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(upbeat rock music)
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<v ->Over 80% of my viewers watch my videos on a mobile device.</v>
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Here in Asia especially, we are on the move all the time
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watching videos on the train, bus,
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in the backseat while our drivers chauffer us around.
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So your YouTube video's thumbnail image
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needs to be able to communicate a message
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or make an impact, you know,
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in a space smaller than a postage stamp.
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And I don't wanna get out my reading glasses
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just to read the text on your tiny tiny thumbnail.
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So if you need, you know, or want text on your thumbnail,
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then make sure the text is large enough to catch my eye
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and easy for your potential viewers to read,
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even if they're on a smartphone.
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Also, don't feel you need to repeat
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every word of your title in the thumbnail.
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The thumbnail is to catch the eye,
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and the title is usually
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supposed to explain what the video is about.
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So feel free to have even no text at all
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if you think that works best.
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Remember, there are exceptions to every rule.
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This is an art after all.
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If you decide you want text on your thumbnail image
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but your long video title
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doesn't fit nicely on your thumbnail
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then just pick some keywords
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and figure out how to shorten it.
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Again, the text on your image
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doesn't have to match the title, okay.
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You can see in examples one and two
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that the wording itself is not too long,
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so now we can afford to make text large
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and easy to read on a smartphone.
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Also, make sure you choose a color that pops.
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This will differ
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depending on your background color of course.
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And then you just add a drop shadow and/or an outline
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and then make it pop even more.