YouTube has announced a new feature called the “Thumbnail Testing and Comparison” tool for content creators. This tool enables authors to test up to three thumbnails simultaneously, assess their effectiveness and choose the one that attracts the most viewers.
The feature was first announced in June last year, but until now it was only available to a limited number of users. Now, YouTube states that the tool will become accessible to all content creators in the coming weeks.
How the Tool Works
Authors can upload up to three thumbnails for one video. YouTube will display them randomly to various viewers, and then pick the winning thumbnail based on which attracted the most views.
Real-time Tracking and Comparison
Creators can track statistics in real time and compare the effectiveness of different thumbnails. It may take a few days to two weeks to receive the final results. In the final report, the most successful thumbnail will be marked as the “Winner.” Additionally, a “Preferred” label may be displayed if one thumbnail outperformed the others, but the result is not definitive.
Even though the tool provides recommendations, the final choice still rests with the video author. Access to this new function is only provided in the web version of YouTube Studio on a computer.
Testing Results for Popular Channels
The testing results for some popular channels are interesting. For instance, the author of MrBeast channel found that thumbnails where his mouth is closed generate more views. Now, MrBeast poses with his mouth closed in most of his new thumbnails.
In conclusion, this new feature from YouTube allows content creators to experiment with and optimize video thumbnails in order to attract more traffic and viewer attention.
