Using YouTube as part of your Video marketing strategy for your business is a great move. According to social media examiner, more the 55% of marketers use YouTube. There is a lot that goes into creating content on a YouTube Channel. Among those things is creating clickable Thumbnails. This blog post is all about how to make exciting thumbnails on Canva.

For those who have never heard of it, Canva is an online platform with an intuitive interface that allows anyone to easily create high-quality graphics without having to master graphic design skills or hire expensive professionals. In addition to being an excellent resource for beginners, Canva also provides advanced features such as thumbnail designs, templates, fonts, shapes, colors, backgrounds, layouts, and much more. It's an excellent tool for creating your video thumbnails.

Creating a YouTube video that receives views involves many factors. Which video to upload? What images and graphics should be used? How can you make the video stand out from other videos on the same subject? Creating a great video takes time and thought, but you can use some simple steps to make your videos look more professional in just a few minutes. Among them, you must learn how to create eye-catching YouTube thumbnails for your videos. This will be the first thing people see when they click on your channel or upload an original clip from another user on YouTube. Make sure it stands out from all the other videos available for viewing on the website.

What makes a good YouTube Thumbnail?

via GIPHY

The thumbnail image is the first thing viewers see before watching your video. To make it a compelling thumbnail that stands out from other videos, it needs to have specific characteristics that would make a person click on it. I aim to do this with each of my video uploads and still learn each time I upload. The best idea I can convey is that your thumbnail needs to plant an idea in the viewer's mind visually.

It may Include some information about the video itself in the image too. For example, if one of the main points of your video is to have a healthy lifestyle and how to achieve that, include those details in the thumbnail image as well. in this example, it can be a thumbnail with a before and after visualization on how the person was before adopting the healthy lifestyle vs. after adopting the lifestyle.

How to make custom thumbnails in Canva

You can watch the video below the list for more context.

1. Sign up for Canva if you need an account. Most of the time, there is a free trial; click here for a 30 day free trial and you can always continue using the basic version for free. I may get compensation for paid sign-ups to Canva Pro. I always use Canva, and I always recommend it in conversations with friends and peers.
2. Select "Create Design" from the top menu bar, select " YouTube Thumbnail" from the drop list, or write it on the search bar. The aspect ratio and the YouTube Thumbnail size will automatically be determined.
3. You will see a list of thumbnail templates you can choose from. You can click any of them, and it will automatically transfer to the white canvas on the right of the screen.
4. You can modify the elements on the template by clicking on each one. You will have a wide selection of options to choose how to alter the graphic using the options located on the top left of the screen or the options on the left of the screen. You will also have some options if you right-click on your mouse. Take some time to play with the settings. They are pretty straightforward.
5. You may add your graphics, design elements, and pictures like a personal photo. To add them click the upload button around the top left corner of the screen. Then click the upload files button and choose the location of your media for uploading.
6. Once uploaded, you can click your media, which will be placed automatically on the blank canvas. Proceed to make any alterations necessary to the graphic. The Pro version has background remover. If you want to skip the Pro version, you can go to https://www.remove.bg/ to remove the background for free.
7. Once you are ready to download, be sure to name your graphic by changing the text on the top right next to your account name.
8. Once you have finished editing your Thumbnails you can download them by clicking on the share button highlighted with the color yellow located on the right corner of the screen as seen in the figure below and proceed to share with team members or download with your preferences.

Watch the Video Tutorial for more details

Creating a Thumbnail from scratch on Canva

Creating a Youtube Thumbnail from scratch is also easy on Canva. You can create a professional-looking thumbnail with just a few clicks. You can choose available background templates on Canva or fill the white canvas with a color of your choosing. You can also upload your own background. Ideally, backgrounds should contrast highly with any graphics in the foreground. In other words, don't wear clothes the same color as the background. Any other graphics, texts, and elements should also have a contrast to the background so they can stand out.

If you want to nerd out, you can search for Color Palette options on the internet. Just remember. It's not about bells and whistles in terms of decorations. Again, always ask yourself what is necessary to visually implant an idea to the viewer. Once you use that question as a compass, things can be as elaborate or simplified as needed. Sometimes a simple arrow on a picture is all that is needed

Add text to your video’s thumbnail.

Canva has a variety of templates for titles and subtitles. You can include a CTA or write something that describes the clip's topic. This makes it easier for new visitors to understand the clip and encourages them to view the entire thing. In essence, this is some additional information that may help attract views.

Use fonts that draw attention to the video’s title and description.

One of the easiest ways to make your thumbnail stand out is by using fonts that stand out compared to the rest of the image. To do this, use a bold font with some visual weight to it. You can also try playing with colors that complement your video’s primary color scheme.

Canva has a variety of titles with fun and exciting fonts that you click and alter as you wish, or when typing your own text, you can change the font by clicking the drop-down button on the top left of your screen while you are working on your text.

Summing up

Make sure you have an eye-catching thumbnail. That means you should use graphics and relevant images in the video. You don’t want viewers to keep scrolling for other videos. Keep it simple – no need for complicated graphics or text in your thumbnail image. It must be clear and easy to understand what the video is about.