How I make my YouTube thumbnails for the 2026 algorithm

Описание: Check out HubSpot's 2026 State of Marketing Report here: https://clickhubspot.com/507494 | Good thumbnails are essential to your YouTube video actually getting views, so why are you still rushing to make your thumbnail in the last second before you publish? You need a system and a strategy for crafting effective thumbnails that will help get your videos the views they deserve in the 2026 YouTube algorithm. So after many requests, I am finally showing you how I make my thumbnails for YouTube!

The Frankenstien video formula:    • If I started a YouTube channel in 2026, I’...  

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shout out to the Creatorly clients we featured in this video!
‪@madelinehegedus‬
‪@LuisaZhou‬
   / @exaltitude  

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📕 TABLE OF CONTENTS 📕
00:00 stop rushing your thumbnails!
00:23 before I do ANYTHING, I plan my title and thumbnail
01:18 you should be creating tag lines for your thumbnails
01:53 always create multiple thumbnail ideas!
02:45 different niches have different thumbnail styles!
04:36 an important note about YouTube A/B testing
05:14 your thumbnails are a marketing strategy for your YouTube videos
06:63 how I shoot my thumbnail images
07:21 how to export high quality stills of your videos
08:16 how I edit my thumbnails for YouTube in Photoshop
14:56 we edit youtube videos and thumbnails for our clients!



🔗 LINKS 🔗
*some of these are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase on the site after clicking these links, I could earn a commission at no extra cost to you. thanks for supporting the channel!

🎧 where I get music for my videos: https://share.epidemicsound.com/6x4f73
🎬 stock footage & animations I use: https://www.storyblocks.com/katie

📹 Camera Gear:
Main camera: https://geni.us/kszve1
Lens: https://geni.us/ks1625
Vlog camera: https://geni.us/kszve10ii
Microphone: https://geni.us/djimicmini
Tripod: https://geni.us/ksulanzi

👉🏻 See all my gear here: https://katiesteckly.com/gear

👋🏻 ABOUT ME
Hey, I'm Katie! I make videos about social media strategy and content creation. In addition to being a YouTuber, I also run a small agency that provides video editing services for YouTubers and podcasters. If you want our help or just want to learn more, check out https://www.creatorlymedia.com

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