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🖼️ YouTube Thumbnail Checklist

Run every thumbnail through this list before you publish. Check each box — print it and pin it by your desk.

Text

• 3 words or fewerThumbnails are read at a glance on phones. More than 3 words becomes noise.
• Text is readable at 120px wideShrink it to phone-feed size. If you squint, your viewers will scroll past.
• No title repeatThe title sits right next to the thumbnail — repeating it wastes half your canvas.
• High-contrast text treatmentThick stroke, drop shadow, or solid backing bar. Fancy thin fonts die on mobile.

Faces & Emotion

• One clear face (if you use faces)One expressive face beats a group shot. Emotion should match the video's payoff.
• Face takes ≥30% of the frameSmall faces disappear in the feed. Crop in closer than feels comfortable.
• Eyes look at the viewer or the subjectDirect gaze creates a connection; looking at the product/object directs attention to it.

Composition

• One focal pointA thumbnail should communicate one idea. Two competing subjects = zero clicks.
• Rule of thirds (roughly)Subject slightly off-center feels dynamic. Dead-center works only for symmetrical shock images.
• Background is simple / blurredBusy backgrounds fight your subject. Blur, darken, or replace.
• Timestamp area is clearKeep the bottom-right corner free — YouTube's duration badge covers it.

Color & Contrast

• Subject pops from backgroundComplementary colors (orange/blue, yellow/purple) create instant separation.
• Saturated, not neonBoost vibrance ~10–20%. Over-saturation looks cheap and untrustworthy.
• Consistent brand paletteRepeat 2–3 brand colors so subscribers recognize your videos in the feed.

Technical

• 1280×720 minimumYouTube's recommended size. Smaller looks soft on TVs and desktops.
• Under 2MB, JPG or PNGYouTube's upload limit. Export at 80–90% quality — nobody sees the difference.
• No clickbait mismatchThe thumbnail must deliver what the video promises. Mismatch kills watch time and trust.

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