"2024 Approved  Livestream Showdown  FB Live, YT Live, & TwitTV"

"2024 Approved Livestream Showdown FB Live, YT Live, & TwitTV"

Joseph Lv13

Livestream Showdown: FB Live, YT Live, & TwitTV

Facebook Live Vs YouTube Live Vs Twitter Periscope

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

  • It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
  • News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

  • It offers quite simple operations.
  • Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
  • YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

  • You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

  • It offers wide range of settings and functions.
  • Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
  • Well designed with user friendly interface.
  • More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

  • Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

  • It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
  • News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

  • It offers quite simple operations.
  • Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
  • YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

  • You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

  • It offers wide range of settings and functions.
  • Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
  • Well designed with user friendly interface.
  • More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

  • Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

  • It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
  • News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

  • It offers quite simple operations.
  • Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
  • YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

  • You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

  • It offers wide range of settings and functions.
  • Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
  • Well designed with user friendly interface.
  • More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

  • Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live videos are gaining huge popularity these days. People find them best method to share adventurous moments with friends over social media. You can have wide range of choices for selection of platform like Periscope, YouTube Live and Facebook Live etc. But most of you might be thinking hard about which one of these is best to get more audience support. Many of you will just respond with the quick answer that I will switch to a platform where my most of friends are connected. Actually, there are so many features to discuss about a live streaming platform as performance depends upon so many parameters.

Facebook Live

Who is not familiar with this name? Even aliens must be aware about awesomeness of Facebook and now its live streaming capability added more wonders to the life. On top portion of this application, you will find three icons telling you to make easy choices for Check in, Photo and Live. When you are ready to live stream then simply hit this Live button and you will be ready to step inside world of entertainment. Same as YouTube, it sends messages to all followers about your broadcast via notification Bar so that they can soon join the fun online.

Facebook Live has gained wide popularity within very less time and now users are enjoying long hour streaming engagement over here. It has been designed with so many interesting features, how can we forget to list 360 option in this talk. That is truly awesome and is receiving great response from viewers. Users on Facebook Live can easily update their privacy settings for each uploads and It also allows editing with filters and masks, same as that of Snapchat.

Pros

There is no doubt to say that Facebook Live is quite simple to operate. Even when you enter inside this world for the very first time, it will make everything user friendly to you.

Cons

  • It generate too much notifications, they make subscribers annoyed.
  • News feeds gets affected with Live feature.

YouTube Live

Go to YouTube Live, hit the camera option from top menu and it will show you two options immediately on screen: Record for camera roll and Go Live for added online adventure. You can make easy selection about whether you want to share content with public or want to make it an unlisted video. You will definitely love its ability to auto generate a thumbnail of captured videos that becomes available to all subscribers over channel and provided better description about your next post. You can set broadcasting to horizontal as well as vertical mode and as soon as you start browsing over internet, YouTube will provide you effective editing controls with its Instagram like unique filters such as Sepia, Dawn, Dream and many more.

This platform is currently entertaining millions of users from different corner of world on desktop based platform whereas if you have 10000 plus subscribers on your channel then you can also enjoy mobile live streaming feature.

Pros

  • It offers quite simple operations.
  • Users can easily find their favourite content in well organized YouTube Live library.
  • YouTube Live also provides earning options to streamers.

Cons

  • You can easily miss important comments as they fly too fast.

Periscope

Twitter’s recently updated Periscope is one of the best live mobile streaming applications. It can process all videos at faster rate with high quality results. When you are ready to broadcast then simply Go Live and all your followers will immediately receive a message about your streaming. It helps world to know immediately about where broadcasts are going to update. Periscope can easily make your streams more attractive with its appealing live stream engagements.

As, millions of users are already connected to Twitter and enjoying interactive talks with world over there so most of these prefer to chose Periscope as one of the most trustworthy platform for Live streaming.

Pros

  • It offers wide range of settings and functions.
  • Twitter has recently added 360 video ability to Periscope.
  • Well designed with user friendly interface.
  • More number of subscribers can be easily connected.

Cons

  • Infrequent updates are issue for professional streamers.

Facebook Live Vs. YouTube Live Vs. Periscope: What’s the Difference?

1. Audience:

We all know that Facebook is currently having highest user base so naturally Facebook Live is assumed to have more viewers and streamers. Google considers most of the YouTube content valuable but note that it is YouTube not the recently updated YouTube Live platform. On the other side, if we talk about Periscope then it can be best described as a standalone network. In case if it gets linked to main app YouTube then it may avail some popularity in the market, same as that of Facebook. If you are a beginner then probably, Facebook is the best choice for you as it can provide more audience over the nights. Periscope users can also enjoy healthy content over Mobile phones with great stream quality. One more interesting thing to know about Periscope is that it can be used to develop healthy relationships with so many viewers and followers.

2. User Interface:

Here is one more interesting factor to discuss about all these amazing Live streaming platforms. This feature makes a system or software standout among other competitors. If we compare user interface of Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube Live then you will find them all almost similar. But most of the beginners rate Facebook as most simple and user friendly tool for live broadcasts. Second rating is received by Periscope whereas YouTube Live stands on third level. User interface of Periscope and Facebook live possesses so many similar features such as ability to subscribe, comment or updating likes etc.

3. Saving Broadcasts and Embedding Replays:

Let us discuss about saving broadcasts as well as get some idea about their ability to arrange embedding replays. The video archiving ability of YouTube and Facebook is having almost similar kind of features. Users are able to update their live streams and they can also be saved for longer run, even permanently as per need. If you want to delete them then simple controls allow easy removal of updated broadcasts from channel. On the other side, Periscope allows live streamers to stay on channel only for 24 hours. After that, all the updated videos get automatically deleted. On Facebook, users cannot come to know about who is watching their live streams until and unless they receive comments from viewers. Although, Facebook keep on updating notifications about all live streams but more often they create a bug. In case of Periscope, whenever a person starts viewing your uploaded content, his name will directly appear at your end. It can help you to know the real strength of your updates so that you can improve quality of content as per interest of viewers. It is also possible to make private or public settings for broadcasts on Periscope whereas Facebook is gaining more popularity for its Split Screen and 360 videos.

4. Interaction:

Communicate with Broadcasters:

If you want to interact with broadcaster on Facebook then you can simply update your comment or show them your reaction with emojies. They can be updated at the time of live broadcasts as well as at the time of replay. Most of the Facebook users are unhappy with its lag time as broadcasters comment gets published after a delay of 30 seconds. In case of Periscope, viewers are able to just comment on live broadcasts and they can also update a heart for their favourite content. If we compare the lag time of Facebook and Periscope then it is lower for Periscope and people often enjoy instantaneous conversations over this network. The best part is that Viewers can update numbers of hearts even for single broadcast and all of them will get recorded. This feature is not available with Facebook emojies. You will be glad to know that once you have prepared account over YouTube then same details can be used to access Periscope platform.

Interaction with Viewers:

Facebook allows broadcasters and viewers to enjoy healthy communication as here talks can be initiated by updating name of the person before writing comment. If you want to communicate with all viewers in more professional manner then Facebook’s name based comment updates are best choices. Note that, facebook allows users to enjoy communicate even when stream has already ended. In case of Periscope, again viewers and broadcasters can enjoy direct name to name comment based conversations. Periscope broadcasts can also be enjoyed on Twitter platform directly but here you cannot update hearts directly. Also, comments remains dedicated to Twitter and Periscope environment. YouTube Live allows users to share their viewing experiences with comments and it helps broadcasters to get feedbacks for improvement. Content from YouTube Live can also be shared on other platforms.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Enhancing Viewability: Creating Custom YouTube Thumbnails

How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.


How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]

We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube

After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.

In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.

1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.

YouTube Thumbnail

2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.

YouTube Thumbnail

3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.

In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.

Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails

Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva

Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.

Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.

You may also like: Best online Photo Editor

2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp

Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.

Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:

Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube

Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.

In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.

  • After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.

 YouTube Studio button

  • On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.

Change YouTube Video Info

  • Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
  • Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.

Change YouTube Video Thumbnail

If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .

Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail

  • About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
  • About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
  • You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
  • You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.

One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!

You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art

To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube

Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks

The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.

1. Stay On Topic

Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.

Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.

 YouTube Thumbnail Should be relevant

This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.

A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.

2. Don’t Be Mysterious

A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.

Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.

Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.

 YouTube Thumbnail:  Don’t Be Mysterious

If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?

When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!

3. People Like People

Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.

Just make sure you’re in them.

You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.

So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?

4. Check Out The Competition

Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.

Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!

For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?

5. Use Color in Interesting Ways

You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.

Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.

 YouTube Thumbnail Making Tips

Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?

6. Make Your Text Huge

Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.

The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.

Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail

1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?

When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.

2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?

Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.

3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?

Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.

4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?

When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.


How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]

We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube

After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.

In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.

1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.

YouTube Thumbnail

2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.

YouTube Thumbnail

3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.

In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.

Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails

Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva

Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.

Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.

You may also like: Best online Photo Editor

2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp

Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.

Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:

Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube

Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.

In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.

  • After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.

 YouTube Studio button

  • On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.

Change YouTube Video Info

  • Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
  • Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.

Change YouTube Video Thumbnail

If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .

Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail

  • About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
  • About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
  • You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
  • You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.

One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!

You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art

To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube

Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks

The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.

1. Stay On Topic

Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.

Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.

 YouTube Thumbnail Should be relevant

This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.

A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.

2. Don’t Be Mysterious

A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.

Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.

Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.

 YouTube Thumbnail:  Don’t Be Mysterious

If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?

When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!

3. People Like People

Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.

Just make sure you’re in them.

You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.

So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?

4. Check Out The Competition

Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.

Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!

For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?

5. Use Color in Interesting Ways

You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.

Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.

 YouTube Thumbnail Making Tips

Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?

6. Make Your Text Huge

Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.

The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.

Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail

1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?

When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.

2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?

Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.

3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?

Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.

4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?

When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.


How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]

We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube

After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.

In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.

1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.

YouTube Thumbnail

2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.

YouTube Thumbnail

3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.

In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.

Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails

Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva

Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.

Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.

You may also like: Best online Photo Editor

2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp

Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.

Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:

Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube

Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.

In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.

  • After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.

 YouTube Studio button

  • On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.

Change YouTube Video Info

  • Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
  • Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.

Change YouTube Video Thumbnail

If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .

Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail

  • About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
  • About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
  • You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
  • You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.

One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!

You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art

To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube

Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks

The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.

1. Stay On Topic

Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.

Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.

 YouTube Thumbnail Should be relevant

This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.

A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.

2. Don’t Be Mysterious

A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.

Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.

Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.

 YouTube Thumbnail:  Don’t Be Mysterious

If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?

When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!

3. People Like People

Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.

Just make sure you’re in them.

You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.

So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?

4. Check Out The Competition

Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.

Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!

For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?

5. Use Color in Interesting Ways

You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.

Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.

 YouTube Thumbnail Making Tips

Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?

6. Make Your Text Huge

Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.

The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.

Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail

1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?

When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.

2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?

Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.

3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?

Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.

4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?

When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube custom thumbnails are a great way to get people’s attention to your YouTube video. It’s a pretty simple process but if you are wondering how to create a thumbnail and add the thumbnail to YouTube video and customize it with the correct size. You have come to the right place. While in this article, I will show you how to create and add a thumbnail to a YouTube video and how to customize the YouTube video thumbnail. Follow these easy steps below and add eyecatching customed thumbnails to your YouTube videos in no time.


How To Add Custom Thumbnails to Your YouTube Videos [Steps, Tools and Tips]

We have just made a video tutorial about how to make a YouTube video thumbnail, check it below to find out the tips and tricks of making customized YouTube thumbnail.

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Part 1: How to Make a Thumbnail for YouTube and Add Custom Thumbnails to YouTube

After you’ve verified your account and made your thumbnail, it’s finally time to upload it to your video and make a custom thumbnail. To do this, go to Creator Studio and then Video Manager. You’ll see a button labeled “Edit” next to each video, and an arrow pointing down. Click Thumbnail Editor.

In Thumbnail Editor, you can use the still images in the video as a thumbnail, choose a solid background color for the thumbnail, or add other images from your computer. I will show you the steps of how to customize the video still as a video thumbnail.

1. Preview the video and choose the target video still. You can click the Playback button and check the video and pause it at the desired frame. Or, you can step through each frame by clicking the Preview Frame button and Next Frame icon. Click Next to continue.

YouTube Thumbnail

2. And now, you can add text, image and shape overlays to the thumbnail. You can change the text font, size, opacity and more.

YouTube Thumbnail

3. Click Next to save the thumbnail and you will see how the thumbnail displays on different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Click Save to save the video thumbnail.

In this way, you can add a custom thumbnail to the new videos and change the video thumbnail of the previously uploaded videos.

Part 2: Thumbnail Makers to Create Custom YouTube Thumbnails

Of course, you can use some of the best tools to make a YouTube video thumbnail. In this part, we will show you some of the best tools to create custom YouTube thumbnails.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Create YouTube Thumbnail with Online solution - Canva

Canva is a free, powerful online image editing program with tons of great templates to get you started. One of their templates just happens to be YouTube thumbnails. Open Canva and select the “YouTube Thumbnail” design type. Use your own photo or choose from a huge library, then add text and effects to really make it stand out. Save and share — easy as that.

Check this video tutorial to see how to Make a Youtube Thumbnail using Canva.

You may also like: Best online Photo Editor

2. Design YouTube thumbnail with a Desktop solution - Gimp

Gimp is one of the most popular image editing programs around for one very simple reason: it’s powerful and free! Where Canva uses a lot of templates, Gimp gives you absolute, full control over how you want your image to look. Make a 1280x720 image and start putting together your eye-catching thumbnail exactly how you want to.

Check this video tutorial to see how to make professional Thumbnails for YouTube Videos with Gimp:

Part 3: How to Change A Thumbnail On YouTube

Note: YouTube allows verified YouTube accounts (accounts that provided YouTube with a working phone number) to upload custom thumbnail images and change them accordingly.

In this part, we’ll be going over how to change a thumbnail image on YouTube. There are pictures to make it easy to follow along.

  • After signing into YouTube with your Google account, click on your profile on the top right corner. Click on YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu.

 YouTube Studio button

  • On the left side of the page, click on Videos and then find your video and click on the details button.

Change YouTube Video Info

  • Find the Thumbnail section in the basic video details tab, and then click the Upload thumbnail to select the image that you want to upload.
  • Finally, click on the Save button on the right upper corner. And just like that, in seven easy steps, we’re done changing the thumbnail of a YouTube video.

Change YouTube Video Thumbnail

If you don’t have an image to upload but you want to check out some online resources to make your own, check out our Top YouTube Thumbnail Makers .

Part 4: Things You Need to Know Before Making a Custom Thumbnail

  • About the proper YouTube video thumbnail size: Your thumbnail should be 1280x720 pixels in size and be less than 2MB. The minimum width of the image is 640 pixels.
  • About the YouTube Image thumbnail format: Use .JPG, .PNG, .GIF or .BMP files for your thumbnail image.
  • You’ll want your thumbnails to stand out. Bright colored text is a simple, easy way to draw people’s attention. Red, white, yellow, or orange are all popular choices.
  • You can even do a little homework to see what colors others are using for similar videos to yours, and then choose different colors to stand out.

One word of warning: your thumbnail should be related to the content of your video. Misleading thumbnail images, if reported, will reflect poorly on your channel. You’ll get a negative rating in the community status part of your channel. This can actually remove your ability to use custom thumbnails, so keep it honest!

You may also like: How to Make YouTube Channel Art

To make a creative YouTube video, you may also need a powerful video editing software. Check how to edit a YouTube video in Filmora video editor and download it to try.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

You may also like: Best video editing software for YouTube

Part 5: Tips on How to Make Good YouTube Thumbnails - Get More Clicks

The thumbnails of your videos play a huge role in convincing people to watch them; a good YouTube thumbnail will get you more views and more potential subscribers. This part will give you 6 tips on creating thumbnails that help grow your channel. Now let’s learn how to make thumbnails using Wondershare PixStudio.

1. Stay On Topic

Your thumbnail should tell a story; it should be clear from looking at it what viewers will get out of watching the video, be it knowledge or entertainment. If your thumbnail sets expectations that your video doesn’t deliver on, people will click away quickly. You may get views quickly, but you won’t get much watch time. That will tell YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people aren’t getting what they want from this, rank it lower’. That leads to fewer views over time, and gives the people who do manage to find your video a negative opinion of your channel.

Very few people intentionally use thumbnails that have nothing to do with the content of their videos – i.e, most people understand not to use a picture of a kitten in the thumbnail for their tech review, unless maybe their kitten is the one doing the review (which would be adorable, someone should do that). People who want serious advice won’t click, and people who click to see a kitten will click away fast.

 YouTube Thumbnail Should be relevant

This thumbnail had better be for a kitten’s iPhone review video or people will click away. Fast.

A mistake a lot of creators do make is creating a thumbnail that is meant to evoke an emotion which the video itself does not justify. For example, if you see a picture of a YouTuber looking nervous alongside text that reads ‘My Secret’, you will think they are going to share something deeply personal. You will be curious, and you may even be worried about them. You’ll probably click. Then, if their secret is that they don’t like pineapple on pizza, you’ll probably be angry. This technique gets clicks, but not a lot of watch time and it will lose you subs in the long run.

2. Don’t Be Mysterious

A good thumbnail doesn’t make people guess. Your thumbnail should tell people what’s in your video, not make them wonder about it. People want to know what they’re being asked to spend time watching.

Often, they will be looking for the answer to a specific question and will completely ignore anything that doesn’t show – in the thumbnail – that it has their answer.

Sometimes big channels can get away with stuff like this, because large portions of their audiences are interested in them as people and will already be curious about anything they post. This technique will not bring in new viewers, though.

 YouTube Thumbnail:  Don’t Be Mysterious

If this came up in a search for ‘smoky eye tutorial’, would you click it?

When people want answers, they want to feel confident that they video they click on will have those answers. If you have great content, then let people know it!

3. People Like People

Viewers are more likely to click on a thumbnail if they feel a connection when they look at it. One of the best ways to create a feeling of connection is through eye contact, and you can apply that principle to your YouTube thumbnails easily.

Just make sure you’re in them.

You can either compose a photo to use as your thumbnail, or use a screenshot from your video. Ideally, the image of you will convey the emotional tone of the video and tell potential viewers what it is about, besides you.

So, if you want to post a funny video that is also about making brownies, maybe a picture of you smiling while holding up a tray of brownies would be a better direction than just showing the brownies?

4. Check Out The Competition

Before you post your video, type your topic into YouTube’s search engine and see what comes up. This will give you insight into what kinds of thumbnails are performing well for other people, as well as what you can do to stand out in comparison.

Phil starts talking about thumbnails at 6:09, and he has great tips on checking out your competition!

For example, if all five of the top-ranked videos for the search ‘how to build a cabinet’ show images of the YouTuber smiling while holding a power tool, then your thumbnail for a video on the same topic should also be a picture of you smiling and holding a power tool. You know that works, so why not do it?

5. Use Color in Interesting Ways

You want to use colors that will help you stand out from the other search results. While checking out your competition if you notice that all the people in the other thumbnails are wearing black or navy blue, it will be a good idea for you to wear a brighter color for your shoot to grab a bit more attention.

Beyond simply using colors that are different from other people’s colors, you should consider the emotions different colors trigger.

 YouTube Thumbnail Making Tips

Maybe don’t use a lot of green and yellow in the thumbnail for your angry video rant?

6. Make Your Text Huge

Usually, you’ll want to use a bit of text in your thumbnail. It might be the full title of your video, or just a keyword or phrase. You don’t want to use a full sentence because you won’t have room for it if you’re using huge text.

The reason you should use huge text is so that people can read it. Remember that when people see your thumbnail in their search results, it will be much smaller than it will look while you are creating it. Text that looks big enough while you are creating your thumbnail will be much smaller when people are actually trying to read it, and that goes double for viewers watching on their small smartphone screens.

Frequently Asked Questions about YouTube Thumbnail

1. What is YouTube Thumbnail?

When you upload a video on YouTube, YouTube gives you three images to choose from in the selection of your video’s thumbnail image. These three images are just freeze-frame snapshots from different parts of your video, which may not tell your viewers what your video is really all about.

2. Can You Change YouTube Thumbnail After Publishing?

Yes, you can replace the auto-generated thumbnail with the customized thumbnail you like. But YouTube only allows verified YouTube accounts to upload custom thumbnail images.

3. How Long Does It Take for a Thumbnail to Change on YouTube?

Normally, if you have a good internet connection, you can see the thumbnail is changed within 10 seconds.

4. Why YouTube Thumbnail is Important?

When you get more people watching your video for longer, it increases your watch time and tells YouTube’s search algorithm ‘people like this, rank it higher’. Being ranked higher gets you more views, and even more watch time. It’s a wonderful cycle that all begins with a great thumbnail (paired with a good title and the right tags).

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

  • Title: "2024 Approved Livestream Showdown FB Live, YT Live, & TwitTV"
  • Author: Joseph
  • Created at : 2024-05-31 13:45:31
  • Updated at : 2024-06-01 13:45:31
  • Link: https://youtube-stream.techidaily.com/2024-approved-livestream-showdown-fb-live-yt-live-and-twittv/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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