Course Curriculum

YouTube Thumbnail Treasures for Social Media Marketing

9sections
27lectures
1h 40mtotal

What you’ll learn

  • Increase your opportunities for increased sales & monetization

  • Stand out in the YouTube crowd

  • Have a greater chance at more Views, Likes, Comments & Subscriptions

01

Introduction

1 lecture • 1min

  • Introduction

    Explore why eye popping thumbnails drive engagement, master thumbnail essentials and best practices, and use tools, field research observations, and an editable template to boost views, subscribers, and comments.

    1:26
02

Why Eye-Popping Thumbnails Make Sense

2 lectures • 4min

  • Looking at YouTube

    Let's look at why being on YouTube makes good sense.

    3:04

  • YouTube Facts

    Activity

  • Looking at YouTube Up Close

    Let's look at why being on YouTube makes good sense.

    1:00
03

Make Your Thumbnails "Pop" - Thumbnail Essentials

3 lectures • 14min

  • Spotting Effective Thumbnail Opportunities

    Let's see if you notice any effective patterns worth duplicating.

    5:31

  • Official YouTube Guidelines

    Master YouTube thumbnail guidelines to create eye-catching, high-resolution thumbnails that fit 640x360, 16:9, with bright contrast, close-up faces, and cohesive imagery that matches your title and content, including custom thumbnails.

    2:57

  • YouTube Guidelines

    Activity

  • Thumbnail Essential Elements

    Line up with best practices by implementing these essential elements.

    5:32
04

Field Research - Observational Analysis

4 lectures • 16min

  • Taking a Closer Thumbnail Look at Two Popular Channels

    Let's make some observations to get an idea of what effective and ineffective thumbnails look like.

    2:51

  • Thumbnail Contrast & Comparisons

    Let's make some observations to get an idea of what effective and ineffective thumbnails look like.

    5:09

  • Thumbnail Set Analysis On Popular Keyword Search

    Let's make some observations to get an idea of what effective and ineffective thumbnails look like.

    4:06

  • Thumbnail Location Considerations

    Let's make some observations to get an idea of what effective and ineffective thumbnails look like.

    3:48
05

Thumbnail Creation Tools

2 lectures • 6min

  • Awesome Thumbnail Tools - FREE App Included

    Access a free online thumbnail editor to create a 1280 by 720 image using the course template. Use color picker, paint tool, layers, and text tool to craft YouTube thumbnails.

    2:12

  • Color Contrasting Secret Weapon & How to Apply It

    Master color contrast to create eye-popping thumbnails by swapping foreground and background with the color wheel and eyedropper tool, using opposite colors for strong separation.

    3:27
06

Applying Best Practices - Practical Application

8 lectures • 38min

  • Creating & Structuring Your Thumbnails: Strong Foundations

    Build out your custom thumbnails as you implement this key essential element.

    3:37

  • Creating & Structuring Your Thumbnails: Creative Essential Elements

    Build out your custom thumbnails as you implement this key essential element.

    7:15

  • Creating & Structuring Your Thumbnails: Communicating is Key

    Build out your custom thumbnails as you implement this key essential element.

    7:04

  • Head for the Border

    Let's check out some border ideas.

    2:52

  • Separation for Success

    Learn to remove backgrounds for YouTube thumbnails using green screen and keying techniques, including Photoshop's magic wand tool and video editing program, isolate foreground via selection, inverse, and new layers.

    5:47

  • Separation Tool

    Explore clipping magic to remove backgrounds for thumbnails by marking the foreground and background, previewing results, and adding drop shadows.

    1:41

  • Crowd-Parting Thumbnail Ideas

    Design eye-popping YouTube thumbnails with bold fonts, bright colors, and a yellow circle, even with backgrounds not cut out; add strokes or outer glow and layered text to stand out.

    5:17

  • Drawing More Attention

    Explore eye-catching thumbnail strategies for social media by using animated characters, bold fonts, bright color contrasts, and stock imagery to boost viewer attention and ranking.

    4:52
07

BONUS: Video Ranking Success for YouTube Thumbnails

3 lectures • 10min

  • YouTube Video Ranking Success Techniques & Insights - Keywords

    Rank higher with these YouTube ranking strategies and tips.

    5:29

  • YouTube Video Ranking Success Techniques & Insights - Keyword Implementation

    Rank higher with these YouTube ranking strategies and tips.

    3:21

  • YouTube Video Ranking Success Techniques & Insights - More SEO Optimization

    Rank higher by adding this to your YouTube ranking strategy.

    1:38
08

BONUS #2: Exclusive Download Access - Multi-Layered Thumbnail Template

3 lectures • 9min

  • Opening Your Thumbnail Template - Introduction

    Open and customize your YouTube thumbnail template by downloading the two available files—Photoshop and a free program version—exploring layered groups, borders, text templates, and placeholders to craft compelling thumbnails.

    3:52

  • Opening Your Thumbnail Template - FREE Tool Tutorial

    Learn to open and customize a free thumbnail template in pichler.com, adjust layers and styles, and add text, shapes, and colors to create eye-popping YouTube thumbnails.

    5:19

  • Your Exclusive Eye-Popping Thumbnail Template(s)

    0:06
09

Upload Your Custom Thumbnail(s)

1 lecture • 1min

  • How to Upload Your Custom Thumbnail(s)

    Quick-Reference PDF for the uploading of your Custom Thumbnail(s)

    1:00