YouTube for Writers, Part 1: How to Create Thumbnails That Get Clicks
From Edie: Discover how writers can design eye-catching YouTube thumbnails that boost clicks, attract viewers, and grow your channel from the very first glance.
YouTube for Writers, Part 1: How to Create Thumbnails That Get Clicksby Samantha Evans Tschritter @LoveSamEvans
I was killing myself to gain YouTube views and failing to see the outcomes influencers promised. After months of striving, my seven-year-old YouTube account only boasted twenty-five subscribers, and half of those were pity “subscribes” from friends and family.
In response to my frustration, I spent two years studying YouTube best practices in order to capitalize on my effort. Here is the bottom line of what I learned:
The lines between influencer and author are blurring. Successful influencers learned the value of creating Ebooks to create passive income, while many authors scramble to find their place on social media platforms. Not all Ebooks are created equal, and not all authors will succeed in producing quality, online content.
That said, the formula for successful crossover will be:
Well-written, well-crafted book + charismatic influencer + consistency = Success
In May, I launched a brand-new YouTube channel called @Miscarriage_Unedited. I used the channel as a private experiment to implement strategies I learned. I’ve compiled my findings into a 12-part YouTube video series and I am excited to share my takeaways with you.
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:16-17, NIV
By the end of this 12-part Youtube tutorial, you will:Own a functioning Youtube accountGain viewers and subscribersLearn simple strategies to boost views Have a plan for the path to monetization
For this series, you will need: The Youtube app on your phone Microsoft PowerPoint, iMovie, OR CapCut.One video clip, audio clip, OR PowerPoint presentation saved to your phone OR laptopFortitudeA sense of humor Bonus: a TubeBuddy subscription. The cost is $3.60/ month if you have less than 1,000 subscribers. (They charge more for 1,000 + subscribers because at that point Youtube pays you to have a Youtube account)A #2 pencil (But not really)
Thumbnail Content Strategies:Take photos of yourself with different expressions. Have fun!Use those photos to create thumbnail hooks.Place the photo on the right, looking left, and the text on the left to avoid text covered by the You Tube timestamp.Write a hook using nine words or less. Create a hook with 0-3 words for bonus points.
3 Encouragements for Writers Fighting Platform Discouragement:
World-Building Takes TimeMy YouTube numbers are still low. Platforms, like Rome, are not built in a day. However, the numbers are trending upward and growing organically, meaning—I’m not begging my mom and siblings to follow me from three different emails each. When we build our platforms with the right mindset, the audience will come.
God’s Plans Take Detours While I was striving toward monetization on YouTube, my TikTok content went viral, so I’ve shifted my focus. With this most recent faith adventure, switching my focus from YouTube to TikTok and publishing The Prodigal’s Son: Crackhead to Jesus Freak, I feel like I’m following God through uncharted woods. The second God and I laid out a plan and a path I could follow, God shouted, “squirrel!” and darted off through the trees. Now I glimpse the tail of His glory as I struggle to keep pace.
One night, in the height of my discouragement, I compared myself to authors who’d published dozens of books. I sensed God saying, “But you couldn’t have published any books back then. You were still living the story I needed you to write.”
We write for an Audience of OneYour writing/ marketing to-do list is as long as mine. Record a reel. Update my bio. Reply to that email. Tweek the proposal. Research fill-in-the-blank. Write an article for … The list goes on. I could fill every hour every day with the work in front of me and I still wouldn’t finish. My solution to the stress is this: I begin each day with, “Good morning, God. What do You want to do today?” Then I listen, and I do. At the end of the day, whether I completed tasks is irrelevant, because my only to-do list item for the day was, “obey.”
God doesn’t care how many followers I have. In my relationship with God, He is only concerned about one follower—me.
There’s a balance—I’m not perfect at it—between working to build a God-honoring presence in this world and remembering the social media numbers are only a byproduct of obedience.
Ultimately, I need to remind myself that the words I will hear when I see Jesus face to face will be, ‘well done, good and faithful servant,” not, “well done, high-achieving author.” Also, the less I’ve concerned myself with platform numbers, the faster my platform numbers have grown. It’s God math.
I’m honored to have the opportunity to share what I’ve learned so you can streamline your own efforts.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
Here are the 12 video topics I’ll cover in this series:Thumbnail HintsZoom in on audienceBest video practicesVideo editingIdeas for ReelsIncorporating brandCaptionsPurpose of title and thumbnailMaximize SEO DataUpload defaultsYou Tube FactsVideo SchedulingNow it's your turn, what questions about thumbnails do you still have? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
TWEETABLEYouTube for Writers, Part 1: How to Create Thumbnails That Get Clicks from @LoveSamEvans on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Multi-award-winning author S. E. Tschritter (pronounced Shredder) specializes in articulating grief and loss, leading grievers toward hope and healing. Whether poetry, fiction, or non-fiction, Tschritter writes content that will stick with readers long after they close the cover. Her 20-plus years of ministry leadership experience and contributions to over 30 books enable her to serve others, speaking truth with transparency, humor, and love.
Tschritter currently resides in Simpsonville, South Carolina with her husband, their three teen and preteen daughters, cats named Pitter and Patter, and their Siberian husky whom she lost the vote to name Onomatopoeia. Nothing refreshes Tschritter’s soul like gardening. She gardens to work through plot holes, writer’s block, character development, and book ideas. Tschritter spends a great deal of time gardening. You can find her on social media at Linktr.ee/LoveSamEvans.
YouTube for Writers, Part 1: How to Create Thumbnails That Get Clicksby Samantha Evans Tschritter @LoveSamEvans
I was killing myself to gain YouTube views and failing to see the outcomes influencers promised. After months of striving, my seven-year-old YouTube account only boasted twenty-five subscribers, and half of those were pity “subscribes” from friends and family.
In response to my frustration, I spent two years studying YouTube best practices in order to capitalize on my effort. Here is the bottom line of what I learned:
The lines between influencer and author are blurring. Successful influencers learned the value of creating Ebooks to create passive income, while many authors scramble to find their place on social media platforms. Not all Ebooks are created equal, and not all authors will succeed in producing quality, online content.
That said, the formula for successful crossover will be:
Well-written, well-crafted book + charismatic influencer + consistency = Success
In May, I launched a brand-new YouTube channel called @Miscarriage_Unedited. I used the channel as a private experiment to implement strategies I learned. I’ve compiled my findings into a 12-part YouTube video series and I am excited to share my takeaways with you.
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:16-17, NIV
By the end of this 12-part Youtube tutorial, you will:Own a functioning Youtube accountGain viewers and subscribersLearn simple strategies to boost views Have a plan for the path to monetization
For this series, you will need: The Youtube app on your phone Microsoft PowerPoint, iMovie, OR CapCut.One video clip, audio clip, OR PowerPoint presentation saved to your phone OR laptopFortitudeA sense of humor Bonus: a TubeBuddy subscription. The cost is $3.60/ month if you have less than 1,000 subscribers. (They charge more for 1,000 + subscribers because at that point Youtube pays you to have a Youtube account)A #2 pencil (But not really)
Thumbnail Content Strategies:Take photos of yourself with different expressions. Have fun!Use those photos to create thumbnail hooks.Place the photo on the right, looking left, and the text on the left to avoid text covered by the You Tube timestamp.Write a hook using nine words or less. Create a hook with 0-3 words for bonus points.
3 Encouragements for Writers Fighting Platform Discouragement:
World-Building Takes TimeMy YouTube numbers are still low. Platforms, like Rome, are not built in a day. However, the numbers are trending upward and growing organically, meaning—I’m not begging my mom and siblings to follow me from three different emails each. When we build our platforms with the right mindset, the audience will come.
God’s Plans Take Detours While I was striving toward monetization on YouTube, my TikTok content went viral, so I’ve shifted my focus. With this most recent faith adventure, switching my focus from YouTube to TikTok and publishing The Prodigal’s Son: Crackhead to Jesus Freak, I feel like I’m following God through uncharted woods. The second God and I laid out a plan and a path I could follow, God shouted, “squirrel!” and darted off through the trees. Now I glimpse the tail of His glory as I struggle to keep pace.
One night, in the height of my discouragement, I compared myself to authors who’d published dozens of books. I sensed God saying, “But you couldn’t have published any books back then. You were still living the story I needed you to write.”
We write for an Audience of OneYour writing/ marketing to-do list is as long as mine. Record a reel. Update my bio. Reply to that email. Tweek the proposal. Research fill-in-the-blank. Write an article for … The list goes on. I could fill every hour every day with the work in front of me and I still wouldn’t finish. My solution to the stress is this: I begin each day with, “Good morning, God. What do You want to do today?” Then I listen, and I do. At the end of the day, whether I completed tasks is irrelevant, because my only to-do list item for the day was, “obey.”
God doesn’t care how many followers I have. In my relationship with God, He is only concerned about one follower—me.
There’s a balance—I’m not perfect at it—between working to build a God-honoring presence in this world and remembering the social media numbers are only a byproduct of obedience.
Ultimately, I need to remind myself that the words I will hear when I see Jesus face to face will be, ‘well done, good and faithful servant,” not, “well done, high-achieving author.” Also, the less I’ve concerned myself with platform numbers, the faster my platform numbers have grown. It’s God math.
I’m honored to have the opportunity to share what I’ve learned so you can streamline your own efforts.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
Here are the 12 video topics I’ll cover in this series:Thumbnail HintsZoom in on audienceBest video practicesVideo editingIdeas for ReelsIncorporating brandCaptionsPurpose of title and thumbnailMaximize SEO DataUpload defaultsYou Tube FactsVideo SchedulingNow it's your turn, what questions about thumbnails do you still have? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
TWEETABLEYouTube for Writers, Part 1: How to Create Thumbnails That Get Clicks from @LoveSamEvans on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Multi-award-winning author S. E. Tschritter (pronounced Shredder) specializes in articulating grief and loss, leading grievers toward hope and healing. Whether poetry, fiction, or non-fiction, Tschritter writes content that will stick with readers long after they close the cover. Her 20-plus years of ministry leadership experience and contributions to over 30 books enable her to serve others, speaking truth with transparency, humor, and love. Tschritter currently resides in Simpsonville, South Carolina with her husband, their three teen and preteen daughters, cats named Pitter and Patter, and their Siberian husky whom she lost the vote to name Onomatopoeia. Nothing refreshes Tschritter’s soul like gardening. She gardens to work through plot holes, writer’s block, character development, and book ideas. Tschritter spends a great deal of time gardening. You can find her on social media at Linktr.ee/LoveSamEvans.
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