YouTube is rolling out a new feature that allows all channels to perform thumbnail A/B testing. This feature, called “Thumbnail Test & Compare,” lets creators optimize their video thumbnails for higher watch time. Here’s everything you need to know about this exciting new update.

Thumbnail A/B testing feature

YouTube’s “Thumbnail Test & Compare” feature will be available to all channels over the next few weeks. This tool allows creators to upload and test up to three different thumbnails for each video to see which performs best. The feature will help determine which thumbnail generates the highest “watch time share” from viewers, ensuring optimal engagement.

How Youtube thumbnail testing works

The ‘Thumbnail Test & Compare‘ feature lets you upload multiple thumbnail options when publishing a new video. During the testing period, YouTube will randomly display the different thumbnails to a subset of viewers. After collecting enough data, which usually takes around two weeks, YouTube analyzes which thumbnail generated the highest watch time share from viewers.

The outcomes of the testing can be:

• Winner: A clear winner based on watch time, which will be automatically applied.
• Preferred: One thumbnail likely performed better, but results are less certain.
• None: No clear winner, so the original thumbnail is kept.

Creators can manually select their preferred thumbnail even if it isn’t the winning option.

YouTube thumbnail best practices

YouTube offers several best practices for designing and testing thumbnails:

Balance and focal point

Ensure your images are balanced with a focal point to direct viewers’ attention towards the most important part of the thumbnail.

High contrast

Utilize high contrast to make your subject stand out against the background in both light and dark mode.

Facial expressions

If there’s a face in your thumbnail, consider the emotion. Be expressive and think about how you want viewers to feel when they see your thumbnail.

Concise text

Fewer words can be impactful. Too much text can be difficult to process while scrolling.

Depth and blank space

Consider the depth of field and play with blank space to make your thumbnails more visually appealing.

Rollout to all eligible channels

All channels can access the ‘Thumbnail Test & Compare’ feature in the YouTube Studio desktop application. To do so, the “Advanced features” setting must be enabled. YouTube is gradually rolling this feature out over the next few weeks to all channels that have opted in and meet the requirements.

Optimizing for watch time

In an FAQ addressing common questions, YouTube explains that thumbnails are judged solely based on their ability to drive watch time, not other metrics like click-through rates. YouTube states:

“We want to make sure that your thumbnail and content gets you the highest amount of viewer engagement, so we are optimizing for overall watch time share over other metrics. We believe that this metric is the best way to guide your content strategy decisions and support your chances of success on the platform.”

Benefits of Youtube thumbnail A/B testing

The Thumbnail Test & Compare tool addresses a significant pain point by allowing true A/B testing. Previously, creators had to rely on best guesses or small-sample polls when selecting thumbnails for new videos. By optimizing for watch time as the key success metric, YouTube emphasizes long-term viewer engagement over short-term clicks.

How this Youtube feature can help creators

Smarter, higher-performing thumbnails could boost your content in YouTube’s recommendations and keep viewers watching more videos. Video openers and thumbnails are the first make-or-break moments on YouTube, so having data-backed tools to perfect those first impressions could be a game-changer.

Stay tuned for updates on expanding availability, including potential mobile app support, in the future. With the Thumbnail Test & Compare feature, creators can now make more informed decisions to enhance their content strategy and achieve greater success on the platform.