3. Create custom thumbnails

3. Create custom thumbnails Thumbnails matter, maybe even more than titles. That’s because our brains are hardwired to notice visuals first. We process them in less than 13 milliseconds, according to one MIT study. YouTube produces automatic thumbnails for all videos, but they can be blurry or out of focus. To boost views, create an eye-catching custom thumbnail for every video you post. We recommend these simple “rules of thumb” for best results: Resolution: 1280 x 720 px (but any 16:9 aspect ratio should work) Format: .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG Size: respect the 2MB limit Use high contrast images Add text and colors to encourage clicks Choose a close-up image, if you can Use a stock photo when in doubt Be consistent with other branding Which of these two thumbnails are you more likely to choose? The blue graphic below is brighter, more eye-catching, and much more clickable!