Generate punchy, attention-grabbing text for your YouTube thumbnails
Describe what your video is about - this helps generate relevant text
Thumbnail text best practices: Keep it under 20 characters for mobile visibility. Use action words, numbers, or questions to grab attention. Avoid full sentences.
Thumbnail text is one of the most critical elements for YouTube success. Research shows that thumbnails with bold, readable text get 30-40% higher click-through rates than those without. However, most creators make the mistake of using too much text or text that's too small to read on mobile devices.
Videos with clear, bold thumbnail text see 30-40% higher CTR than text-free thumbnails. Text tells viewers exactly what they'll get, reducing uncertainty and increasing clicks.
Over 70% of YouTube views happen on mobile. Text longer than 20 characters becomes unreadable on small screens, causing viewers to scroll past your video.
Start with powerful verbs or mystery words that create urgency: "WATCH THIS", "TRY NOW", "THE SECRET", "HIDDEN METHOD", "DON'T MISS".
Numbers are concrete and catch the eye immediately. They promise specific value and create expectations: "10X FASTER", "5 STEPS", "3 SECRETS", "$1,000 METHOD".
Questions engage the viewer's brain and make them want to click for the answer: "REALLY?", "WHAT IF?", "CAN YOU?", "WHY NOT?".
Before/after or versus formats create intrigue and promise transformation: "BEFORE vs AFTER", "OLD vs NEW", "PRO vs BEGINNER".
Use bold, thick fonts (Impact, Arial Black, Bebas Neue). High contrast is essential: yellow/white text on dark backgrounds, or black text with a white outline. Test your thumbnail at mobile size before uploading.
Pro Tip: A/B test your thumbnail text! Upload videos with different text variations and see which performs better. Even small changes like "10X" vs "10 TIMES" can impact CTR by 15-20%.
Keep thumbnail text to 2-6 words maximum, ideally under 20 characters total. Text should be scannable in under 1 second. Mobile users can't read lengthy text, and over 70% of views happen on mobile devices.
Bold, thick fonts like Impact, Anton, Bebas Neue, or Arial Black work best. These fonts remain readable even at small sizes on mobile screens. Avoid thin or script fonts that become illegible when thumbnails are small.
Not necessarily, but thumbnails with clear, bold text typically get 30-40% higher click-through rates. Text helps clarify what the video is about and reduces viewer uncertainty. However, some niches (vlogs, travel) can succeed with image-only thumbnails if the visuals are compelling.
High-contrast combinations perform best: yellow or white text on dark backgrounds (black, dark blue, dark red), or black text with a white outline. Avoid low-contrast combinations like gray on white or dark text on dark backgrounds.
Shrink your thumbnail to mobile size (about 120x90 pixels) and see if you can read the text instantly. If you have to squint or zoom in, the text is too small or there's too much of it. Ask someone to glance at it for 1 second - if they can't read it, simplify.
Emojis can work well when used sparingly (1-2 max). They add visual interest and can replace words, saving valuable character space. However, ensure they're large enough to see on mobile and relevant to your content. Overusing emojis makes thumbnails look cluttered.
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