YouTube Thumbnail Image Size 4:3 Ratio 30% Cropped Area

YouTube Thumbnail Image Size 4:3 Ratio is a video we made to demonstrate the cropping that YouTube does to your video when it makes a Thumbnail Image. http://www.videoleadsonline.com/youtube-thumbnail-image-size.html The YouTube Video Thumbnail Image Size is cropped vertically. You can see that when you search for the term "YouTube Thumbnail Image Size" within YouTube.

There is a RED background that represents 100% of the 4:3 video size, then there is a 80% BLUE area with an 70% GREEN area inside that. You can see by watching the video that all the colors are visible, but when you look at the thumbnail made by YouTube you can see how much is cropped off.

You can easily see the Cropped Thumbnail using this search: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=youtube%20thumbnail%20image%20siz... or you can see the Cropped Thumbnail if you look at the thumbnail in the channel view here: http://www.youtube.com/videoleadsonline

Be sure to make your important information visible inside the "Safe Zone" of 70% of your video size so it doesn't get chopped off in your thumbnail!

Places where the Thumbnail Image is cropped: Search Results & in Your Channel. Read all about the Research Results at http://www.videoleadsonline.com/youtube-thumbnail-image-size.html

When you are looking at your own thumbnails in certain places inside your own channel area they may look fine and don't have any cropping. BUT the more important areas where they do get cropped are the search results and on your very own channel!

*** Keep your important data within the 70% "Safe Zone" vertically. ***

***NEW UPDATE***
We just finished our how to video on how to make your own Custom Thumbnails (2/22/2012) - Watch it and put the knowledge you learned here about the Cropped Size to work for you - since you can now choose your own custom Thumbnail Image using this tip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Npxtubc4c
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Helpful tips from Victor the Video SEO Hound.
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Visit our website for articles on Video Thumbnails and other Video SEO stuff. See the final results of this thumbnail cropping test at http://www.videoleadsonline.com/youtube-thumbnail-image-size.html

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• YouTube
• Thumbnail
• Image
• Size
• Crop
• Cropping
• Thumbnail Test
• YouTube Thumbnail
• Test
• Video SEO
• Channel View
• VSEO
• Thumbnail Safe Zone
• Chopped
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[MercifiesProductions]

it all survived for me?

[VideoLeadsOnline]

@MercifiesProductions Great, hopefully in all sizes of thumbnails it is working for you. Please realize that thumbnails are shown in various sizes depending on where you are looking at them in the YouTube/Google system.

[MrDamioncruzz]

I'm sorry if this has nothing to do with the video, but do you know how they change the thumbnails on a video. Also, how they make them so colorful? It only gives me three choices when I go to "account settings". I don't want those thumbnails. I want a colorful one to attract audiences.

[VideoLeadsOnline]

@MrDamioncruzz yes...I have done a lot of work on how YouTube chooses thumbnails. Search YouTube for "video thumbnail trick". Look for my video with the words "Video Optimization" on it... watch that and follow the links from that video to learn more

[TheFreshPeddler]

what size do i make an image to avoid letter boxing. not worried about the thumbnail just the video image size

[justapodcast]

I use a different ratio that works perfectly every single time. It just chop a slight bit off the left and right edge, but you can prepare for that (which i do).

[flamingfog]

Oh okay. Cause when I make my boob rubbing videos I want to have a sexy thumbnail ;)

[JojoVi2012]

@MrDamioncruzz partners can upload a thumbnail directly from computer

[VideoLeadsOnline]

@youtubedude I have another channel where I am a partner. I am able to upload a custom thumbnail as a partner, my comment re. the size/cropping is based on as much control as you could possible get... yet the location where the TN is displayed seems to play a part in how much of it is cropped or displayed. You can see this in action if you search for "Android 2.2.1 update - new Android" - UseMyDroid = mine - that is the "YouTube search result TN", other places show the TN with the bottom cropped

[VideoLeadsOnline]

@youtubedude I have seen an improvement in the amount of the thumbnail image displayed. It still depends on where you are viewing the thumbnail however.

I've noticed that the top portion of the image is almost all shown when the TN is in the "suggestions video list", but the 70% rule still reigns when the TN is shown in the YouTube Search Results.

So until all places show the full thumbnail image, I'm still suggesting that people design with this 70% rule in mind. Thanks for your comment.