You’re putting hours into creating great podcast episodes, but guess what?
Your thumbnails are costing you thousands of views—and you probably don’t even know it.
Let’s break down why most creators are getting it wrong and what you need to do to fix it fast:
Here’s the most common mistake: you’re trying to fit your entire podcast title onto the thumbnail.
Big mistake.
The thumbnail and title are supposed to work together as a one-two punch. Let the title explain and let the thumbnail grab attention.
Fix: Keep it short. Use 2-4 words max that create curiosity or excitement. For example, instead of “How to Build a 7-Figure Business in 2025 Using Social Media,” try “7-Figure Business” or “Dominate 2025.”
If your thumbnail doesn’t make people want to read the title, you’ve already lost.
Boring faces don’t get clicks. Period.
Neutral expressions? Scrolled past. The power of thumbnails comes from high-energy emotions that make people stop. Faces with wide-open eyes, raised eyebrows, or shocked expressions trigger curiosity.
Fix: Use a shocked or surprised face for curiosity. Or a face full of excitement—like someone just won the lottery. Pair that with a gesture like pointing, which directs attention to the text or key visual.
Example: Thumbnails with direct eye contact and an open mouth (surprised or excited) have been proven to get 3x more clicks. You’re not just showing a face—you’re telling a story in an instant.
Cluttered thumbnails kill clicks. If your thumbnail has too many faces, objects, or background distractions, you’re confusing the viewer, and confusion means they’ll keep scrolling.
Fix: Simplify. Use one bold face (or object), and remove unnecessary background elements. If you’re using text, stick to one focal point.
Pro Tip: Add white space around your focal point to make it stand out. Let your thumbnail breathe. A clean thumbnail stands out against a cluttered feed.
Color is one of the easiest ways to make a thumbnail pop, but most creators get it wrong by either going too bland or overloading with neon colors that clash.
Fix: Use bold, high-contrast colors. Black and white backgrounds with one bright pop of color (red, yellow, or neon green) draw the viewer’s eye exactly where you want it to go.
Example: Want your text to pop? Use a dark background with bold, bright text. Too many colors, and it all blends together. Stick to two main colors for maximum impact.
Here’s the truth: too much text = no clicks.
If your thumbnail text is a full sentence, no one’s stopping to read it. Thumbnails are meant to grab curiosity and make viewers want to learn more.
Fix: Use 2-4 words max—and those words should hit hard. Instead of describing the whole episode, tease the best part. Think “Million Dollar Strategy” or “We Lost Everything.”
Your text should leave viewers with one thought: “I need to see what this is about.”
You’re not making just one thumbnail and hoping it works. You need to test—always. If you’re not A/B testing different versions of your thumbnails, you’re leaving clicks on the table.
Fix: Test at least 2-3 variations for each thumbnail. Change small things like color, expression, or text placement and see what performs best. Use tools like TubeBuddy or vidIQ to track the results.
Real Data: Thumbnails with expressive faces and bold, minimal text see a 35% higher click-through rate than cluttered thumbnails. Don’t leave this to chance—test and improve every time.
If you’re still playing it safe with your thumbnails, you’re losing. On YouTube, the competition is fierce, and you need to be ruthless about grabbing attention.Want to know the exact thumbnail strategies that drive 50% more clicks for top YouTubers? DM me, and I’ll send you my thumbnail cheat sheet that’s helping podcasters blow up on YouTube. Only 5 spots available—don’t miss out.
