YouTube are expanding their Shorts editing options. Allowing creators to customise their thumbnails in ways that previously wasn’t possible. Add text and filters, to create a twist.
YouTube Shorts are encouraging creators to design their own thumbnails. Recently, the platform allowed creators to change up their thumbnails, whereas previously, this feature wasn’t available for every creative on every short-form video.
Now, Shorts creators can customise their thumbnail and even add text and filters to the still image. At this current stage, it’s not possible to upload thumbnails yourself. However, you can create them within the platform, giving you some control over the outcome.
Users have the option to choose from available frames within their Shorts. They can choose one as the thumbnail and then use text and filters to alter the frame. It gives users the opportunity to provide titles, headings and hints about the video.
This feature has been largely requested for quite some time. However, it’s said that the option to upload your own custom thumbnail image isn’t really needed. This is because the video is only seconds long, and therefore the thumbnail feature has likely captured the important bits.
Within full-length YouTube videos, the thumbnail is important, as it’s what draws viewers in. However, with a Short, it doesn’t last for long enough for this feature to be that important. If a still frame and text doesn’t pull people in to your Short, the content probably isn’t for them.
YouTube have spoken about expanding this feature further, so perhaps next year we will see custom thumbnails for Shorts. However, for now, users have got far more options than previously. Add text, emojis and filters to encourage viewers to watch your clips.
