42+ Best YouTube Thumbnail Ideas (Using a Custom YouTube Thumbnail Generator)
Since your YouTube thumbnail is the first thing potential viewers see when browsing YouTube, you want a thumbnail that will grab their attention and tell them what your video is all about.
Today we'll introduce you to the Placeit YouTube thumbnail creator and show you how to make a thumbnail for YouTube in five simple steps, so that you can create stunning, attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. Then we'll share 42+ of the best YouTube thumbnail ideas from Placeit.
How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail Quickly and Easily
If you've been wondering about the best way to make YouTube thumbnails, wonder no more. Follow these five simple steps and discover how to make your own thumbnails for YouTube videos with the YouTube Thumbnail Creator from Placeit.
Step 1: Select a YouTube Thumbnail Design
Browse the YouTube thumbnail templates and when you find one you like, click on it to open the YouTube thumbnail generator.
The great thing about the Placeit templates is that you never have to ask yourself "What are the dimensions of a YouTube thumbnail?" because the generator offers the exact YouTube thumbnail dimensions you need.
Step 2: Choose a Background Image & Colour Scheme
Now let's customise your YouTube thumbnail template.
Go to the controls on the right of the template and choose a Background Image that best reflects your subject. If you have a specific image in mind, you can type a term in the search bar to find the perfect image for your needs.
Now choose a Graphic for your template. Alternatively you can choose no image at all, but if you choose to use a graphic, select a colour for it.
Next, choose a colour for the Top Banner Colour and the Badge Colour.
Step 3: Add Text & Change Your YouTube Thumbnail Font
Now move to the left side of the template and enter any text you want to appear on your template. When you are done, change the font and font colour as needed. You can remove text by turning off the eye to the left of your text. You can also add additional text and upload your own logo.
Step 4: Resize and Move Your Text as Needed
You can move and resize your text and/or logo as needed, and if you don't like what you've done, just hit the Reset Layout button to return to the default layout.
Step 5: Download Your YouTube Thumbnail Design
When you are happy with your design, just click the Download button.
This will take you to the download page, where you have two options for purchasing your YouTube thumbnail design.
You can either pay a single fee for your design or sign up for a monthly or yearly subscription that offers you unlimited downloads of all Placeit's designs, mockups, logos, videos, and gaming templates.
Now that you know how to make thumbnails for YouTube videos using the best YouTube thumbnail maker on the internet today, let's take a look at a few of the awesome YouTube thumbnail designs you can find at Placeit.
Best YouTube Thumbnail Templates
YouTube Thumbnail Template for a Healthy Desserts Vlog
Personally, I'm not a believer in healthy desserts, but hey, if that's your thing, then this is the template for you. And the good news is that even if you like your desserts unhealthy, you can easily use this template to make a YouTube thumbnail for your latest sugary creation.
YouTube Thumbnail Design Maker for a Vlog
If you run a channel giving out career advice, try this YouTube thumbnail maker. Its professional look and feel will give your channel just the right vibe.
Colorful Video Thumbnail Maker for Pride Month
Celebrate Pride Month with this vibrant, positive, colourful thumbnail. Or hey, why not use it all year round?
YouTube Thumbnail Generator for a Wellness Channel
That looks like a good place to be, doesn't it? But even if you change the image and text to something completely different, this will still be an eye-catching thumbnail to draw viewers to your next video.
YouTube Thumbnail Template for Gaming Streamer Tips
Here's a great gaming thumbnail for YouTube. And that title would also be a great subject for a video—it's the question every up-and-coming gamer wants to know the answer to.
YouTube Thumbnail Generator for Beauty Influencers
If you're an influencer, you probably want to spend your time finding great products and making your videos as good as you can, not designing thumbnails. So keep things simple and get a YouTube thumbnail like this one that works right off the bat.
YouTube Thumbnail Creator for a Soft Meditation Music Playlist
Most of us use YouTube to distract ourselves, but why not use it to focus? This morning meditation template has the ideal soothing colours and calming imagery for a successful meditation playlist.
YouTube Thumbnail Online Maker for a Comedy Sketch Compilation
It's great to have a striking image and some large text on your YouTube thumbnail, and this template gives you both of those. The bold YouTube thumbnail font will help the title stand out even at a reduced size.
YouTube Thumbnail Design Maker for a Travel Vlogger
Don't have access to a yacht? Don't have this guy's muscle tone? Don't worry. This template would also work with a range of different images. It's a very flexible template, so change it up and make a YouTube thumbnail you can be proud of!
YouTube Thumbnail Generator for a Stand Up Comedy Special
This one is advertised as a thumbnail for a stand-up comedy special, but like many of the templates featured here, it could be adapted for many things other than its stated purpose. Change the image and text, and you've got a very different vibe.
YouTube Maker for Tech Products
Many of these templates put the emphasis on a large image for the YouTube thumbnail background, but this one goes for an abstract pattern instead, with a smaller image inside a box. This is a great option if you want to put more emphasis on your text.
YouTube Thumbnail Creator for a Foodie Vlog
Food thumbnails are all about showcasing the mouth-watering offerings with some great imagery, and this template gives you the perfect chance to do that. The circle of text also lets you make a bold claim to grab people's attention.
Colorful YouTube Thumbnail Design Maker for a Female Empowerment Channel
If you profile successful women on your channel, this template is ideal. Just picture your channel with a whole set of thumbnails featuring different women, all unified by the same basic theme. It would be a great look.
Simple YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Beauty and Fashion Vlog
A stop sign is a great choice for a YouTube thumbnail background. It's an instantly recognisable international symbol, and it tells people they're about to make a mistake, which is a guaranteed way to get clicks. This could work for anything from nail mistakes to career mistakes and much more.
YouTube Thumbnail Template for Fitness Vlogs
The New Year is coming up, and that means one thing: everyone will be going on YouTube and watching videos about the exercise they should be doing. Take advantage of the trend with this stylish YouTube thumbnail idea.
Colorful YouTube Thumbnail Design Template for Beauty Vlogs
The colour scheme of this thumbnail works really well, with the two boxes and the woman's hair all in different shades of purple. If your image is a different colour, see if you can change the colour of the boxes to create a similar effect.
YouTube Thumbnail Ideas for Cooking Channel
The great thing about the YouTube thumbnail ideas featured here is the variety. This one offers three different text boxes, so you can communicate a lot of information, while still leaving space for an eye-catching image.
LGBTQ Pride Youtube Banner Thumbnail Maker
The best font for a YouTube thumbnail is usually something bold and clean, so that it shows up clearly even at a reduced size in the sidebar. This one clearly communicates its message of LGBTQ Pride, with some great imagery and a rainbow pattern to reinforce it.
YouTube Thumbnail Design Maker for a DIY Vlogger
"How to" videos tend to do really well on YouTube, so why not produce one of your own? Just get a YouTube thumbnail like this one, change the image and text, and off you go!
Simple YouTube Thumbnail Design Template for Healthy Lifestyle Vlogs
Healthy lifestyle habits are growing in popularity, with more awareness all the time of the importance of how we live, both to our own health and to the planet. If you've produced a video on that topic, here's the perfect thumbnail to go with it.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Power Yoga Vlog
How big is a YouTube thumbnail? The great thing about the Placeit app is that you don't have to worry about resizing anything. You can focus on the creative part, and the app will produce an image at the correct YouTube thumbnail size.
Fitness YouTube Thumbnail Template for a Bodybuilding Channel
Fitness vloggers will love this template, with its dark colours, striking image, and eye-catching red text. The high colour contrast really makes it work, so keep that in mind if you decide to change things around.
Gaming Thumbnail for YouTube for a Rainbow Six Siege Commentary
If you're a Rainbow Six Siege fan, you'll love this thumbnail template. But it's also flexible, so you can use it to create any kind of gaming thumbnail for YouTube.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Family with Kids YouTube Channel
Every moment of family life looks like this, right? Happy, laughing kids in a sunny, bokeh-strewn scene. Well, even if it doesn't, don't worry—that's the side that looks good on YouTube. Promote the positive and watch the views roll in.
YouTube Thumbnail Template Featuring a Fashionable Minimalist Design
You don't have to wait for Fashion Week to use this elegant, minimalist template. Just change the text, choose an image, and use it all year round.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Cycling Vlog
Use this flexible template to make a YouTube thumbnail for your next video, whether it's on cycling or a different topic altogether. When you switch out the imagery and text, it can become whatever you want. You could use this as your go-to template for videos on a whole range of different subjects.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for Fashion Vloggers
It's important to have some contrast in your thumbnail, so that the text stands out even when it's very small. This thumbnail achieves that with its black text in white boxes over a dark-coloured YouTube thumbnail background.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Travelling Vlog Channel
It's hard to see whether this is the most beautiful waterfall because there's a big green blob on top of it. But the idea of a YouTube thumbnail is to entice people to click, not to give away too much all at once, so this could work in your favour. Make people watch the video to see what it really looks like!
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a YouTube Channel Review
Different types of YouTube videos have different styles of thumbnails. This style is perfect for technology and photography reviews, with its bold text, simple black and red colours, and clean imagery.
YouTube Thumbnail Design Maker with Education Subjects
YouTube thumbnails are often very contemporary in their design, so why not stand out by going for a vintage look? Get a YouTube thumbnail that will set you up for success!
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Beauty Vlogger
If this is a natural look, I'd hate to see an airbrushed look. But still, remember that you can and should change the text and image to make a YouTube thumbnail that's truly your own. This is just the starting point!
YouTube Thumbnail Generator for a Regional Architecture Class
This template has a highly specific title, but don't feel restricted by that. The example given is of Islamic architecture, but with different text and imagery, this thumbnail could work for all kinds of videos. Customising is easy with Placeit's online YouTube thumbnail maker.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Philosophy Channel
Philosophy isn't exactly what comes to mind when you think of YouTube, but there's room for everything on there. If a YouTube video is published and nobody is there to watch it, does it really exist? With this thumbnail, you won't have to worry about that.
YouTube Thumbnail Creator for a Class About Photography for Kids
Something tells me that today's kids are more likely to be using a mobile phone camera than a vintage Minolta, but there are always exceptions to any rule. Either way, this is a great template if you're creating videos to inspire the Cindy Shermans of the future.
Colorful YouTube Thumbnail Design Template With Workout Images
Want to make a YouTube thumbnail that will stand out in a crowded feed? This is a great option, with its colourful design and high contrast. If you change the image, be sure to choose one that's similarly eye-catching and maintains the strong colour contrast.
YouTube Thumbnail Template for a Joke Compilation Vlog
We all need a good laugh sometimes, don't we? Attract people to your latest comedy creation with this eye-catching thumbnail. The corner tab is a nice touch for highlighting a particular selling point.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Video About Gardening for Kids
Thanks to the frequent lockdowns in many countries around the world, 2020 was a great year for kids to learn about doing things at home. Help them keep up the habit with this cute thumbnail for videos about gardening.
YouTube Thumbnail Template with a Home-Education Theme
One positive effect of the Covid-19 pandemic was that many people discovered the benefits of home schooling. If you want to tap into that newfound interest, here's a thumbnail that could work really well.
Beauty YouTube Thumbnail Maker
Lists ranking the "best of" are always popular on YouTube, and you can use this thumbnail to create your own rundown of the best items in your area.
YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Tech Reviews Channel
The best font for a YouTube thumbnail depends on your subject. For tech channels, this futuristic but still highly legible font is ideal. The red strip at the bottom is a great place to highlight your key selling point.
Thumbnail Design Maker for a Career YouTube Channel
For a careers channel highlighting successful entrepreneurs, this would be the ideal thumbnail. With a portrait photo in the box and the text on the right, it communicates everything viewers need to know. And it's all set against a professional-looking YouTube thumbnail background.
Minimalistic YouTube Thumbnail Maker for Vlogs
Minimalism is king, and this elegant YouTube thumnail idea takes full advantage. The style of the thumbnail matches the subject and helps promote the minimalist lifestyle.
Fitness YouTube Thumbnail Maker for a Workout Channel
Now that's a thumbnail that people will click on! The strong image combined with the bold promise of toning your body in six weeks will create the perfect recipe for YouTube success.
Create Your Custom YouTube Thumbnail Today
Now that you know how to create a thumbnail for YouTube and where to find the best YouTube thumbnails on the market today, head on over to Placeit.net and create your own stunning custom thumbnail today.
And if you're interested in other terrific resources available from Placeit, check out this list of articles below:
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