{"id":19292,"date":"2020-07-31T15:34:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-31T22:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alejandrorioja.com\/blog\/?p=19292"},"modified":"2023-10-17T06:03:11","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T13:03:11","slug":"youtube-thumbnail-size","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alejandrorioja.com\/youtube-thumbnail-size\/","title":{"rendered":"Youtube Thumbnail Size & Guidelines: How to Make Yours POP! ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have created the greatest video and thought of the best title (and optimized it further for Youtube SEO<\/a>), yet your video still isn’t getting the views it deserves? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, your thumbnail may be the culprit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often overlooked, these YouTube thumbnails are as essential as your video\u2019s title and content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Remember that these tiny still images are what viewers initially see when they search a video on YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A thumbnail will act as a teaser or a movie poster. It mirrors what generally your video\u2019s content is and should lure your viewers to click-through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be their deciding factor whether to click and watch your video or otherwise, scroll ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thumbnails also appear on Google\u2019s search engines and play an important role in maximizing your impressions. Sometimes, the right thumbnail is enough to make a big difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below, we\u2019ll guide you through everything you need to learn about YouTube thumbnails, from choosing the ideal size, how to make them and other tips that will help you make a compelling image and raise your video\u2019s click-through rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on and give it a share!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Main Purpose of a Thumbnail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The main goal of a Thumbnail is to get clicks to it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It should attract not only your current followers, but your future ones (the ones that have yet to discover you and your content)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the type of your content you post, whether to entertain or inform viewers, your thumbnail should magnet all those clicks for you or optimize your impressions.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Perfect YouTube Thumbnail Size<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we get to more fun stuff, let\u2019s go to the basic first and determine the right Youtube thumbnail size<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As per Google\u2019s recommendations, your thumbnail should be at 1280 pixels by 720 pixels, with 640 pixels as the minimum width. It is also best to keep its size at 16:9 aspect ratio as it\u2019s used in YouTube players and previews. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may be surprised why the recommended size is that big. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, while thumbnails may look small when appearing in searches, it usually expands to the same size of a full video when it shows as an \u201cup next\u201d suggestion near the end of a video. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s best to use a large-sized image as it will still maintain its quality when it scales up.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll never want your thumbnail to look pixelated in previews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, take note that the image you upload must not exceed 2MB and the image file types should be any of the following: .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Should you have problems with the file size or format, online converter tools may become handy.)
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youtube Thumbnail Size Guidelines <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u270d\ufe0f Here\u2019s a list of what you need to remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n