Thumbnail testing!
Added 2024-02-15 18:17:44 +0000 UTCHey friends,
In the past months, YouTube has allowed us to beta-test the new thumbnail testing feature. This feature allows us to upload up to 3 thumbnails to go with a title, and then YouTube tests all of them and gives us feedback on audience preference based on what YouTube calls 'watch time share' - which means that it doesn't just count clicks but also how long someone watches the video after having clicked the thumbnail.
We are pretty excited about this feature because we are constantly trying to improve our thumbnails - which is really challenging and a constant discussion among content creators. We try to make our thumbnails interesting, informative, and eye-catching, preferably without being too clickbaity but clickbaity enough to get people to watch our content. (It's a necessary evil)
Of course, since we're science nerds, we also wanted to test the test. So for our video about the Forever Storm, we decided to include a really bad MS Paint thumbnail as a sort-of control. Naturally, we assumed that this one would be less popular, and it was - but only barely :) (In hindsight, it's actually a masterpiece. We should put it on a t-shirt.)
The A/B/C testing has been great in helping us choose the final thumbnails for our videos, but we are still consistently trying to improve them.
So, speaking of thumbnails, what makes a thumbnail stand out to you?
Thank you for being here with us!
Lizah
Comments
Ah thank you for sharing that :) and those are two amazing channels!
MinuteEarth
2024-02-16 19:15:35 +0000 UTCAs others have noted, what matters most to me is "Minute Earth". It's one of three channels which I classify as "watch ASAP". The other two are Kurtzgesagt and Beau of the Fifth Column, FWIW.
La Monte H. P. Yarroll
2024-02-16 14:32:07 +0000 UTCA patreon community probably has wildly different opinions on the thumbs than most people, but we still value them :) Also its really fun to hear which one you like most! My own favorite were the birds in the top but that could be because I just really liked drawing it :3
MinuteEarth
2024-02-16 10:22:57 +0000 UTCI watch every one of your videos, so thumbnails are not terribly important. I would guess most people here on Patreon are much the same. :-) But in general, a good thumbnail has to have something to catch the eye. All the ones above are pretty good, but the secone one for eclipse is probably my fav (of all 6), if that matters.
Patrick W. Gilmore
2024-02-16 02:55:31 +0000 UTC
