Brand video content on YouTube with customized and on-brand thumbnail covers.
What's in this article:
- What is a YouTube thumbnail
- Ways you can create a thumbnail in Slate
- Creating thumbnails on mobile
- Creating thumbnails on web
- Uploading a thumbnail to YouTube
What is a YouTube Thumbnail?
A YouTube thumbnail is a cover image that goes overtop of your video. You have the option to select a frame from your video, or load in something custom from your camera roll. It's a great way to add an increased brand footprint onto all content coming from your digital and video crew. A YouTube thumbnail needs to be 16x9 to fit the space properly.
Creating a Thumbnail in Slate
To create a thumbnail, there's a two approaches you can take:
- Templates: A template is a PSD file that you can upload to Slate and edit from the mobile app or web creation studio. In a template, text layers are fully editable, and snap back into perfect place, size, and alignment. These have an option to have media, or only be text based like the above example.
- Free-Form Creation: Create on web or mobile using backgrounds, photos, graphics, or other assets in your drawer to create unique cover images each time that match the purpose of the video.
Thumbnails on Mobile
- Open your Slate mobile app
- Tap the 'Ratio' button on the bottom toolbar to make your workspace a 16x9
- If using templates, choose the template you want to use to start creating your content from the 'Templates' drawer
- Add in media by tapping on the ‘media’ button on the bottom toolbar
- Resize media into the space by double tapping the image or video, and pinching in or out to place it in the desired location. Double tap again to lock it in place
- If using a template, tap on any editable text boxes to change the copy. These text boxes will snap back to place when you're finished editing
- Add any additional text, graphics, or backgrounds to your content
- Export your content by selecting the ‘Share’ button on the bottom toolbar
Thumbnails on Web
- Open your Slate dashboard and click 'Create Content' in the top right corner
- Select 'New Project'
- Click on the ratios located at the top left of the screen
- Select 'YouTube Thumbnail' from the dropdown menu, or select 16x9
- If using a template, select a template from the 'Templates drawer
- Add in any media from your workspace through the 'Media' drawer
- Add any graphics, fonts, backgrounds, or templates you wish to use with your content
- When you're ready, click 'Export' at the top right of the screen to download your media
- Upload your thumbnail to YouTube
Uploading a Thumbnail to YouTube
- Create the thumbnail you would like to use on YouTube in Slate
- Open YouTube
- Go to your videos in your library or content drawer
- Select 'Edit' on the video you would like to edit
- Within the editing tool, there will be a thumbnail option where you can select to upload a thumbnail
- Upload the cover image from your device
- Click 'Save'
Available on:
FAQs:
Q: Can I upload a video as a YouTube thumbnail?
A: No, these files can only be image based to be a YouTube thumbnail.
Q: Can I upload a thumbnail to YouTube from my mobile device?
A: Yes! Follow the same steps above to add a thumbnail from your mobile device.
Q: Can I edit a thumbnail after it's posted to YouTube?
A: Yes! You are able to edit a thumbnail on a published video.
Q: Can a thumbnail be any other size but 16x9?
A: No, for YouTube this is the recommended size to have a thumbnail.