# YouTube Thumbnail Design Requirements

## Critical Requirements (**MUST ALWAYS** Follow)

### 1. **Pass The Glance Test** ⚡
**The viewer must understand the thumbnail in 1 second or less.**

- The full image must be comprehensible at a glance
- No mental effort required to figure out what's going on
- **Test criterion**: Would this be immediately clear when viewed at mobile size?
- If the viewer's eye has to search or study the image, it **FAILS**

### 2. **Spark Curiosity** 🎯
**This is the #1 most important principle for clickable thumbnails.**

- Create intrigue and tension in the viewer's mind
- Make viewers feel compelled to click to resolve the curiosity
- The thumbnail should make viewers want to know more
- Without curiosity, other principles won't matter as much

### 3. **Single Clear Focal Point** 👁️
**The viewer's eye must be drawn to ONE point, not multiple competing elements.**

- **NEVER** create thumbnails with multiple focal points
- As soon as the eye needs to search for what to notice, it fails The Glance Test
- One dominant element should immediately grab attention

### 4. **Mobile-First Design** 📱
**Most viewers see thumbnails small - design must work at small sizes.**

- Always preview thumbnails at mobile/small size during design
- Important details **MUST** remain visible when thumbnail is small
- What looks good on a big monitor may fail on mobile
- **Critical**: Don't let important details get lost at small sizes

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## Text Guidelines

### **NEVER:**
- ❌ Repeat the video title in the thumbnail text (viewer already has that information)
- ❌ Use too much text (breaks The Glance Test)
- ❌ Use text that's too small to read on mobile devices

### **ALWAYS:**
- ✅ Use text that **complements** (not repeats) the video title
- ✅ Ensure text is large enough to read at mobile thumbnail size
- ✅ Keep text minimal and impactful
- ✅ Test text readability at small sizes

### **Best Practice - Short, Punchy Text:**
- Use brief, impactful phrases that describe the video
- Example: "10x Your Creative Production" (with visual emphasis like neon background highlights)
- **Exception**: Slightly longer text is acceptable when there are minimal other elements and text takes up most of the space
- Text should be descriptive and add value beyond the title

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## Visual Composition

### **AVOID:**
- ❌ Clutter (multiple competing elements)
- ❌ Images where nothing stands out
- ❌ Complex compositions that require study to understand
- ❌ Designs that take mental work to process

### **PRIORITIZE:**
- ✅ Clear, simple compositions
- ✅ High contrast elements
- ✅ Single dominant subject or element
- ✅ Immediate visual clarity

### **Performance Boosters:**

#### 1. **Eye-Catching Graphics and Colors**
- Use bold, vibrant colors that stand out
- High contrast between elements
- Graphics should be visually striking and attention-grabbing

#### 2. **People (Especially Faces)**
- **Faces perform exceptionally well** in thumbnails
- Ideally feature someone from the video
- Human faces create connection and draw attention
- Facial expressions can convey emotion and intrigue

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## Hierarchy of Importance

1. **Spark Curiosity** - Without this, nothing else matters
2. **Pass The Glance Test** - Just as important; all other principles serve this goal
3. Single focal point, mobile optimization, and text guidelines - All support the above two

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## Evaluation Checklist

When evaluating or creating a thumbnail, ask:

1. ✓ Can I understand this in 1 second? (Glance Test)
2. ✓ Does this make me curious to learn more? (Curiosity)
3. ✓ Is there ONE clear focal point? (Not multiple)
4. ✓ Does this work at mobile size? (Mobile-first)
5. ✓ If text is used: Does it complement (not repeat) the title?
6. ✓ If text is used: Is it short, punchy, and readable at small sizes?
7. ✓ Does it use eye-catching graphics and colors?
8. ✓ Does it feature people (ideally faces from the video)?
9. ✓ Is the composition simple and uncluttered?

