds will help them decide whether to click on your video or not. This preview is selected by the system from the first half of your video according to its relevance and similarity with the topic. That’s why it is very important to add related information in the first half of the video, otherwise, Youtube will choose it randomly. If the preview is not selected for two days, it means your video is not eligible for it.

choose-preview-wisely


How to Make a Fortnite Thumbnail Super Fast and Free?

Many of you might be interested in how to make a fortnite thumbnail, so here it is. To make a Fortnite thumbnail for free, we are going to use Filmora X. Filmora X contains all kinds of features and elements that are required for a perfect and eye-catching thumbnail. To get started, make sure to download and install the latest version of Filmora X.

  1. Before we start making Fortnite Thumbnails, we have to take a screenshot of the gameplay. Open Fortnite and go to the Career tab. Here you will find Replays.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step1

  1. It contains all your recent gameplays. We can use it to take a screenshot. If you are using a console, you will find 10 recent gameplays here. But if you are a PC user, you can find the last 100 gameplays. Select the gameplay you want to take a screenshot from.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step2

  1. For our preferred angle, choose “Drone Free Camera” mode from the bottom right corner of the screen. It will allow us to use our preferred angle without any restriction. Choose an angle and take a screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step3

  1. Open Filmora X, make sure to select the 16:9 screen ratio. Import the screenshot that you have taken from Fortnite.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step4

  1. Place it into the timeline to start working on it.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step5

  1. Now to separate the character from the background, go to the Effects. Under effects, you can find a tab named AI Portraits. Click on AI Portrait. Now drag the Human Segmentation and drop it on the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step6

  1. It will ask you to purchase it. But there is no need to do that. Just hit Try It.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step7

  1. This effect will remove the background of your screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step8

  1. Now you can add a background of your choice. You can upload an image or choose a simple color from Filmora’s Media tab and drag it below the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step9

  1. To add text to the screenshot, go to Titles. Here you can find a wide range of different and unique titles to choose from for your Fortnite Thumbnail. Choose any of the titles and place them accordingly.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step10

  1. To make it more attractive, we can add icons and other elements from Filmora’s Element tab. You can also download the stickers from the internet and use them.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step11

  1. After completing the thumbnail, click on the Snapshot icon located below the preview tab of Filmora. Or press “CTRL+ALT+S”. It will save a screenshot into the media panel of Filmora.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step12

  1. Right-click on the screenshot and navigate to “Reveal in Explorer”. It will open the folder that contains all the screenshots taken from Filmora. Now you can use it as a Fortnite Thumbnail.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step13


How to Add a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video in YouTube

Once you have successfully created a custom thumbnail, you can use it in your videos on Youtube.

  1. Open Youtube Studio and upload your video. While uploading the video, you can see a section named “Thumbnail”. Under this section, click on “Upload Thumbnail”.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step1

  1. Select the thumbnail that you have made. Just like the one Fortnite thumbnail that we have created using Filmora X.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step2

  1. The thumbnail will be uploaded and attached to the video. Now you can process all the settings and publish the video.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step3

Conclusion

Thumbnail is the first thing that helps the viewer decide whether to click on a video or ignore it. Which increases the importance of having a well-structured and attractive thumbnail. By following the above guide, you can make an astonishing and clickable thumbnail in no time. For better and quick results, we recommend you using Filmora X. It allows you to perform all the tasks from video editing to thumbnail creation on a single platform.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You must have heard the phrase, Never judge a book by its cover. But actually, we do judge everything by its cover. The same is the case with Youtube videos. No matter how good the content of your video is if you are unable to convey that with the thumbnail of your video, it will not bring any good to your channel. If you are looking forward to growing your channel and attracting more viewers, then having an appealing and eye-catching thumbnail is one of the most important factors. There are several things to be considered while creating a custom thumbnail if you want to make your videos look stunning and engaging. By following all these points, you can increase the chances of your channel’s growth.


In this article, we have 5 chapters for you:


Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

Being a content creator, you never know which device is being used by the viewer to watch your videos. It can be a smartphone, laptop, pc, or smart TV. It is very important to keep all these devices in mind while choosing a Youtube thumbnail size. For the best possible results, consider the following points while making a thumbnail for your Youtube videos.

  • To cover all the devices perfectly, set the thumbnail resolution to 1280x720
  • Save the thumbnail in JPG, GIF, or PNG format
  • Try not to cross the 2MB limit
  • Make sure to use a 16:9 aspect ratio for perfect results throughout the devices

youtube-thumbnail-size


How Important is a Custom Thumbnail?

Custom Thumbnail is a tool through which the viewers can understand everything about a video. It tells the viewers what to expect from a video, what not to expect, and what the video is all about. no matter if you create amazing content, if the thumbnail is not good enough to covey that to the viewers, all your hard work will be of no use and will not bring any good to your channel and its growth. According to Google ,90% of best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. It shows the importance of custom thumbnails.

piechart-importance-of-custom-thumbnail.png


Best Practice From Experiences

Now, since we know the importance of having a custom thumbnail, it is important to know how to make a thumbnail for Youtube look perfect, appealing, and eye-catching at the same time. There are some points to be considered while creating a thumbnail for Youtube. We will provide you with the best practices that we have learned throughout our journey of using Youtube and growing it from zero.

7 best practices can help you make your Youtube thumbnail stand out from the crowd and make its way out.

  1. Show your face

In a world full of machines and computers, people love to listen and interact with people instead of computer-generated voices and a voice without a face. Showing your face on a Youtube thumbnail makes it more appealing to users to click and listen to the person who is being shown in the thumbnail. Humans are more inclined towards faces. When there is a human element in a video, it increases its effectiveness. Check out the pics below, which one are you most likely to click through?

comparison-of-showing-face-or-not

  1. Use Simple Fonts

With your face, it is necessary to put some text on your Youtube thumbnail to let viewers know what this video is all about without clicking or watching it. Don’t use fancy fonts on Youtube thumbnail. It makes it hard for the viewers to read and understand what to expect in the video, especially for those watching YouTube on their 5 inches screen smartphone, ultimately decreasing the chances of your video being clicked and watched. I personally recommend you to use give these fonts a go while making YouTube thumbnail.

simple-fonts-recommended

  1. Use Phrases, not sentence

If you have ever noticed, Youtube thumbnails are very small in size, making it hard for viewers to notice any small elements. According to YouTube , more than 70% of Youtube watch time comes from mobile devices. While adding text in a thumbnail, instead of using sentences, make sure to use only words and make them large in size that can easily be noticed on small screens. Summurise your video in no more than 5 words.

piechart-youtube-watchtime-percentage

use-phrases-not-sentences

  1. Put every stuff on left side

When we navigate to a Youtube thumbnail and place the cursor on it, it shows us two icons, “Watch Later” and “Add to Queue,” located on its right size. Come on, you don’t want your beautiful thumbnail that cost you a few hours be covered. To avoid these icons from hiding your important stuff of thumbnail, make sure to put everything on the right side of your thumbnail.

put-stuff-on-left

  1. Have a unique and Consistent style

Try to make all your thumbnails follow the same style. Following the same style for all your Youtube thumbnails will make your channel look unique and all your videos identical. It will be easy for viewers to identify your videos when they see them. It gives your channel a touch of its unique brand.

unique-and-consistent-style

  1. Use elements to grab the attention

To make your Youtube thumbnail more appealing to the viewers, add circles and arrows to grab viewers’ attention to something very important in the video. It will increase the curiosity in the viewers and make them click your videos to learn more.

use-elements-to-grab-attention

  1. Choose the right tool

This whole process seems to be very hectic and time taking, but do you know, you can do everything on just one software? There is no need to edit a video in a different software then make a thumbnail in another software. With Filmora X, you can perform all these tasks on a single platform with so many amazing features. Whether you want to remove the background of your image or add attractive titles to it, Filmora X has got you covered.

  1. Avoid clickbait and irrelevant pics and title

It is one of the old tricks that so many people on Youtube use. It undoubtedly brings you clicks and more views, but once the viewer realizes that you have used irrelevant pictures or texts to attract them**. I**n reality, your video doesn’t contain any information related to it, you are going to lose their trust. They are never going to click on your videos again. Even if you don’t use such a trick anymore. Try to avoid such activities. Avoiding such activities can make your channel grow in the long term. Only use the text and images that are relevant to your content and stick to that.

  1. Choose your preview window wisely

Do you know that Youtube can show a 3-second preview of your video when someone hovers the cursor over it? It is one of the best ways to show the viewers the content of your video even when they don’t click on your video. These three seconds will help them decide whether to click on your video or not. This preview is selected by the system from the first half of your video according to its relevance and similarity with the topic. That’s why it is very important to add related information in the first half of the video, otherwise, Youtube will choose it randomly. If the preview is not selected for two days, it means your video is not eligible for it.

choose-preview-wisely


How to Make a Fortnite Thumbnail Super Fast and Free?

Many of you might be interested in how to make a fortnite thumbnail, so here it is. To make a Fortnite thumbnail for free, we are going to use Filmora X. Filmora X contains all kinds of features and elements that are required for a perfect and eye-catching thumbnail. To get started, make sure to download and install the latest version of Filmora X.

  1. Before we start making Fortnite Thumbnails, we have to take a screenshot of the gameplay. Open Fortnite and go to the Career tab. Here you will find Replays.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step1

  1. It contains all your recent gameplays. We can use it to take a screenshot. If you are using a console, you will find 10 recent gameplays here. But if you are a PC user, you can find the last 100 gameplays. Select the gameplay you want to take a screenshot from.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step2

  1. For our preferred angle, choose “Drone Free Camera” mode from the bottom right corner of the screen. It will allow us to use our preferred angle without any restriction. Choose an angle and take a screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step3

  1. Open Filmora X, make sure to select the 16:9 screen ratio. Import the screenshot that you have taken from Fortnite.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step4

  1. Place it into the timeline to start working on it.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step5

  1. Now to separate the character from the background, go to the Effects. Under effects, you can find a tab named AI Portraits. Click on AI Portrait. Now drag the Human Segmentation and drop it on the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step6

  1. It will ask you to purchase it. But there is no need to do that. Just hit Try It.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step7

  1. This effect will remove the background of your screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step8

  1. Now you can add a background of your choice. You can upload an image or choose a simple color from Filmora’s Media tab and drag it below the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step9

  1. To add text to the screenshot, go to Titles. Here you can find a wide range of different and unique titles to choose from for your Fortnite Thumbnail. Choose any of the titles and place them accordingly.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step10

  1. To make it more attractive, we can add icons and other elements from Filmora’s Element tab. You can also download the stickers from the internet and use them.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step11

  1. After completing the thumbnail, click on the Snapshot icon located below the preview tab of Filmora. Or press “CTRL+ALT+S”. It will save a screenshot into the media panel of Filmora.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step12

  1. Right-click on the screenshot and navigate to “Reveal in Explorer”. It will open the folder that contains all the screenshots taken from Filmora. Now you can use it as a Fortnite Thumbnail.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step13


How to Add a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video in YouTube

Once you have successfully created a custom thumbnail, you can use it in your videos on Youtube.

  1. Open Youtube Studio and upload your video. While uploading the video, you can see a section named “Thumbnail”. Under this section, click on “Upload Thumbnail”.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step1

  1. Select the thumbnail that you have made. Just like the one Fortnite thumbnail that we have created using Filmora X.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step2

  1. The thumbnail will be uploaded and attached to the video. Now you can process all the settings and publish the video.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step3

Conclusion

Thumbnail is the first thing that helps the viewer decide whether to click on a video or ignore it. Which increases the importance of having a well-structured and attractive thumbnail. By following the above guide, you can make an astonishing and clickable thumbnail in no time. For better and quick results, we recommend you using Filmora X. It allows you to perform all the tasks from video editing to thumbnail creation on a single platform.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You must have heard the phrase, Never judge a book by its cover. But actually, we do judge everything by its cover. The same is the case with Youtube videos. No matter how good the content of your video is if you are unable to convey that with the thumbnail of your video, it will not bring any good to your channel. If you are looking forward to growing your channel and attracting more viewers, then having an appealing and eye-catching thumbnail is one of the most important factors. There are several things to be considered while creating a custom thumbnail if you want to make your videos look stunning and engaging. By following all these points, you can increase the chances of your channel’s growth.


In this article, we have 5 chapters for you:


Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

Being a content creator, you never know which device is being used by the viewer to watch your videos. It can be a smartphone, laptop, pc, or smart TV. It is very important to keep all these devices in mind while choosing a Youtube thumbnail size. For the best possible results, consider the following points while making a thumbnail for your Youtube videos.

  • To cover all the devices perfectly, set the thumbnail resolution to 1280x720
  • Save the thumbnail in JPG, GIF, or PNG format
  • Try not to cross the 2MB limit
  • Make sure to use a 16:9 aspect ratio for perfect results throughout the devices

youtube-thumbnail-size


How Important is a Custom Thumbnail?

Custom Thumbnail is a tool through which the viewers can understand everything about a video. It tells the viewers what to expect from a video, what not to expect, and what the video is all about. no matter if you create amazing content, if the thumbnail is not good enough to covey that to the viewers, all your hard work will be of no use and will not bring any good to your channel and its growth. According to Google ,90% of best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. It shows the importance of custom thumbnails.

piechart-importance-of-custom-thumbnail.png


Best Practice From Experiences

Now, since we know the importance of having a custom thumbnail, it is important to know how to make a thumbnail for Youtube look perfect, appealing, and eye-catching at the same time. There are some points to be considered while creating a thumbnail for Youtube. We will provide you with the best practices that we have learned throughout our journey of using Youtube and growing it from zero.

7 best practices can help you make your Youtube thumbnail stand out from the crowd and make its way out.

  1. Show your face

In a world full of machines and computers, people love to listen and interact with people instead of computer-generated voices and a voice without a face. Showing your face on a Youtube thumbnail makes it more appealing to users to click and listen to the person who is being shown in the thumbnail. Humans are more inclined towards faces. When there is a human element in a video, it increases its effectiveness. Check out the pics below, which one are you most likely to click through?

comparison-of-showing-face-or-not

  1. Use Simple Fonts

With your face, it is necessary to put some text on your Youtube thumbnail to let viewers know what this video is all about without clicking or watching it. Don’t use fancy fonts on Youtube thumbnail. It makes it hard for the viewers to read and understand what to expect in the video, especially for those watching YouTube on their 5 inches screen smartphone, ultimately decreasing the chances of your video being clicked and watched. I personally recommend you to use give these fonts a go while making YouTube thumbnail.

simple-fonts-recommended

  1. Use Phrases, not sentence

If you have ever noticed, Youtube thumbnails are very small in size, making it hard for viewers to notice any small elements. According to YouTube , more than 70% of Youtube watch time comes from mobile devices. While adding text in a thumbnail, instead of using sentences, make sure to use only words and make them large in size that can easily be noticed on small screens. Summurise your video in no more than 5 words.

piechart-youtube-watchtime-percentage

use-phrases-not-sentences

  1. Put every stuff on left side

When we navigate to a Youtube thumbnail and place the cursor on it, it shows us two icons, “Watch Later” and “Add to Queue,” located on its right size. Come on, you don’t want your beautiful thumbnail that cost you a few hours be covered. To avoid these icons from hiding your important stuff of thumbnail, make sure to put everything on the right side of your thumbnail.

put-stuff-on-left

  1. Have a unique and Consistent style

Try to make all your thumbnails follow the same style. Following the same style for all your Youtube thumbnails will make your channel look unique and all your videos identical. It will be easy for viewers to identify your videos when they see them. It gives your channel a touch of its unique brand.

unique-and-consistent-style

  1. Use elements to grab the attention

To make your Youtube thumbnail more appealing to the viewers, add circles and arrows to grab viewers’ attention to something very important in the video. It will increase the curiosity in the viewers and make them click your videos to learn more.

use-elements-to-grab-attention

  1. Choose the right tool

This whole process seems to be very hectic and time taking, but do you know, you can do everything on just one software? There is no need to edit a video in a different software then make a thumbnail in another software. With Filmora X, you can perform all these tasks on a single platform with so many amazing features. Whether you want to remove the background of your image or add attractive titles to it, Filmora X has got you covered.

  1. Avoid clickbait and irrelevant pics and title

It is one of the old tricks that so many people on Youtube use. It undoubtedly brings you clicks and more views, but once the viewer realizes that you have used irrelevant pictures or texts to attract them**. I**n reality, your video doesn’t contain any information related to it, you are going to lose their trust. They are never going to click on your videos again. Even if you don’t use such a trick anymore. Try to avoid such activities. Avoiding such activities can make your channel grow in the long term. Only use the text and images that are relevant to your content and stick to that.

  1. Choose your preview window wisely

Do you know that Youtube can show a 3-second preview of your video when someone hovers the cursor over it? It is one of the best ways to show the viewers the content of your video even when they don’t click on your video. These three seconds will help them decide whether to click on your video or not. This preview is selected by the system from the first half of your video according to its relevance and similarity with the topic. That’s why it is very important to add related information in the first half of the video, otherwise, Youtube will choose it randomly. If the preview is not selected for two days, it means your video is not eligible for it.

choose-preview-wisely


How to Make a Fortnite Thumbnail Super Fast and Free?

Many of you might be interested in how to make a fortnite thumbnail, so here it is. To make a Fortnite thumbnail for free, we are going to use Filmora X. Filmora X contains all kinds of features and elements that are required for a perfect and eye-catching thumbnail. To get started, make sure to download and install the latest version of Filmora X.

  1. Before we start making Fortnite Thumbnails, we have to take a screenshot of the gameplay. Open Fortnite and go to the Career tab. Here you will find Replays.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step1

  1. It contains all your recent gameplays. We can use it to take a screenshot. If you are using a console, you will find 10 recent gameplays here. But if you are a PC user, you can find the last 100 gameplays. Select the gameplay you want to take a screenshot from.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step2

  1. For our preferred angle, choose “Drone Free Camera” mode from the bottom right corner of the screen. It will allow us to use our preferred angle without any restriction. Choose an angle and take a screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step3

  1. Open Filmora X, make sure to select the 16:9 screen ratio. Import the screenshot that you have taken from Fortnite.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step4

  1. Place it into the timeline to start working on it.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step5

  1. Now to separate the character from the background, go to the Effects. Under effects, you can find a tab named AI Portraits. Click on AI Portrait. Now drag the Human Segmentation and drop it on the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step6

  1. It will ask you to purchase it. But there is no need to do that. Just hit Try It.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step7

  1. This effect will remove the background of your screenshot.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step8

  1. Now you can add a background of your choice. You can upload an image or choose a simple color from Filmora’s Media tab and drag it below the screenshot in the timeline.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step9

  1. To add text to the screenshot, go to Titles. Here you can find a wide range of different and unique titles to choose from for your Fortnite Thumbnail. Choose any of the titles and place them accordingly.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step10

  1. To make it more attractive, we can add icons and other elements from Filmora’s Element tab. You can also download the stickers from the internet and use them.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step11

  1. After completing the thumbnail, click on the Snapshot icon located below the preview tab of Filmora. Or press “CTRL+ALT+S”. It will save a screenshot into the media panel of Filmora.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step12

  1. Right-click on the screenshot and navigate to “Reveal in Explorer”. It will open the folder that contains all the screenshots taken from Filmora. Now you can use it as a Fortnite Thumbnail.

 make-fortnite-thumbnail-step13


How to Add a Custom YouTube Thumbnail to Your Video in YouTube

Once you have successfully created a custom thumbnail, you can use it in your videos on Youtube.

  1. Open Youtube Studio and upload your video. While uploading the video, you can see a section named “Thumbnail”. Under this section, click on “Upload Thumbnail”.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step1

  1. Select the thumbnail that you have made. Just like the one Fortnite thumbnail that we have created using Filmora X.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step2

  1. The thumbnail will be uploaded and attached to the video. Now you can process all the settings and publish the video.

how-to-add-custom-youtube-thumbnail-to-video-step3

Conclusion

Thumbnail is the first thing that helps the viewer decide whether to click on a video or ignore it. Which increases the importance of having a well-structured and attractive thumbnail. By following the above guide, you can make an astonishing and clickable thumbnail in no time. For better and quick results, we recommend you using Filmora X. It allows you to perform all the tasks from video editing to thumbnail creation on a single platform.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Elevate Your Channels Visibility Through Proven Methods

25 Smart & Proven Tactics to Get Your YouTube Channel Noticed

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

If you’re wondering how to get your YouTube channel noticed - how to finally start standing out - then you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 25 of the best, smartest, ways to get your YouTube channel noticed and start growing:

  1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently
  2. Provide Value in Each Video
  3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’
  4. Spend time building your YouTube Community
  5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them
  6. Find a Niche for Your Videos
  7. Build a Strong Personal Brand
  8. Create Custom Channel Art
  9. Practice Makes Perfect
  10. Add a YouTube Intro Video
  11. Use Video Effects and Transitions
  12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails
  13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags
  14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time
  15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media
  16. Interact With Your Viewers
  17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre
  18. Do Collaboration Videos
  19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video
  20. Use Keywords that are Searchable
  21. Make Your Thumbnails Consistent
  22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos
  23. Make Titles That Get Views
  24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer
  25. Give Each YouTube Video a Memorable Ending

1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently

In order to consistently draw viewers back your page and get the most out of your content, you need to be able to keep posting constantly . Only posting sporadically when you feel like it – three times one month, then just once the next – will not encourage viewers to subscribe. If you develop a schedule and regularly post content each week (or every day if you’re really ambitious), your viewers can start to expect when a video will be released. Some of the best content creators will continue to release videos at least a few times a week in order to continuously draw an audience back to their channel.

2. Provide Value in Each Video

Before you turn your camera on and start making a new video, ask yourself what value you want your viewers to take away from it. Will they come away from your video with knowledge, a new skill, or a feeling of amusement? Be sure to have a clear objective in mind with every video.

3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’

Asking viewers to do anything (like, subscribe, etc.) is called a CTA, or ‘call to action ’. Asking for subscribers is a call to action that needs to be included in every video.

One of the objectives of every video you produce should be to try and appeal to brand-new viewers for your page. Something as simple as asking the viewer to subscribe if they liked your video can really help you grow faster. Sometimes people who really love your content still need to be reminded to subscribe. It is important to attract subscribers – not just viewers – in order to make sure that you have reliable, ongoing, support for your videos.

4. Spend Time Building your YouTube Community

YouTube is a large community and consistently interacting with other creators will help you to gain support for your videos . It helps a lot if the people in your genre know you. You can watch each other’s videos, give each other constructive feedback, and there may even be opportunities for collaboration.

Many video creators draw inspiration from each other’s videos and even spend time working with each other and promoting each other’s content. If you consistently comment on someone’s videos, without asking them to check out your channel (most people find this annoying), they will probably decide to go look at your videos too. Eventually, you might even find an opportunity to appear in one of their videos or have them appear in one of your videos so that you can each be exposed to new potential viewers.

5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them

Setting goals for yourself – i.e. reaching a certain number of subscribers – and letting your viewers know is a great way to meet your goals faster.

Sharing your goals helps your community feel more engaged and like they are a bigger part of your channel. This can be an excellent marketing tactic. When you share your goals, they become your follower’s goals too and they will help you reach them. Creating a payoff where your subscribers can help you reach 2000 subscribers or 1000 likes on a video can help you accomplish more goals to sustain the longevity of your channel. It also fosters a feeling of community by uniting everyone together and allowing them to share your feeling of accomplishment. This works especially well if you offer a reward – i.e. ‘I’ll do a special video when I reach 2000 subscribers’.

Contest now closed.

6. Find a Niche for Your Videos

Many creators on YouTube have found success by carving out very specific video types and niches for themselves. When you are hoping to grow your subscribers on YouTube you really need to find your niche. When you can start to create videos that have predictable subject matter (predictable in the sense of ‘reliable’, not boring), this will attract more regular viewers because people will know what they can expect from your content. Having a niche can also help you find brand deals because you’ll grow a very specific audience that might be interested in very specific products. A smaller, targeted, the audience can be more valuable to an advertiser than a larger, more general, audience.

Your niche will generally be a combination of your larger genre (i.e. gaming, comedy, beauty, food) and something else you are passionate about. For example, reviewing vintage video games or creating desserts based on movies are both potential niches.

7. Build a Strong Personal Brand

Building a brand on YouTube is one of the best ways to generate a devoted following. Building a brand is very important because it makes you more memorable and familiar to viewers. In order to successfully build a brand, you need to think about the image you are trying to create and the culture you want to create for your community. The values you express, the types of videos you do, the clothes you wear, and your channel art are all parts of your brand. The grand total of all of these elements will form your brand and the way you are perceived.

Having a strong, unique, the brand will make viewers feel more attached to you and make your content more recognizable.

8. Create Custom Channel Art

To differentiate yourself from your competition you’re going to need to have custom Channel Art that reflects the vibe of your content. Work at creating or sourcing some graphics for your cover photo, your profile photo, and all of your thumbnails. Having a set color scheme or even a branded style of artwork for your page will help you to look more professional. Differentiating your page from others will create a feeling of familiarity and support your brand.

9. Practice Makes Perfect

In order to start producing more professional content, you need to practice your filmmaking technique. Regardless of the type of video that you are producing, a little bit of practice goes a long way.

Rehearsing what you are going to say can make you feel much more confident. Playing with the video editing software that you’re working with willsave you time when you’re actually polishing a video . Practicing taking photos and videos with your camera outside of making YouTube videos will help you feel familiar with its features. As you start to get more dedicated and practice with your video creation, your videos will gain more viewers and you can grow more subscribers on YouTube.

Simply making more videos is a great way to get in more practice.

10. Add a YouTube Intro Video

A professional-looking intro clip (learn how to make one here ) supports your brand and makes your videos seem more polished. Intros capture attention and let viewers know the type of video that they are watching almost immediately. Building a 5-10 second introduction (no longer) with your name or the name of your channel will go a long way to improving the professionalism of your video.

Contest now closed.

11. Use Video Effects and Transitions

Adding transitions between clips or topics is a great way to keep viewers engaged with your videos.

Using simple color effects, like filters, can help each of your videos look much more professional.

It can take some time to add these kinds of effects to your videos , but it isn’t really very difficult (many editors, including Filmora, let you drag and drop these effects into your timeline) and it will help your videos hold viewers’ attention for longer. It can also garner much more engagement and many more subscriptions for your YouTube channel.

12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails

A thumbnail that grabs a viewer’s attention will get more clicks. Take a photo of yourself making an expression relevant to your video and edit the image in Photoshop or using a free service like Canva (or one of these other YouTube thumbnail makers ). Add graphics, like emojis, to give your thumbnail a pop of color and include large, simple, text if you feel like your thumbnail needs to be given context (i.e. ‘fall makeup look’, as opposed to just another makeup video).

13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags

Tags are essential to helping people actually find your videos on YouTube. Tags should include keywords/search terms people might be looking up in order to find videos like yours. Looking at the tags of some of your past videos and seeing how well they performed will give you an idea of what kinds of tags you should target in the future. Looking at the tags of some of your competitors will give you an idea of what tags you should be using for your own videos.

Services like the Google Keyword Planner can also help you with finding new keywords/tags. Making your tags with search engine optimization in mind will help ensure that people can find your video when searching for those specific keywords. YouTube has an algorithm very similar to the Google search engine for helping people locate videos they may be interested in.

14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time

Playlists are great for increasing your channel’s watch time , an essential metric for ranking in YouTube’s search results. If someone enjoys your video enough to watch to the end, and then a related video starts to play right after, it’s much more likely that the user is going to stick around and view the second video. When you start to link videos together you will start to see your views grow.

Playlists are also important because they help to organize your channel and make it easier for viewers to find content they are interested in.

15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media

Improving engagement as well as the notoriety of your brand often means branching out beyond YouTube. By creating accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram for your channel you will gain more ways of engaging your followers. Often the promotion that you do through social media can equate to a large number of viewers and subscribers. The key to expanding into other social media platforms is to choose the sites your existing audience is already on. For example, Instagram is essential for a beauty YouTuber, but not for a gamer.

Contest now closed.

16. Interact with your Viewers

Spending time interacting with your viewers via comments and social media is important. Taking suggestions and paying attention to what your viewers like most about your videos will make your viewers feel more included in the process of creating your videos. This will make them much more loyal to your channel. A great way to interact with your viewers is by doing shout outs or Q&A videos.

17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre

Spending time examining your competition is very important. By looking at the popular channels in your genre you can learn what kinds of videos are popular and what types of video titles and tags you should be using.

18. Do Collaboration Videos

When you collaborate with other YouTube creators it leads to mutual success. You can cross-promote some of their content and they can promote some of your content in the process. It’s amazing how much your channel can grow when you’re exposed to other people’s audiences. Even if you might view another content creator is your competition, sometimes uniting together on a project can help you to mutually prosper.

Make sure your potential partner makes the kinds of videos your own audience would like. Then you’ll know that your videos are something your partner’s audience will like.

19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video

The description box is one of the most commonly underutilized tools on YouTube. Make sure that you use the space to write a full description of each video. In the first three lines of every video description, use the keywords most relevant to your content, provide links to your other social media accounts, and ask viewers to subscribe. Lower down in your description, under the ‘read more’ tab, write a detailed summary of your video. This will improve your SEO/search engine optimization.

20. Use Keywords That Are Searchable

In your titles, descriptions, and tags you need to use the words or phrases that viewers are most likely to type into YouTube’s search bar when looking for content like yours. Doing a bit of keyword research will help you gain more subscribers on YouTube and more viewers on almost every video.

For example, if you do a product review of a new smartphone, you will get a lot more views titling it ‘iPhone X Review and Unboxing’ than ‘You won’t BELIEVE this phone’ because iPhone X, review and unboxing are all keywords that people might search for.

Contest now closed.

21. Make your Thumbnails Consistent

The thumbnails that you choose for your videos can be an extension of your brand. By using similar layouts, colors, and fonts for every thumbnail you will create a familiar look and viewers will recognize your videos when they see them. If someone can instantly recognize your video thumbnails it will strengthen your brand and encourage repeat viewership.

22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos

If you can plan out a script or outline (whichever you’re comfortable with) for your video, or even plan out a series of videos that you could shoot over time, it can lead to far better content. Taking the time to create a plan for every single video will lead to much more polished results that will generate far better responses from your viewers. Planning takes time, but not as much time as trying to edit the content that had no clear plan.

23. Make Titles that Get Views

Writing great titles that are optimized for search engines is one of the best ways to see some huge improvements in your channel’s growth rate. Your titles need to be able to draw in an audience and get them interested in your content. They also have to set expectations for your videos and contain the right keywords to make them searchable. Big channels can get good results with titles that build suspense or ask questions, but while you’re small it’s better to avoid clickbait and make your titles as direct and literal as possible.

24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer

Your channel page on YouTube might be where a viewer makes the decision to subscribe, or not to subscribe. YouTube allows you to set a featured video that will autoplay in this space, and a lot of the most successful creators use this as an opportunity to post a channel trailer . Your channel trailer welcomes new viewers and tells them what to expect from your content.

You can create a trailer quickly by filming a quick introduction and combining it with clips from your previous videos.

25. Give Each of Your Videos a Memorable Ending

Ending every video on a high note – with some kind of joke or surprise – will leave viewers with a good feeling, which will make them more likely to keep watching more of your videos.

Be sure to share your own tips on how to get your YouTube channel noticed.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

If you’re wondering how to get your YouTube channel noticed - how to finally start standing out - then you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 25 of the best, smartest, ways to get your YouTube channel noticed and start growing:

  1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently
  2. Provide Value in Each Video
  3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’
  4. Spend time building your YouTube Community
  5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them
  6. Find a Niche for Your Videos
  7. Build a Strong Personal Brand
  8. Create Custom Channel Art
  9. Practice Makes Perfect
  10. Add a YouTube Intro Video
  11. Use Video Effects and Transitions
  12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails
  13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags
  14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time
  15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media
  16. Interact With Your Viewers
  17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre
  18. Do Collaboration Videos
  19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video
  20. Use Keywords that are Searchable
  21. Make Your Thumbnails Consistent
  22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos
  23. Make Titles That Get Views
  24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer
  25. Give Each YouTube Video a Memorable Ending

1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently

In order to consistently draw viewers back your page and get the most out of your content, you need to be able to keep posting constantly . Only posting sporadically when you feel like it – three times one month, then just once the next – will not encourage viewers to subscribe. If you develop a schedule and regularly post content each week (or every day if you’re really ambitious), your viewers can start to expect when a video will be released. Some of the best content creators will continue to release videos at least a few times a week in order to continuously draw an audience back to their channel.

2. Provide Value in Each Video

Before you turn your camera on and start making a new video, ask yourself what value you want your viewers to take away from it. Will they come away from your video with knowledge, a new skill, or a feeling of amusement? Be sure to have a clear objective in mind with every video.

3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’

Asking viewers to do anything (like, subscribe, etc.) is called a CTA, or ‘call to action ’. Asking for subscribers is a call to action that needs to be included in every video.

One of the objectives of every video you produce should be to try and appeal to brand-new viewers for your page. Something as simple as asking the viewer to subscribe if they liked your video can really help you grow faster. Sometimes people who really love your content still need to be reminded to subscribe. It is important to attract subscribers – not just viewers – in order to make sure that you have reliable, ongoing, support for your videos.

4. Spend Time Building your YouTube Community

YouTube is a large community and consistently interacting with other creators will help you to gain support for your videos . It helps a lot if the people in your genre know you. You can watch each other’s videos, give each other constructive feedback, and there may even be opportunities for collaboration.

Many video creators draw inspiration from each other’s videos and even spend time working with each other and promoting each other’s content. If you consistently comment on someone’s videos, without asking them to check out your channel (most people find this annoying), they will probably decide to go look at your videos too. Eventually, you might even find an opportunity to appear in one of their videos or have them appear in one of your videos so that you can each be exposed to new potential viewers.

5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them

Setting goals for yourself – i.e. reaching a certain number of subscribers – and letting your viewers know is a great way to meet your goals faster.

Sharing your goals helps your community feel more engaged and like they are a bigger part of your channel. This can be an excellent marketing tactic. When you share your goals, they become your follower’s goals too and they will help you reach them. Creating a payoff where your subscribers can help you reach 2000 subscribers or 1000 likes on a video can help you accomplish more goals to sustain the longevity of your channel. It also fosters a feeling of community by uniting everyone together and allowing them to share your feeling of accomplishment. This works especially well if you offer a reward – i.e. ‘I’ll do a special video when I reach 2000 subscribers’.

Contest now closed.

6. Find a Niche for Your Videos

Many creators on YouTube have found success by carving out very specific video types and niches for themselves. When you are hoping to grow your subscribers on YouTube you really need to find your niche. When you can start to create videos that have predictable subject matter (predictable in the sense of ‘reliable’, not boring), this will attract more regular viewers because people will know what they can expect from your content. Having a niche can also help you find brand deals because you’ll grow a very specific audience that might be interested in very specific products. A smaller, targeted, the audience can be more valuable to an advertiser than a larger, more general, audience.

Your niche will generally be a combination of your larger genre (i.e. gaming, comedy, beauty, food) and something else you are passionate about. For example, reviewing vintage video games or creating desserts based on movies are both potential niches.

7. Build a Strong Personal Brand

Building a brand on YouTube is one of the best ways to generate a devoted following. Building a brand is very important because it makes you more memorable and familiar to viewers. In order to successfully build a brand, you need to think about the image you are trying to create and the culture you want to create for your community. The values you express, the types of videos you do, the clothes you wear, and your channel art are all parts of your brand. The grand total of all of these elements will form your brand and the way you are perceived.

Having a strong, unique, the brand will make viewers feel more attached to you and make your content more recognizable.

8. Create Custom Channel Art

To differentiate yourself from your competition you’re going to need to have custom Channel Art that reflects the vibe of your content. Work at creating or sourcing some graphics for your cover photo, your profile photo, and all of your thumbnails. Having a set color scheme or even a branded style of artwork for your page will help you to look more professional. Differentiating your page from others will create a feeling of familiarity and support your brand.

9. Practice Makes Perfect

In order to start producing more professional content, you need to practice your filmmaking technique. Regardless of the type of video that you are producing, a little bit of practice goes a long way.

Rehearsing what you are going to say can make you feel much more confident. Playing with the video editing software that you’re working with willsave you time when you’re actually polishing a video . Practicing taking photos and videos with your camera outside of making YouTube videos will help you feel familiar with its features. As you start to get more dedicated and practice with your video creation, your videos will gain more viewers and you can grow more subscribers on YouTube.

Simply making more videos is a great way to get in more practice.

10. Add a YouTube Intro Video

A professional-looking intro clip (learn how to make one here ) supports your brand and makes your videos seem more polished. Intros capture attention and let viewers know the type of video that they are watching almost immediately. Building a 5-10 second introduction (no longer) with your name or the name of your channel will go a long way to improving the professionalism of your video.

Contest now closed.

11. Use Video Effects and Transitions

Adding transitions between clips or topics is a great way to keep viewers engaged with your videos.

Using simple color effects, like filters, can help each of your videos look much more professional.

It can take some time to add these kinds of effects to your videos , but it isn’t really very difficult (many editors, including Filmora, let you drag and drop these effects into your timeline) and it will help your videos hold viewers’ attention for longer. It can also garner much more engagement and many more subscriptions for your YouTube channel.

12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails

A thumbnail that grabs a viewer’s attention will get more clicks. Take a photo of yourself making an expression relevant to your video and edit the image in Photoshop or using a free service like Canva (or one of these other YouTube thumbnail makers ). Add graphics, like emojis, to give your thumbnail a pop of color and include large, simple, text if you feel like your thumbnail needs to be given context (i.e. ‘fall makeup look’, as opposed to just another makeup video).

13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags

Tags are essential to helping people actually find your videos on YouTube. Tags should include keywords/search terms people might be looking up in order to find videos like yours. Looking at the tags of some of your past videos and seeing how well they performed will give you an idea of what kinds of tags you should target in the future. Looking at the tags of some of your competitors will give you an idea of what tags you should be using for your own videos.

Services like the Google Keyword Planner can also help you with finding new keywords/tags. Making your tags with search engine optimization in mind will help ensure that people can find your video when searching for those specific keywords. YouTube has an algorithm very similar to the Google search engine for helping people locate videos they may be interested in.

14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time

Playlists are great for increasing your channel’s watch time , an essential metric for ranking in YouTube’s search results. If someone enjoys your video enough to watch to the end, and then a related video starts to play right after, it’s much more likely that the user is going to stick around and view the second video. When you start to link videos together you will start to see your views grow.

Playlists are also important because they help to organize your channel and make it easier for viewers to find content they are interested in.

15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media

Improving engagement as well as the notoriety of your brand often means branching out beyond YouTube. By creating accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram for your channel you will gain more ways of engaging your followers. Often the promotion that you do through social media can equate to a large number of viewers and subscribers. The key to expanding into other social media platforms is to choose the sites your existing audience is already on. For example, Instagram is essential for a beauty YouTuber, but not for a gamer.

Contest now closed.

16. Interact with your Viewers

Spending time interacting with your viewers via comments and social media is important. Taking suggestions and paying attention to what your viewers like most about your videos will make your viewers feel more included in the process of creating your videos. This will make them much more loyal to your channel. A great way to interact with your viewers is by doing shout outs or Q&A videos.

17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre

Spending time examining your competition is very important. By looking at the popular channels in your genre you can learn what kinds of videos are popular and what types of video titles and tags you should be using.

18. Do Collaboration Videos

When you collaborate with other YouTube creators it leads to mutual success. You can cross-promote some of their content and they can promote some of your content in the process. It’s amazing how much your channel can grow when you’re exposed to other people’s audiences. Even if you might view another content creator is your competition, sometimes uniting together on a project can help you to mutually prosper.

Make sure your potential partner makes the kinds of videos your own audience would like. Then you’ll know that your videos are something your partner’s audience will like.

19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video

The description box is one of the most commonly underutilized tools on YouTube. Make sure that you use the space to write a full description of each video. In the first three lines of every video description, use the keywords most relevant to your content, provide links to your other social media accounts, and ask viewers to subscribe. Lower down in your description, under the ‘read more’ tab, write a detailed summary of your video. This will improve your SEO/search engine optimization.

20. Use Keywords That Are Searchable

In your titles, descriptions, and tags you need to use the words or phrases that viewers are most likely to type into YouTube’s search bar when looking for content like yours. Doing a bit of keyword research will help you gain more subscribers on YouTube and more viewers on almost every video.

For example, if you do a product review of a new smartphone, you will get a lot more views titling it ‘iPhone X Review and Unboxing’ than ‘You won’t BELIEVE this phone’ because iPhone X, review and unboxing are all keywords that people might search for.

Contest now closed.

21. Make your Thumbnails Consistent

The thumbnails that you choose for your videos can be an extension of your brand. By using similar layouts, colors, and fonts for every thumbnail you will create a familiar look and viewers will recognize your videos when they see them. If someone can instantly recognize your video thumbnails it will strengthen your brand and encourage repeat viewership.

22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos

If you can plan out a script or outline (whichever you’re comfortable with) for your video, or even plan out a series of videos that you could shoot over time, it can lead to far better content. Taking the time to create a plan for every single video will lead to much more polished results that will generate far better responses from your viewers. Planning takes time, but not as much time as trying to edit the content that had no clear plan.

23. Make Titles that Get Views

Writing great titles that are optimized for search engines is one of the best ways to see some huge improvements in your channel’s growth rate. Your titles need to be able to draw in an audience and get them interested in your content. They also have to set expectations for your videos and contain the right keywords to make them searchable. Big channels can get good results with titles that build suspense or ask questions, but while you’re small it’s better to avoid clickbait and make your titles as direct and literal as possible.

24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer

Your channel page on YouTube might be where a viewer makes the decision to subscribe, or not to subscribe. YouTube allows you to set a featured video that will autoplay in this space, and a lot of the most successful creators use this as an opportunity to post a channel trailer . Your channel trailer welcomes new viewers and tells them what to expect from your content.

You can create a trailer quickly by filming a quick introduction and combining it with clips from your previous videos.

25. Give Each of Your Videos a Memorable Ending

Ending every video on a high note – with some kind of joke or surprise – will leave viewers with a good feeling, which will make them more likely to keep watching more of your videos.

Be sure to share your own tips on how to get your YouTube channel noticed.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

If you’re wondering how to get your YouTube channel noticed - how to finally start standing out - then you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 25 of the best, smartest, ways to get your YouTube channel noticed and start growing:

  1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently
  2. Provide Value in Each Video
  3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’
  4. Spend time building your YouTube Community
  5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them
  6. Find a Niche for Your Videos
  7. Build a Strong Personal Brand
  8. Create Custom Channel Art
  9. Practice Makes Perfect
  10. Add a YouTube Intro Video
  11. Use Video Effects and Transitions
  12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails
  13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags
  14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time
  15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media
  16. Interact With Your Viewers
  17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre
  18. Do Collaboration Videos
  19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video
  20. Use Keywords that are Searchable
  21. Make Your Thumbnails Consistent
  22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos
  23. Make Titles That Get Views
  24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer
  25. Give Each YouTube Video a Memorable Ending

1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently

In order to consistently draw viewers back your page and get the most out of your content, you need to be able to keep posting constantly . Only posting sporadically when you feel like it – three times one month, then just once the next – will not encourage viewers to subscribe. If you develop a schedule and regularly post content each week (or every day if you’re really ambitious), your viewers can start to expect when a video will be released. Some of the best content creators will continue to release videos at least a few times a week in order to continuously draw an audience back to their channel.

2. Provide Value in Each Video

Before you turn your camera on and start making a new video, ask yourself what value you want your viewers to take away from it. Will they come away from your video with knowledge, a new skill, or a feeling of amusement? Be sure to have a clear objective in mind with every video.

3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’

Asking viewers to do anything (like, subscribe, etc.) is called a CTA, or ‘call to action ’. Asking for subscribers is a call to action that needs to be included in every video.

One of the objectives of every video you produce should be to try and appeal to brand-new viewers for your page. Something as simple as asking the viewer to subscribe if they liked your video can really help you grow faster. Sometimes people who really love your content still need to be reminded to subscribe. It is important to attract subscribers – not just viewers – in order to make sure that you have reliable, ongoing, support for your videos.

4. Spend Time Building your YouTube Community

YouTube is a large community and consistently interacting with other creators will help you to gain support for your videos . It helps a lot if the people in your genre know you. You can watch each other’s videos, give each other constructive feedback, and there may even be opportunities for collaboration.

Many video creators draw inspiration from each other’s videos and even spend time working with each other and promoting each other’s content. If you consistently comment on someone’s videos, without asking them to check out your channel (most people find this annoying), they will probably decide to go look at your videos too. Eventually, you might even find an opportunity to appear in one of their videos or have them appear in one of your videos so that you can each be exposed to new potential viewers.

5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them

Setting goals for yourself – i.e. reaching a certain number of subscribers – and letting your viewers know is a great way to meet your goals faster.

Sharing your goals helps your community feel more engaged and like they are a bigger part of your channel. This can be an excellent marketing tactic. When you share your goals, they become your follower’s goals too and they will help you reach them. Creating a payoff where your subscribers can help you reach 2000 subscribers or 1000 likes on a video can help you accomplish more goals to sustain the longevity of your channel. It also fosters a feeling of community by uniting everyone together and allowing them to share your feeling of accomplishment. This works especially well if you offer a reward – i.e. ‘I’ll do a special video when I reach 2000 subscribers’.

Contest now closed.

6. Find a Niche for Your Videos

Many creators on YouTube have found success by carving out very specific video types and niches for themselves. When you are hoping to grow your subscribers on YouTube you really need to find your niche. When you can start to create videos that have predictable subject matter (predictable in the sense of ‘reliable’, not boring), this will attract more regular viewers because people will know what they can expect from your content. Having a niche can also help you find brand deals because you’ll grow a very specific audience that might be interested in very specific products. A smaller, targeted, the audience can be more valuable to an advertiser than a larger, more general, audience.

Your niche will generally be a combination of your larger genre (i.e. gaming, comedy, beauty, food) and something else you are passionate about. For example, reviewing vintage video games or creating desserts based on movies are both potential niches.

7. Build a Strong Personal Brand

Building a brand on YouTube is one of the best ways to generate a devoted following. Building a brand is very important because it makes you more memorable and familiar to viewers. In order to successfully build a brand, you need to think about the image you are trying to create and the culture you want to create for your community. The values you express, the types of videos you do, the clothes you wear, and your channel art are all parts of your brand. The grand total of all of these elements will form your brand and the way you are perceived.

Having a strong, unique, the brand will make viewers feel more attached to you and make your content more recognizable.

8. Create Custom Channel Art

To differentiate yourself from your competition you’re going to need to have custom Channel Art that reflects the vibe of your content. Work at creating or sourcing some graphics for your cover photo, your profile photo, and all of your thumbnails. Having a set color scheme or even a branded style of artwork for your page will help you to look more professional. Differentiating your page from others will create a feeling of familiarity and support your brand.

9. Practice Makes Perfect

In order to start producing more professional content, you need to practice your filmmaking technique. Regardless of the type of video that you are producing, a little bit of practice goes a long way.

Rehearsing what you are going to say can make you feel much more confident. Playing with the video editing software that you’re working with willsave you time when you’re actually polishing a video . Practicing taking photos and videos with your camera outside of making YouTube videos will help you feel familiar with its features. As you start to get more dedicated and practice with your video creation, your videos will gain more viewers and you can grow more subscribers on YouTube.

Simply making more videos is a great way to get in more practice.

10. Add a YouTube Intro Video

A professional-looking intro clip (learn how to make one here ) supports your brand and makes your videos seem more polished. Intros capture attention and let viewers know the type of video that they are watching almost immediately. Building a 5-10 second introduction (no longer) with your name or the name of your channel will go a long way to improving the professionalism of your video.

Contest now closed.

11. Use Video Effects and Transitions

Adding transitions between clips or topics is a great way to keep viewers engaged with your videos.

Using simple color effects, like filters, can help each of your videos look much more professional.

It can take some time to add these kinds of effects to your videos , but it isn’t really very difficult (many editors, including Filmora, let you drag and drop these effects into your timeline) and it will help your videos hold viewers’ attention for longer. It can also garner much more engagement and many more subscriptions for your YouTube channel.

12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails

A thumbnail that grabs a viewer’s attention will get more clicks. Take a photo of yourself making an expression relevant to your video and edit the image in Photoshop or using a free service like Canva (or one of these other YouTube thumbnail makers ). Add graphics, like emojis, to give your thumbnail a pop of color and include large, simple, text if you feel like your thumbnail needs to be given context (i.e. ‘fall makeup look’, as opposed to just another makeup video).

13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags

Tags are essential to helping people actually find your videos on YouTube. Tags should include keywords/search terms people might be looking up in order to find videos like yours. Looking at the tags of some of your past videos and seeing how well they performed will give you an idea of what kinds of tags you should target in the future. Looking at the tags of some of your competitors will give you an idea of what tags you should be using for your own videos.

Services like the Google Keyword Planner can also help you with finding new keywords/tags. Making your tags with search engine optimization in mind will help ensure that people can find your video when searching for those specific keywords. YouTube has an algorithm very similar to the Google search engine for helping people locate videos they may be interested in.

14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time

Playlists are great for increasing your channel’s watch time , an essential metric for ranking in YouTube’s search results. If someone enjoys your video enough to watch to the end, and then a related video starts to play right after, it’s much more likely that the user is going to stick around and view the second video. When you start to link videos together you will start to see your views grow.

Playlists are also important because they help to organize your channel and make it easier for viewers to find content they are interested in.

15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media

Improving engagement as well as the notoriety of your brand often means branching out beyond YouTube. By creating accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram for your channel you will gain more ways of engaging your followers. Often the promotion that you do through social media can equate to a large number of viewers and subscribers. The key to expanding into other social media platforms is to choose the sites your existing audience is already on. For example, Instagram is essential for a beauty YouTuber, but not for a gamer.

Contest now closed.

16. Interact with your Viewers

Spending time interacting with your viewers via comments and social media is important. Taking suggestions and paying attention to what your viewers like most about your videos will make your viewers feel more included in the process of creating your videos. This will make them much more loyal to your channel. A great way to interact with your viewers is by doing shout outs or Q&A videos.

17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre

Spending time examining your competition is very important. By looking at the popular channels in your genre you can learn what kinds of videos are popular and what types of video titles and tags you should be using.

18. Do Collaboration Videos

When you collaborate with other YouTube creators it leads to mutual success. You can cross-promote some of their content and they can promote some of your content in the process. It’s amazing how much your channel can grow when you’re exposed to other people’s audiences. Even if you might view another content creator is your competition, sometimes uniting together on a project can help you to mutually prosper.

Make sure your potential partner makes the kinds of videos your own audience would like. Then you’ll know that your videos are something your partner’s audience will like.

19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video

The description box is one of the most commonly underutilized tools on YouTube. Make sure that you use the space to write a full description of each video. In the first three lines of every video description, use the keywords most relevant to your content, provide links to your other social media accounts, and ask viewers to subscribe. Lower down in your description, under the ‘read more’ tab, write a detailed summary of your video. This will improve your SEO/search engine optimization.

20. Use Keywords That Are Searchable

In your titles, descriptions, and tags you need to use the words or phrases that viewers are most likely to type into YouTube’s search bar when looking for content like yours. Doing a bit of keyword research will help you gain more subscribers on YouTube and more viewers on almost every video.

For example, if you do a product review of a new smartphone, you will get a lot more views titling it ‘iPhone X Review and Unboxing’ than ‘You won’t BELIEVE this phone’ because iPhone X, review and unboxing are all keywords that people might search for.

Contest now closed.

21. Make your Thumbnails Consistent

The thumbnails that you choose for your videos can be an extension of your brand. By using similar layouts, colors, and fonts for every thumbnail you will create a familiar look and viewers will recognize your videos when they see them. If someone can instantly recognize your video thumbnails it will strengthen your brand and encourage repeat viewership.

22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos

If you can plan out a script or outline (whichever you’re comfortable with) for your video, or even plan out a series of videos that you could shoot over time, it can lead to far better content. Taking the time to create a plan for every single video will lead to much more polished results that will generate far better responses from your viewers. Planning takes time, but not as much time as trying to edit the content that had no clear plan.

23. Make Titles that Get Views

Writing great titles that are optimized for search engines is one of the best ways to see some huge improvements in your channel’s growth rate. Your titles need to be able to draw in an audience and get them interested in your content. They also have to set expectations for your videos and contain the right keywords to make them searchable. Big channels can get good results with titles that build suspense or ask questions, but while you’re small it’s better to avoid clickbait and make your titles as direct and literal as possible.

24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer

Your channel page on YouTube might be where a viewer makes the decision to subscribe, or not to subscribe. YouTube allows you to set a featured video that will autoplay in this space, and a lot of the most successful creators use this as an opportunity to post a channel trailer . Your channel trailer welcomes new viewers and tells them what to expect from your content.

You can create a trailer quickly by filming a quick introduction and combining it with clips from your previous videos.

25. Give Each of Your Videos a Memorable Ending

Ending every video on a high note – with some kind of joke or surprise – will leave viewers with a good feeling, which will make them more likely to keep watching more of your videos.

Be sure to share your own tips on how to get your YouTube channel noticed.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

If you’re wondering how to get your YouTube channel noticed - how to finally start standing out - then you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 25 of the best, smartest, ways to get your YouTube channel noticed and start growing:

  1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently
  2. Provide Value in Each Video
  3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’
  4. Spend time building your YouTube Community
  5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them
  6. Find a Niche for Your Videos
  7. Build a Strong Personal Brand
  8. Create Custom Channel Art
  9. Practice Makes Perfect
  10. Add a YouTube Intro Video
  11. Use Video Effects and Transitions
  12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails
  13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags
  14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time
  15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media
  16. Interact With Your Viewers
  17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre
  18. Do Collaboration Videos
  19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video
  20. Use Keywords that are Searchable
  21. Make Your Thumbnails Consistent
  22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos
  23. Make Titles That Get Views
  24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer
  25. Give Each YouTube Video a Memorable Ending

1. Post YouTube Videos Consistently

In order to consistently draw viewers back your page and get the most out of your content, you need to be able to keep posting constantly . Only posting sporadically when you feel like it – three times one month, then just once the next – will not encourage viewers to subscribe. If you develop a schedule and regularly post content each week (or every day if you’re really ambitious), your viewers can start to expect when a video will be released. Some of the best content creators will continue to release videos at least a few times a week in order to continuously draw an audience back to their channel.

2. Provide Value in Each Video

Before you turn your camera on and start making a new video, ask yourself what value you want your viewers to take away from it. Will they come away from your video with knowledge, a new skill, or a feeling of amusement? Be sure to have a clear objective in mind with every video.

3. Ask Viewers to Subscribe with a ‘CTA’

Asking viewers to do anything (like, subscribe, etc.) is called a CTA, or ‘call to action ’. Asking for subscribers is a call to action that needs to be included in every video.

One of the objectives of every video you produce should be to try and appeal to brand-new viewers for your page. Something as simple as asking the viewer to subscribe if they liked your video can really help you grow faster. Sometimes people who really love your content still need to be reminded to subscribe. It is important to attract subscribers – not just viewers – in order to make sure that you have reliable, ongoing, support for your videos.

4. Spend Time Building your YouTube Community

YouTube is a large community and consistently interacting with other creators will help you to gain support for your videos . It helps a lot if the people in your genre know you. You can watch each other’s videos, give each other constructive feedback, and there may even be opportunities for collaboration.

Many video creators draw inspiration from each other’s videos and even spend time working with each other and promoting each other’s content. If you consistently comment on someone’s videos, without asking them to check out your channel (most people find this annoying), they will probably decide to go look at your videos too. Eventually, you might even find an opportunity to appear in one of their videos or have them appear in one of your videos so that you can each be exposed to new potential viewers.

5. Set YouTube Goals and Announce Them

Setting goals for yourself – i.e. reaching a certain number of subscribers – and letting your viewers know is a great way to meet your goals faster.

Sharing your goals helps your community feel more engaged and like they are a bigger part of your channel. This can be an excellent marketing tactic. When you share your goals, they become your follower’s goals too and they will help you reach them. Creating a payoff where your subscribers can help you reach 2000 subscribers or 1000 likes on a video can help you accomplish more goals to sustain the longevity of your channel. It also fosters a feeling of community by uniting everyone together and allowing them to share your feeling of accomplishment. This works especially well if you offer a reward – i.e. ‘I’ll do a special video when I reach 2000 subscribers’.

Contest now closed.

6. Find a Niche for Your Videos

Many creators on YouTube have found success by carving out very specific video types and niches for themselves. When you are hoping to grow your subscribers on YouTube you really need to find your niche. When you can start to create videos that have predictable subject matter (predictable in the sense of ‘reliable’, not boring), this will attract more regular viewers because people will know what they can expect from your content. Having a niche can also help you find brand deals because you’ll grow a very specific audience that might be interested in very specific products. A smaller, targeted, the audience can be more valuable to an advertiser than a larger, more general, audience.

Your niche will generally be a combination of your larger genre (i.e. gaming, comedy, beauty, food) and something else you are passionate about. For example, reviewing vintage video games or creating desserts based on movies are both potential niches.

7. Build a Strong Personal Brand

Building a brand on YouTube is one of the best ways to generate a devoted following. Building a brand is very important because it makes you more memorable and familiar to viewers. In order to successfully build a brand, you need to think about the image you are trying to create and the culture you want to create for your community. The values you express, the types of videos you do, the clothes you wear, and your channel art are all parts of your brand. The grand total of all of these elements will form your brand and the way you are perceived.

Having a strong, unique, the brand will make viewers feel more attached to you and make your content more recognizable.

8. Create Custom Channel Art

To differentiate yourself from your competition you’re going to need to have custom Channel Art that reflects the vibe of your content. Work at creating or sourcing some graphics for your cover photo, your profile photo, and all of your thumbnails. Having a set color scheme or even a branded style of artwork for your page will help you to look more professional. Differentiating your page from others will create a feeling of familiarity and support your brand.

9. Practice Makes Perfect

In order to start producing more professional content, you need to practice your filmmaking technique. Regardless of the type of video that you are producing, a little bit of practice goes a long way.

Rehearsing what you are going to say can make you feel much more confident. Playing with the video editing software that you’re working with willsave you time when you’re actually polishing a video . Practicing taking photos and videos with your camera outside of making YouTube videos will help you feel familiar with its features. As you start to get more dedicated and practice with your video creation, your videos will gain more viewers and you can grow more subscribers on YouTube.

Simply making more videos is a great way to get in more practice.

10. Add a YouTube Intro Video

A professional-looking intro clip (learn how to make one here ) supports your brand and makes your videos seem more polished. Intros capture attention and let viewers know the type of video that they are watching almost immediately. Building a 5-10 second introduction (no longer) with your name or the name of your channel will go a long way to improving the professionalism of your video.

Contest now closed.

11. Use Video Effects and Transitions

Adding transitions between clips or topics is a great way to keep viewers engaged with your videos.

Using simple color effects, like filters, can help each of your videos look much more professional.

It can take some time to add these kinds of effects to your videos , but it isn’t really very difficult (many editors, including Filmora, let you drag and drop these effects into your timeline) and it will help your videos hold viewers’ attention for longer. It can also garner much more engagement and many more subscriptions for your YouTube channel.

12. Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails

A thumbnail that grabs a viewer’s attention will get more clicks. Take a photo of yourself making an expression relevant to your video and edit the image in Photoshop or using a free service like Canva (or one of these other YouTube thumbnail makers ). Add graphics, like emojis, to give your thumbnail a pop of color and include large, simple, text if you feel like your thumbnail needs to be given context (i.e. ‘fall makeup look’, as opposed to just another makeup video).

13. Use Lots of YouTube Tags

Tags are essential to helping people actually find your videos on YouTube. Tags should include keywords/search terms people might be looking up in order to find videos like yours. Looking at the tags of some of your past videos and seeing how well they performed will give you an idea of what kinds of tags you should target in the future. Looking at the tags of some of your competitors will give you an idea of what tags you should be using for your own videos.

Services like the Google Keyword Planner can also help you with finding new keywords/tags. Making your tags with search engine optimization in mind will help ensure that people can find your video when searching for those specific keywords. YouTube has an algorithm very similar to the Google search engine for helping people locate videos they may be interested in.

14. Use YouTube Playlists to Increase Watch Time

Playlists are great for increasing your channel’s watch time , an essential metric for ranking in YouTube’s search results. If someone enjoys your video enough to watch to the end, and then a related video starts to play right after, it’s much more likely that the user is going to stick around and view the second video. When you start to link videos together you will start to see your views grow.

Playlists are also important because they help to organize your channel and make it easier for viewers to find content they are interested in.

15. Promote Your YouTube Channel on Social Media

Improving engagement as well as the notoriety of your brand often means branching out beyond YouTube. By creating accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram for your channel you will gain more ways of engaging your followers. Often the promotion that you do through social media can equate to a large number of viewers and subscribers. The key to expanding into other social media platforms is to choose the sites your existing audience is already on. For example, Instagram is essential for a beauty YouTuber, but not for a gamer.

Contest now closed.

16. Interact with your Viewers

Spending time interacting with your viewers via comments and social media is important. Taking suggestions and paying attention to what your viewers like most about your videos will make your viewers feel more included in the process of creating your videos. This will make them much more loyal to your channel. A great way to interact with your viewers is by doing shout outs or Q&A videos.

17. Check Out the Big Channels in Your Genre

Spending time examining your competition is very important. By looking at the popular channels in your genre you can learn what kinds of videos are popular and what types of video titles and tags you should be using.

18. Do Collaboration Videos

When you collaborate with other YouTube creators it leads to mutual success. You can cross-promote some of their content and they can promote some of your content in the process. It’s amazing how much your channel can grow when you’re exposed to other people’s audiences. Even if you might view another content creator is your competition, sometimes uniting together on a project can help you to mutually prosper.

Make sure your potential partner makes the kinds of videos your own audience would like. Then you’ll know that your videos are something your partner’s audience will like.

19. Write a Detailed Description for Every Video

The description box is one of the most commonly underutilized tools on YouTube. Make sure that you use the space to write a full description of each video. In the first three lines of every video description, use the keywords most relevant to your content, provide links to your other social media accounts, and ask viewers to subscribe. Lower down in your description, under the ‘read more’ tab, write a detailed summary of your video. This will improve your SEO/search engine optimization.

20. Use Keywords That Are Searchable

In your titles, descriptions, and tags you need to use the words or phrases that viewers are most likely to type into YouTube’s search bar when looking for content like yours. Doing a bit of keyword research will help you gain more subscribers on YouTube and more viewers on almost every video.

For example, if you do a product review of a new smartphone, you will get a lot more views titling it ‘iPhone X Review and Unboxing’ than ‘You won’t BELIEVE this phone’ because iPhone X, review and unboxing are all keywords that people might search for.

Contest now closed.

21. Make your Thumbnails Consistent

The thumbnails that you choose for your videos can be an extension of your brand. By using similar layouts, colors, and fonts for every thumbnail you will create a familiar look and viewers will recognize your videos when they see them. If someone can instantly recognize your video thumbnails it will strengthen your brand and encourage repeat viewership.

22. Always Have a Plan for Your Videos

If you can plan out a script or outline (whichever you’re comfortable with) for your video, or even plan out a series of videos that you could shoot over time, it can lead to far better content. Taking the time to create a plan for every single video will lead to much more polished results that will generate far better responses from your viewers. Planning takes time, but not as much time as trying to edit the content that had no clear plan.

23. Make Titles that Get Views

Writing great titles that are optimized for search engines is one of the best ways to see some huge improvements in your channel’s growth rate. Your titles need to be able to draw in an audience and get them interested in your content. They also have to set expectations for your videos and contain the right keywords to make them searchable. Big channels can get good results with titles that build suspense or ask questions, but while you’re small it’s better to avoid clickbait and make your titles as direct and literal as possible.

24. Create a YouTube Channel Trailer

Your channel page on YouTube might be where a viewer makes the decision to subscribe, or not to subscribe. YouTube allows you to set a featured video that will autoplay in this space, and a lot of the most successful creators use this as an opportunity to post a channel trailer . Your channel trailer welcomes new viewers and tells them what to expect from your content.

You can create a trailer quickly by filming a quick introduction and combining it with clips from your previous videos.

25. Give Each of Your Videos a Memorable Ending

Ending every video on a high note – with some kind of joke or surprise – will leave viewers with a good feeling, which will make them more likely to keep watching more of your videos.

Be sure to share your own tips on how to get your YouTube channel noticed.

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Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Also read:

  • Title: The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Thumbnail Sizes
  • Author: Kevin
  • Created at : 2024-06-10 00:24:33
  • Updated at : 2024-06-11 00:24:33
  • Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-youtube-thumbnail-sizes/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Thumbnail Sizes