What Makes a Good Thumbnail?
Added 2024-07-13 16:13:43 +0000 UTC
Comments
Seeing them on a small screen, the Skyrim logo isn't really visible whereas the ones with the banners give a good contrast. The wording may be redundant, but it depends if you intend to use a similar template for other areas (see one land o' snow, seen them all, so wording helps)
Essie
2024-07-14 19:37:58 +0000 UTCThe “economy” seems redundant with the 📉 so I think #3 (Skyrim logo + WILHELM”, light bg) is best
Joe tuna
2024-07-14 00:37:26 +0000 UTCI think I’m gonna have to watch the entire video early to know for sure 🤔 hahaha
Joe tuna
2024-07-14 00:35:41 +0000 UTCI don’t have anything intelligent to say but I like the first one the most
spongyllama
2024-07-13 21:57:30 +0000 UTCI think the 3rd thumbnail (with the Skyrim logo next to your head) is the best. I find the others to be a bit busy or less informative, and the 3rd one gives me an ample amount of info while still retaining simplicity (thinking about it in terms of like, "blocks/chunks" of color if that makes sense?) and ease of reading. I think having less is more when it comes to info on thumbnails, but certainly not none! Having all the main info on the same mid-high point on the image helps too I think, those being the city, your face, then the Skyrim logo. My eye is naturally drawn to reading all of that in a line. I wanna try to explain what I was thinking by the color blocks thing, usually you see thumbnails as relatively small little icons, so I think having strong distinctive "blocks" of color benefits thumbnails a lot and make them much much easier to look at. The thumbnail with the Banners for instance, it looks really nice when you have it fully pulled up, but from far away it kinda makes reading the text a bit trickier (for my eyes at least) simply because things get muddier. Having distinct "color blocks" in this way helps me get the info better I feel, but more importantly helps me get it faster too!
Rafie Ewe
2024-07-13 21:30:55 +0000 UTCImo 1 & 5 smashed together
Andy Walley
2024-07-13 20:34:46 +0000 UTC2nd to last one without the blurred background, but if add a dollar sign or windhelms economy. Im not sure that the trend lines alone are enough to know what they're looking at when scrolling.
Jon
2024-07-13 20:16:52 +0000 UTCI agree with you on the Windhelm bear. Unless you are going for someone truly obsessed with the game, then it would not be that recognizable. I think your audience likes and has played Skyrim but enjoys your general commentary rather than “oh I know that logo!”
Dat Guy
2024-07-13 19:06:51 +0000 UTCStudies show that people engage a lot more with images than with words. For example, a sign that says “wet floor” is much less memorable than a sign with a picture of a stick figure slipping on a puddle and falling. So, the second to last one, that shows windhelm in the highest fidelity, will probably engage people scrolling the most. Similarly, the word “economy” isn’t as engaging as something like a bold green dollar sign. That bold red trend is also really captivating. Lastly, Skyrim relates to a ton of people. I think you’ll reach more viewers if you use some highly recognizable Skyrim images, like ulfric sitting on his throne, the palace of kings, the Skyrim logo, etc. Those are a lot more recognizable than the windhelm bear seal
nj
2024-07-13 18:40:14 +0000 UTCI like the first photo, but I also like how you have the skyrim logo in the upper right on the 2nd one. And as someone else said, a dollar sign (or 2, or 3) might help.
DurtyDeeds 69
2024-07-13 18:33:42 +0000 UTCI like #4 and #5 - leaning a bit more to 5, and I also support the idea of a couple of bright green dollar signs
Joshua Weber
2024-07-13 17:30:11 +0000 UTC
