frail gust
Starting a new niche challenge channel but unsure what style I want to go with for thumbs. I'd like them all to be instantly recognizable as from my channel, so keeping them relatively uniform. I've included a bunch of variations for the first two videos. Please let me know what you think works and what doesn't, and what you'd change. Best!
normal spindle
hm hm. i don't have too terribly much to say, but i do feel that some of them work better than others. specifically, the one with the battlefield 2 cover looks a little busy, almost overstimulating. i think it's the fact that the background is only a little blurry, thus my eyes try to decipher it, but then there's also the cover, and the text. i'd keep the backgrounds simple, i think. beyond that, i like them. though i'm not sure of the type of video. the one that has the shadow of the colossus poster, is a video where you beat only that game, or is the game just an example? because if its the latter, i'd certainly put a number of them on the cover, as opposed to just one. and if it's the former, then this'll be a looong series, so a more appropriate title, at least in my opinion, is something like my journey toward beating every playstation 2 game, or something - emphasizing that it'll take a second.
frail gust
hm hm. i don't have too terribly much to say, but i do feel that some of them wo...
I've seen other channels title it "Beating EVERY (console) Game", but I like "I Beat Every (console) Game" more. Not super tied to either though. It's a challenge niche where I attempt to beat every video game on a specific console. There's a couple channels doing it but only one I could find that was doing this console, which is also my favorite. So potentilaly hundreds/thousands of videos (depending on when/if I drop the challenge...)
normal spindle
oho, we're definitely rivals, then, cuz i'm planning on something similar (already, uh, 7/186th of the way there - THAT'S ALL I'M REVEALING ABOUT IT). jokes aside, i like the idea of it quite a bit~
btw, is it a highlights thing, or full commentary, or what?
like, is this the entire channel, or just a series in a bigger one?
frail gust
thanks! It perfectly fits imo. It fits all my interests. It's my favorite console, it's easy to emulate, I have nostalgia nad lots of personal stories to share, the few other channels doing it have good numbers (but I think I can beat their quality), and it's something I'm super excited for every time I work on it
frail gust
btw, is it a highlights thing, or full commentary, or what?
It's a heavily edited video going over the game, talking about the important or noteworthy parts. Did I play it when I was a kid? Was the game well received? The journey of beating it is a mini-storyline on it's own. Has it aged well? And I'm including emulator settings so you can play it today too.
normal spindle
ah, so like the dungeon master idea from last time?
wait, are they different things or did you just evolve that?
frail gust
ah, so like the dungeon master idea from last time?
yee exactly. I just made it more specific to one platform and solidified the challenge to be instantly understandable
same idea but refined
normal spindle
tch, i was getting ready to ask for my cut, too
frail gust
haha
I'm heavily leaning towards keeping all the thumbnails as the ones with the game box art on the right
with a screenshot of the game super blrry and in the background
I feel it conveys the video's content better
but it's not as artistic as the stylized ones with like a character.
but those are harder to "get"
normal spindle
well, i couldn't have helped with my original comment, that's literally the only one i DISliked bahahahah
normal spindle
yeah, too much going on for my old eyes
but, having seen my channel, you probably don't want thumbnail advice from me, pff
normal spindle
oh though to be fair you also did that for the other ones, right, the battlefield 2 one just had too much going on
um, let me look again
i did yeah, can tell what's going on at a glance, even when it's small
frail gust
yeah. I really like how nice it looks. my only issue is idk how understandable the video contnet is from the thumb alone
it deffinitly intrigues tho
those types of thumbs are also way more fun to make
normal spindle
well, the picture draws attention, and the text clarifies, no?
frail gust
true. I like how the text is ambiguous tbh. Like is it a video where you talk about beating every PS2 game? Or is it just this one game? or is it a series? or?
it makes you wonder imo
frail gust
haha your videos shouldn't be ambigious though. at least imo
normal spindle
he's got me.
frail gust
your style of videos, Ithink you should know exactly what the video content is before clicking it. Like if I click on "5 hours of rain to help you sleep" it shouldn't surprise me when I start watching the video lol
you've convinced me. I'll use the bottom one
normal spindle
sabotage sucessful
frail gust
I can always swap over anyway and change them later if need be
woven dust
https://imgur.com/a/euUKWTt
Starting a new niche challenge channel but unsure w...
" Please let me know what you think works and what doesn't, and what you'd change." this heavily depends on your audience. Since youre trying to beat older gen games here, I'd think 24-40 year old males? So a flashy thumbnail wouldnt work as effective on this audience then on a younger one.
I think the style is good, but the text really need some work. "I beat every ps2 game" could be your title. If that is the case, I wouldnt put it in your thumbnail. A thumbnail has to be the answer or compliment the title. So if your title would be "I beat every ps32 games heres how" or "can you beat every ps2 game?" Id imagine someone being stuck in a room for a lot of hours, because there are so many to beat
frail gust
" Please let me know what you think works and what doesn't, and what you'd chang...
You feel like changing the title to a question would pique more interest? E.g. "Can I/We Beat Every PS2 Game!?"
play up the impossibility angle
I'm using the title btw because of successful channels I've seen using the same, but I'm not married to anything atm.
woven dust
I've seen other channels title it "Beating EVERY (console) Game", but I like "I ...
the reason people leave "I" out, is because people dont care about the youtuber (yet). They care about the challenge and how entertaining the challenge is. So having "I" in the title wont be as compelling
woven dust
You feel like changing the title to a question would pique more interest? E.g. "...
yea because questions interest people!
frail gust
the reason people leave "I" out, is because people dont care about the youtuber ...
I thought about "Beating Every PS2 Game!?". That's the one that jumps out at me the most and ticks all my boxes. Like you said, it includes "we" which I make aconscious effort to include in my commentary, to simp for that sweet sweet parasocialness, maknig the viewer feel engaged. The question, like you said, increases the challenge game aspect of it. Adds mystery. etc.
Too wordy for a thumbnail imo. Not sure now.
Not sure
woven dust
are you "just" using the covers of games?
frail gust
are you "just" using the covers of games?
I don't know what you're asking.
woven dust
are you using game art or did you make (besides the text) everything yourself?
frail gust
are you using game art or did you make (besides the text) everything yourself?
The graphics is official game art and the text is me. This is how I do all my thumbs if relevant
woven dust
ahh okay, have you ever thought of making a custom thumbnail?
frail gust
ahh okay, have you ever thought of making a custom thumbnail?
Sry, what do you mean?
woven dust
a thumbnail made by someone, like what ever youtuber does
not a screenshot with text
when you see a video or mrbeast, you see a thumbnail right, thats a custom made thumbnail
if you want people to click, you have to think about the thumbnail as something to attract eyes on
so making your own thumbnail will do that more effectively then a cover from a game
frail gust
all my thumbnails are custom made. I don't know what you're referring to
they're not screenshots with text
They're custom made, using a mix of game assets I add effects to, then texts, mixing elements to create unique thumbnails. You're being super vague.
They routinely get 5%+ CTR, but I am always shooting for better results, hence the thread.
channel average is 7.2%, one video is 8.8%, one is 10.6%, another is 7.8%. The lowest I can find is 4.8%.
woven dust
"You're being super vague." Im asking if youre using screenshots with text, I dont understand how thats vague.
Something I've learned is that if a thumbnail tells a story it will perform well. Because people are attracted to that story. Thats why mrbeasts thumbnails are so good. He shows a story with minimal objects.
is this less vague? (ps not trying to be sarcastic here just asking)
frail gust
Yeah no worries. I don't know what you're suggesting though. The thumbnails I linked don't have any screenshots from the games in them. They're either assets taken from the box arts, or they're official art of the games taken from things like art books, promotional material, etc.
I don't know what you're saying as an example that you feel should be done differently.
woven dust
Not saying you should make the same thumbnails just really like this example.
When you see this what do you see?
What does the title say? 100 person extreme hide and seek.
Oh that must explain Mrbeast chasing people, a lot of people and that theyre scared.
Not only do the title and thumbnail compliment eachother, they also make it very very easy to understand on whats going on
frail gust
Not saying you should make the same thumbnails just really like this example.
W...
You think my thumbnails are confusing to understand the content of the video?
normal spindle
i think, if i'm understanding correctly, that he is under the impression that your thumbnail is some type of already-existing promotional art or screenshot for the game you're featuring. iirc you said that's incorrect, so i suppose you can take it as a compliment :P had it been, his suggestion was more along the lines of crafting something yourself, with elements that are more pertinent to your video, than something more generic as you'd find on a cover art etc.
woven dust
You think my thumbnails are confusing to understand the content of the video?
no, but they dont make me want to click on them
because the only thing I see is a tank and a chopper
woven dust
i think, if i'm understanding correctly, that he is under the impression that yo...
thank you
frail gust
because the only thing I see is a tank and a chopper
Can you give me a text example of what you'd want to see my thumbnail to be given my first two videos?
woven dust
I like this example
can I beat elden ring using only frostbite sources
then doesnt add the same in the thumbnail, but only uses "frostbite only" which is very clear
then also shows it as a visual image(s)
frail gust
I like this example
no, sry. I mean for my two video samples. What would you want to see? You can explain it via text.
woven dust
no, you seem like you really wanna learn Tuna, but I've given you examples and explained.
Please try to read the previous sentences
frail gust
I like this example
Well the issue is all your examples and feedback is from a negative "Don't do this. Try to be more like this instead" perspective, but I can't get any specifics from you on what you *want *to see.
"X is bad" Why? "Well make it more like Y". How do you want it to be more like y? and then we go in another circle.
my thumbnail examples all make it clear what the video content's will be about. They compliment the title. They're pretty attention grabbing and have high production values.
It's fine if you don't like them and want to them to be changed, but then you need to give a very clear idea of what you want for me to be able to change it.
woven dust
"I think the style is good, but the text really need some work. "I beat every ps2 game" could be your title. If that is the case, I wouldnt put it in your thumbnail. A thumbnail has to be the answer or compliment the title. So if your title would be "I beat every ps32 games heres how" or "can you beat every ps2 game?" Id imagine someone being stuck in a room for a lot of hours, because there are so many to beat"
"They're pretty attention grabbing" In your case I hope Im wrong I truly do
but I guess we can agree to disagree then
frail gust
so you want a picture of me irl in a bad GCI room with photoshopped PS2 games? because that's misleading from the video's content
frail gust
I like this example
I have no clue what you want. You want thumbnails like Mr Beast. Which doesn't work for my video content. Or you want one like this, which is almost a carbon copy of what I already made above.
woven dust
I have no clue what you want. You want thumbnails like Mr Beast. Which doesn't w...
bro.... "Not saying you should make the same thumbnails just really like this example"
lets just end the discussion here
GL with your videos