12 Youtube Thumbnails Secrets from Jeremy Vest and Proven Strategies for Success | Syllaby.io

LAST CHANCE! Year-End Offer to boost your content creation this December. Click here to save 30% on all plans!

12 YouTube
Thumbnails Secrets from Jeremy Vest and Proven Strategies for Success

Our Awesome Speaker(s) 🎤

Jeremy Vest

YouTube Expert
“The YouTube Coaches’ Coach”

Austin Armstrong

Vertical Video Expert

Syllaby CEO

Date🗓️

This webinar was aired on Thursday,

September 26, 2024

Time ⌛️

Thank you for your interest. The webinar is now complete, and the recording is available for you to access. WATCH HERE

Are you struggling with Youtube thumbnails? If you’re diving into the world of YouTube, you already know that a thumbnail can make or break your video’s success. YouTube thumbnails act like billboards, grabbing attention and pulling in viewers. In a competitive platform where millions of videos are uploaded daily, crafting the perfect thumbnail is essential. According to industry experts like Jeremy Vest, getting the right combination of intrigue, emotion, and design is key to driving more clicks and engagement.

Jeremy Vest, a seasoned YouTube strategist with over 16 years of experience, shared his insights on creating killer thumbnails during a recent webinar. With his students boasting over 50 billion organic views, Jeremy’s advice holds immense value, particularly if you’re looking to improve your own YouTube channel’s performance. Jeremy has mentored top creators and brands, including VidIQ, and many refer to him as “The YouTube Coaches’ Coach.” Here’s a breakdown of the essential thumbnail secrets he shared, including key tactics for winning the click, and practical tips you can use right away.

1. Does Your Thumbnail Give a Reason to Click?

Successful Youtube thumbnails are not about telling the whole story. If you reveal too much, viewers have no reason to click. Instead, build curiosity by leaving gaps in the information presented. You want to entice viewers to click and discover more in the video itself. According to Jeremy, the Curiosity Gap is the psychological space between what the viewer knows and what they want to know—this is where intrigue pulls them in. A thumbnail should tease, not explain everything.

2. Stand Out in the War of Attention

On YouTube, it’s all about standing out. Your thumbnail is competing with hundreds of others in the suggested videos column. To win the click, your thumbnail needs to pop visually. Jeremy suggests that creators avoid over-complicating their designs. Simple, bold colors, clear images, and contrasting elements often win the click war. Jeremy also advises creators to research their competitors—if your niche typically uses dark backgrounds, go for something bright and bold to stand out.

3. Create a Curiosity Gap

Humans are naturally drawn to fill in the blanks. That’s why clickbait works so well when done ethically. Clickbait gets a bad reputation because it’s often misleading, but when used correctly, it can be highly effective. Jeremy emphasized that clickbait becomes problematic only when it’s dishonest. Instead, he advocates using clickbait in a truthful, ethical way—creating thumbnails that intrigue viewers without giving away all the details.

4. Limit to Three Main Focal Points

Simplicity is key. If your YouTube thumbnails have too much going on, it’s likely to overwhelm viewers, causing them to scroll past. Keep the design clean, with no more than three main focal points. Whether it’s a face, text, or object, focus on these elements to ensure the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the most important parts. According to Jeremy, the best thumbnails are simple yet powerful—think of them as a visual stop sign that grabs attention within seconds.

5. Evoke Emotion

Great YouTube thumbnails make viewers feel something—excitement, curiosity, or even fear. This emotional connection is crucial to winning the click. Think of it as a trigger that pulls the viewer in. Thumbnails that convey strong emotions are more likely to capture attention and drive engagement. Jeremy mentions that 90% of communication is non-verbal, and the emotional pull of a thumbnail can be more powerful than text alone.

6. Use Color Theory to Make Your Thumbnails Pop

Small thumbnails can easily blend into the background if not designed with attention-grabbing colors. Jeremy advises using primary colors—red, green, and blue—because they naturally stand out and evoke strong responses. Many successful creators, such as Mr. Beast, leverage color theory in their thumbnails to increase click-through rates (CTR). However, if these colors are overused in your niche, test other combinations to find what works best for you.

7. Show Scale

Showing how large or small something is in relation to another object can provide visual intrigue and clarity. Jeremy notes that using scale effectively can create an immediate emotional impact. For example, if you’re showing a large catch of fish, display it next to a person or object for context, amplifying the dramatic effect. This technique works especially well in lifestyle or challenge-based videos, such as “100 Boys vs. 100 Girls” or “Biggest Fish Ever Caught.”

8. Convey Emotion through Eyes and Facial Expressions

Human faces, especially expressive ones, are powerful in thumbnails. According to Jeremy, eyes are the window to the soul—if you can show strong emotions through facial expressions, you’re more likely to capture the viewer’s attention. This is why many popular YouTubers like Mr. Beast and Casey Neistat use close-up facial expressions to convey excitement, fear, or shock, drawing viewers in. However, if your content doesn’t feature people, you can still use emotionally impactful visuals, such as dramatic landscapes or symbolic imagery.

9. Match Viewers’ Expectations

Deceptive YouTube thumbnails not only frustrate your audience but also hurt your watch time. Consistency is key. Make sure that your thumbnail aligns with the content of your video. If the thumbnail promises something, make sure the video delivers on that promise. Jeremy emphasized that YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes watch time over CTR, meaning the platform rewards videos that keep people engaged after they click.

10. Keep Text Minimal—Less Than 12 Characters

One of the most common mistakes creators make is overloading thumbnails with text. Remember, the thumbnail is a stop sign—it grabs attention and prompts viewers to read the title. According to research conducted by Jeremy, thumbnails with fewer than 12 characters in the text tend to perform better. The less text you use, the more visual storytelling you’re doing, which is often more effective than trying to summarize the entire video in words.

11. Maintain Brand Consistency

Your thumbnails should reflect your brand. A consistent design across your channel helps viewers instantly recognize your content. While you don’t need to plaster your logo on every thumbnail, maintaining a uniform look and feel across all your videos creates brand recognition and loyalty. Jeremy pointed out that even the most successful creators like Mr. Beast have a consistent style that fans recognize immediately.

12. Make Your Thumbnails Exciting and Show Movement

Thumbnails featuring action or dynamic elements tend to perform well because they create a sense of excitement. Whether you’re showing a skateboard trick mid-air or someone breaking through a glass wall, these elements generate intrigue. Showing movement or excitement in your thumbnails can significantly increase the likelihood of someone clicking.

Advanced Tip: Test Multiple Thumbnails

One of the latest features YouTube offers allows creators to test up to three thumbnails on long-form videos to determine which one drives the most engagement. Jeremy advises creators to let these tests run until there is enough data to decide a winner. He stresses that it’s not just about CTR but also about how much watch time each thumbnail generates. YouTube’s algorithm rewards videos with higher watch time, so thumbnails that retain viewers for longer periods are often the most successful.

Conclusion : The Power of Consistency and Improvement📜

Creating YouTube thumbnails isn’t just about making things look pretty. It’s about understanding human psychology, standing out from the competition, and mastering the art of intrigue. By incorporating Jeremy Vest’s 12 secrets into your design process, you’ll not only win more clicks but also improve your overall channel performance.

As Jeremy wisely points out, improving by just 1% each week can lead to monumental success over time. Continual learning, testing, and improving your thumbnails and content are what separates successful creators from the rest.

Introducing Syllaby: The Ultimate Tool for YouTube Success 🚀

If you’re ready to take your YouTube game to the next level, Syllaby is the perfect tool to help you streamline your content creation process. With Syllaby, you can effortlessly generate video scripts, automate long-form faceless video production, and even create powerful thumbnails—all in one platform. Whether you’re a seasoned creator or just getting started, Syllaby is designed to make content creation faster, easier, and more effective. Aligned with Jeremy Vest’s proven strategies, Syllaby helps you apply these thumbnail secrets and more to create engaging, high-performing YouTube videos that stand out from the competition.

Take action today, and let Syllaby help you craft the perfect videos and thumbnails that drive clicks and grow your channel!

Ready to transform your content creation process and achieve similar success? Discover how Syllaby can help you create compelling, professional-quality videos effortlessly.

*You can cancel your subscription anytime*

Recommended Webinars

Syllaby 101: Mastering Syllaby: Unleash this Ultimate 5-in-1 ...

Supercharge Your Marketing Strategy

Discover how Syllaby’s 5-in-1 tool can revolutionize your digital marketing with an in-depth walkthrough of each component for maximum impact. Gain expert marketing insights, boost your digital presence, and learn how to secure a top spot on Product Hunt to elevate your product launch success.

Watch Now

Use Case: AI Video Marketing Strategy for Behavioral Health: Engage and Educate

Leverage AI to Transform Your Behavioral Health Outreach

Dive into how AI can enhance video marketing for behavioral health practices, from creating engaging educational content to connecting with your audience on a personal level.

Watch Now

Syllaby 101: Be An Expert in Syllaby Concepts & Buttons

Master the Basics and Navigate Syllaby Like a Pro

Understanding Syllaby’s key concepts and functions, helping you maximize your productivity from day one. Whether you’re new to Syllaby or looking to refine your skills, this hands-on masterclass will ensure you navigate the platform like a pro.

Watch Now

Featured on

Previous

Next

Unlock Boundless Creativity with Our Avatar Generation Tool!

Embark on a journey of unlimited possibilities! Experience our Avatar Generation tool and witness your visions materialize. Craft bespoke avatars that resonate with your essence. Start exploring today and unleash your creativity!

Menu

About

Help

Copyright © 2024 syllaby.io