Design for small
Most people see your thumbnail tiny, on a phone, between others. What works full screen often turns to mush at that size.
Rules that hold
- One subject, large in the frame.
- Strong contrast between subject and background.
- A face with a clear expression, if a face fits.
- Empty space on one side for your title.
Add the text yourself
Make the image without text and add the title in your editor, in a font you control. Generated text is often close but not right, and in a thumbnail every letter counts.
Test at size
Shrink the thumbnail to the size of a fingernail and look again. If you cannot tell what it is, simplify.
Questions
Which format?
16:9 for YouTube thumbnails.
Can a model write the title in the image?
Some are good at text. Check the guide on text in images first.
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