YouTube is extremely powerful.

But everything I ever talk about, begins with people clicking on your video.

Here’s my step-by-step on how to make that happen.

By focussing on the core.

Your thumbnails.

Every thumbnail falls into five buckets.

1. Moment Thumbnails ⌛️ 

   Capture a powerful reaction moment. Example: A snapshot of an extreme emotion or action right before it happens.

   

2. Story Thumbnails 🚀 

   Build narrative tension by introducing a problem or conflict.

   

3. Result Thumbnails 💰️ 

   Show a desired result, sparking curiosity about the process. Example: A stunning "after" image next to a plain "before" shot.

   

4. Transformation Thumbnails 📩 

   Display both the beginning and end states to highlight a dramatic change. Example: A fitness transformation with a before and after picture.

   

5. Novelty Thumbnails 🍇 

   Present something new or unusual to draw attention. Example: A bizarre, never-seen-before object or situation.

   

Steps To Craft The Perfect Thumbnail 📈 

1) Content Bucket
Decide which thumbnail-bucket best suits your video

2) Force Questions
"What happens next?" or "How did they achieve that?" Use expressions, actions, and elements that provoke curiosity.

3) Master the Three Cs of Design
Content: Include only necessary elements that enhance the curiosity gap. Avoid extraneous visuals.
Composition: Use the rule of thirds or symmetrical alignment to guide the viewer’s eye to the main character.
Contrast: Apply high contrast using luminosity (light vs. dark), saturation (vivid vs. dull), and hue (complementary colours) to make the thumbnail stand out.

4) Testing
Clarity Test: Ensure all elements are recognizable at small sizes (e.g., suggested video sidebar). Use tools like Click Pilot for previews.
Contrast Test: Compare your thumbnail against others in the same niche to ensure it stands out.
Glance Test: Show the thumbnail to someone for 2 seconds and ask what they saw. If they can’t immediately identify the key elements, make adjustments.

4) Novelty
Novelty and innovation keep thumbnails fresh and engaging. Unique visual styles or breaking from the norm can draw more attention.

Thumbnail Inspiration Vault 💵 

I also put together a bank of thumbnails for inspiration, along with a breakdown of each.

14 days ago, we launched a brand new channel. This is the first video on it, which is also in an extremely small niche.

Here’s another video well on its way to 100k views, in just 7 days.

Let’s talk about YouTube.

No strings attached.

Adios,

Daniel Faraday