Every YouTuber’s ultimate goal is to gain views and impressions. There are two ways of achieving that: buy YouTube views, or add effective video thumbnails that invoke curiosity in viewers. For creators who want to make an impact with thumbnails, YouTube has launched a new tool. YouTube Thumbnail Test is a new tool launched by YouTube to help content creators determine which thumbnails are more impactful. Just upload 2-3 sample thumbnails and see the results in 2 weeks!
But how to use the tool? How to interpret the results? And what parameters the tool covers? Our blog will explore all these aspects.
What Steps Should I Follow For YouTube Thumbnail Test?
As this tool is exclusive and has many requirements, hence there’s some confusion among creators regarding how it’s to be used.
Here are the steps for YouTube thumbnail AB testing!
1. Starting YouTube Thumbnail Test:
As this feature is still in its testing phase, hence it is available for a limited batch of creators.
- This feature can be accessed via the desktop version of YouTube Studio only!
- Enable “advanced features” on your YouTube Studio account, and check if the thumbnail testing tool is available on your account!
- You would be able to test thumbnails for long-form videos, live streams, and podcasts.
2. Conducting YouTube AB testing:
Here are steps you can follow to access this tool if you are an eligible user.
- In the upper right corner of your tool interface, click on “create,” and then upload a video on it.
- Head to the left menu, hit the “content” button, and select the video where you would want to experiment with thumbnails!
- Upload around 2-3 thumbnails and press the “Done” button!
- The test shall begin once you publish the video in question.
- You can manually stop the test by clicking on “stop and set.”
3. What To Expect From YouTube Thumbnail Test:
Here’s how the YouTube thumbnail test will select the best-performing thumbnail.
- It will take a maximum of 2 weeks for YouTube to determine which thumbnail is attracting more viewers!
- The time it takes to show results depends on the number of thumbnails used and how fast your video gains impressions!
- The results would be accessible on YouTube Studio, and you can even re-run your test!
Who Can Access YouTube Thumbnail Test?
YouTube channels of the below-mentioned categories are excluded from this tool:
- Channels that post kids content.
- Private channels.
- Or channels that are meant for mature audiences!
That is because YouTube doesn’t want to track certain viewers and wants to preserve their privacy.
However, if you want your channel audience to grow, then we have something for you – buy YouTube Subscribers!
Conclusion – Is YouTube Thumbnail Test Effective?
With the YouTube Thumbnail Test, creators know which thumbnail is generating impressions or clicks. Just because this test gives creators a glimpse into how their viewers behave, doesn’t mean that attractive thumbnails aren’t a priority any longer. In fact, with this test, the thumbnails need to be even more catchy and clear. While this tool is in its early stages, it has been designed with a lot of thought and consideration. Hence we can say with confidence that it will serve as a boon for all creators in the near future!
Aside from using effective thumbnails, you can also promote video on YouTube to gain more reach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why is ‘Winner’ test result so unclear?
If it’s been more than two weeks since you used the YouTube thumbnail test, and if you are still not receiving the “winner” results, then here’s why!
- Sample thumbnails are not very different in terms of their design
- Or neither of the samples are gaining significant impressions.
Q2. How does watch time help in determining the winner thumbnail?
While thumbnails are important for invoking viewer’s interest, they still can’t be “misleading.” Hence YouTube Thumbnail Test also accounts for “watch time” of viewers who interacted with the sample thumbnails, as it considers “watch time” to be a measure of your sample’s accuracy!
Q3. What are the requirements for a YouTube thumbnail?
Follow these tips for a well-defined and visible thumbnail.
- The ideal size is 1280 x 720 pixels.
- File weight should be up to 2MB.
- The most optimal aspect ratio is 16:9.
- JPG, GIF, and PNG formats are suitable.
- The minimum width has to be 640 pixels.
Q4. Which is more important, thumbnail or title?
The title and thumbnail are both equally important for a well-performing video!
- Crisp and accurate titles give viewers a hint as to what is being covered; they also help people with visual impairments.
- Whereas thumbnails show people the most exciting segment in your video and hence compel them to click on your videos!
- With AI-based title generator for YouTube, you can attain the desired tone based on the impact you want to leave on viewers.
- Along with titles and thumbnails, we recommend creators frame their descriptions so that viewers feel they provide value. Employ a YouTube description generator for this.