Thumbnail Text Ideas: 50 Examples for Any Video Type

Staring at a blank thumbnail and can't think of the words? Good thumbnail text ideas follow patterns. Most of them boil down to a number, a verdict, a question, a warning, or a before-and-after. This list gives you fifty starting points, grouped by video type, plus a few rules for turning them into your own.

Rules for every one of these thumbnail text ideas

• Three or four words. Short text can be big, and big text can be read on a phone.
• Add to the title, don't repeat it. The title already sits next to the thumbnail.
• Keep it honest. Only use a word if the video delivers it. See how to write thumbnail text without sounding like clickbait.
• Be specific. "3 DAYS" beats "AMAZING."

Number-based ideas

Numbers give the eye something concrete. They work for challenges, lists, budgets, and results.

• "DAY 30"
• "$0 TO $1K"
• "7 MISTAKES"
• "10 MINUTES"
• "1 RULE"
• "ONLY $20"
• "5 TOOLS"
• "24 HOURS"

Verdict and opinion ideas

One word that tells the viewer your conclusion works well for reviews and comparisons.

• "WORTH IT?"
• "OVERRATED"
• "SKIP IT"
• "BEST ONE"
• "NOT GREAT"
• "SURPRISING"
• "FINALLY"
• "HONEST REVIEW"

Question ideas

A question makes people want to see the answer. Keep it short and make sure the video answers it.

• "WHY?"
• "REAL OR FAKE?"
• "WHO WINS?"
• "STILL WORKS?"
• "WHAT HAPPENED?"
• "WORTH $500?"

Warning and mistake ideas

Warnings make people check whether they're doing something wrong.

• "DON'T DO THIS"
• "STOP DOING THIS"
• "BIG MISTAKE"
• "AVOID THESE"
• "TOO LATE?"
• "READ FIRST"

Before-and-after ideas

• "BEFORE / AFTER"
• "THEN VS NOW"
• "0 TO 100K"
• "FIXED"
• "1 WEEK LATER"

How-to and tutorial ideas

For tutorials, the text should name the outcome, not the topic.

• "IN 5 STEPS"
• "EASY FIX"
• "FREE METHOD"
• "NO EXPERIENCE"
• "STEP BY STEP"
• "DONE IN 10 MIN"

More on designing these is in our guide to tutorial thumbnails.

Story and vlog ideas

• "WE ALMOST QUIT"
• "IT WORKED"
• "NOT PLANNED"
• "MOVING DAY"
• "WORST DAY"

How to turn thumbnail text ideas into your own

1. Start from the video's biggest moment. What's the single most interesting thing in it?
2. Write ten versions. Include a number, a verdict, and a question.
3. Cut each to four words or fewer.
4. Read each aloud next to your title. Drop any that repeat the title.
5. Test the top two. See how to do that in our guide to A/B testing thumbnails.

Make the words readable

Great text still fails if it can't be read. Use a bold font, a thick outline, and strong contrast, and check it at feed size. Our guide to thumbnail text that hurts CTR shows the most common mistakes, and the thumbnail preview tool lets you see it in a feed layout.

Frequently asked questions

How many words should thumbnail text have?

Three or four is a good limit. One strong word or number often works even better.

Should thumbnail text be in all caps?

Short phrases in capitals are easy to read at small sizes, but longer sentences are harder in all caps. Use capitals for one or two short lines.

Can I copy thumbnail text from other channels?

Use them as patterns, not as copy. Adapt the idea to what your video really contains, so the promise matches the payoff.

Does thumbnail text affect CTR?

It can. Clear, specific text often makes a thumbnail easier to understand, but the effect depends on your audience and topic, so test on your own channel.

Picked a favorite from these thumbnail text ideas? Upload the thumbnail for a free score on readability and impact.