Youtube's New Thumbnail Feature

[@liamengram6326]

I feel like simple and not overstated thumbnails actually draw my attention more these days because they're actually becoming unique since everyone is copying the same bright colors, big numbers, stupid excited face format.

[@cimarronMC]

I've always felt that way

[@kyleyoung2464]

I agree.

[@Protofall]

This is me.

[@yourfd709]

"stupid excited face format" looking @ you, Bdub's skin.

[@floschy_1]

Yes, as soon as a thumbnail looks like its mainstream im not really interested in the video anymore

[@superkonijn988]

I feel like etho’s thumbnails have become iconic in their own way as a time capsule of minecraft youtube back then.

[@vogelvrouw]

Its like how Jenna Marbles used to do her thumbnails she always just used one of the "auto thumbnails" thats just a screenshot of the video

[@TNTspaz]

Etho is so meticulous about what he is willing to include in a video. Basically, you can take any second of the video, and it becomes a useable thumbnail

[@cuencaguy9799]

Right, people say that he uses a screenshot, but I think a lot of times he may just be using the KZbin-generated thumbnail which takes a screenshot from a point in the video. Perhaps not anymore, but I believe that's how he used to do it.

[@r00kiet80]

​@@cuencaguy9799thats what xisuma said and thats what he said himself before.

[@OfficialKingz_yt]

I know I’m super late, but what you said about him being meticulous in his videos, reminds me that in his most recent video (at the time) he actually cuts out GeminiTay complementing him by saying he’s a genius

[@lilajean8146]

Etho has actually talked about this before, in his own Etho way. He said he knew that if he played up his thumbnails, more people would clip, but then went on to say he didn't feel it would be truthful. They would clip, thinking it would be a crazy video and instead, he would be doing this long kind of complicated Redstone. He was saying this during a particularly tedious Redstone build. Anyway, I think he has a point, he's more about being true to himself and what the video actually contains instead of getting the most views. As an artist I respect that, there is a line of creating art that you're proud of and creating art that is popular. Either trying to build a big fan base out of videos that please everyone or build a smaller but more devoted fan base with videos that might not please everyone but you're proud of.

[@moosefreaked]

do you not know the word click

[@lilajean8146]

@@moosefreaked Lol. Do you not know the word Dyslexic.

[@grayishcolors]

He’s also mentioned he is too lazy to pretty sure (which I can vibe with)

[@moosefreaked]

@@lilajean8146 no

[@lilajean8146]

@@moosefreaked Oh, that makes since. It's a disability were the brain isn't connected the way it should and it makes language very difficult. It's a miracle I can actually read, it is really really hard for me to spell. Anyway, I'm chill with it, but you should really not make comments on line with out thinking what the other person is dealing with.

[@mysticat]

interesting discussion! i think etho was a gr8 example here. i do agree that if he packaged his videos better he would get a lot more views, but im not so sure those viewers would stick around like they do currently if that makes sense? they would probably just click on whichever flashy video pops up next and move on

[@beforedrrdpr]

hi mysti

[@rimothytimothy1398]

Yeah, it seems like Etho's audience is people that genuinely are watching it just because it's an Etho video rather than the specific content. I mean, I'd watch Etho watch paint dry because he'd make it hilarious in his way

[@0-M72-0]

And at the end, the loss of personality that would imply for his current fans would just end up taking more subscribers away than in, I think.

[@Excalibur13]

"Packaging" videos in a superficial manner works for certain types of videos, but only with a certain kind of mentality honestly.

[@fire-ballmc9741]

*great

[@draughtoflethe]

On the topic of text vs. no text in thumbnails, I think the reception is going to be different between current vs. new viewers. As a regular Hermitcraft watcher, I prefer the text, because it's readily recognizable and helps me make sure I didn't miss an episode. As a new viewer coming in, I might find "Hermitcraft IX Episode 1120" intimidating and a possible barrier to entry. Which is kind of unfortunate, because I feel like it puts the needs of your existing subscriber base and the accessibility for new viewers and channel growth at odds.

[@jenniferm.2142]

This. Especially with someone who uploads different types of videos, I like knowing which series I’m going to be clicking on. I might not click on a generic video but I don’t want to miss a hermitcraft episode.

[@jaykebird2go]

This is exactly my thoughts too. I'd also add that when I'm a new viewer of a channel, the text and high episode number can be intimidating, but I also think it helpfully shows that they're dedicated to this series or their videos, and not just someone trying to chase viewers or numbers.

[@bitescratchkill6849]

yeah i've missed most of x's hermitcraft videos that don't have the hermitcraft text on them because it just doesn't look like a hermitcraft video and i don't bother reading the titles since the title font is smaller. i don't really care a whole lot about the episode number being in the thumbnail but having the series name in there is way more likely to catch my attention. personally thumbnails with no text only get noticed by me if the person uploading them has a unique style or some indicator that it's a hermitcraft video, like i notice doc's videos because he's the only person i watch who uses fanart as thumbnails, and i notice etho's videos when his minecraft skin or the nametag of another hermit is visible. x's wordless thumbnails just look like minecraft animations to me and i don't watch those so i ignore them.

[@rachelkim4457]

Maybe this can be fixed by just putting the hermitcraft s9 logo on the video. But not necessarily putting the entire episode number and stuff like that on there. That way I know its hermitcraft but Im not overwhelmed by the episode 1115 etc etc

[@raven75257]

This could easily be fixed by Xisuma resetting number each season, like people have been doing for ages

[@erher1433]

I think it's really important to have recognisable thumbnail style for example Mumbo, I never miss his videos because there's something that always draws my attention without being click-baity they're in a middle ground between busy and simple obviously that's more for people who already watch his videos and are always looking foward to more with other hermits I sometimes miss the video and find out a day later there was a new one I didn't see maybe it's his channel avatar always in the corner not really sure

[@Griev2]

Nah. It's still more about who you are "interested" in. I'm subscribed to Mumbo but I don't watch his videos. Whereas, Ethos thumbnails on his videos as just screenshots of him playing nothing special but I still watch it. I think it's because I'm interested with who and what I watch rather than seeing the thumbnails.

[@jamo8154]

sure, but Mumbo gets alot more views than Etho, so your experience might not be the same as others

[@Griev2]

@@jamo8154 Sure he does. He has a bigger audience anyways. What I'm trying to say is, whether what thumbnail it is, you will watch it if it interests you.

[@bemusedHorseman]

Recognizability is how thumbnails are _supposed_ to work, I agree. You're meant to be able to go "oh hey, I recognize that orange border, Zedaph's got a new upload" or "there's that corner mustache icon, what's Mumbo up to today?" sort of thing. Everything's gone all samey and it's hard to tell anymore who uploaded what, especially when it comes to channels in the same niche (it's impossible to tell apart the thumbnails of reddit-reader channels like Emkay and RSlash when they're surrounded by hundreds of other similar videos)...

[@EmiWi]

@@bemusedHorseman Honestly, I think you've got it down. For some reason I saw it as a way to get a click from random viewers, but it should really be a way to show that YOU are the one uploading this video at a glance and the positive association built with your content will then get the clicks.

[@VJA1992]

I really like episode numbers in thumbnails. When I'm catching up, it's easier to tell at a glance where I'm at, especially on mobile when the entire title doesn't show. But that's very niche. So do what you think is right!

[@yusaki8064]

Honestly, I genuinely think the way Etho does his thumbnails is great. You actually get to see a bit of the video off the bat. A lot of the other ways just don’t necessarily hit for me. Although I think Joe has made a good midway. Having it be a 3rd person or 1st persons screenshot of part of the episode with a little bit of text over the top. Simple but effective. The other Hermit I’ve liked the thumbnails of is what Doc has done in Season 9. Using fanart for his thumbnails is brilliant and really gets the community more active. Plus we get to see some truly beautiful art. Although it usually more relates to the episode prior instead of the current episode, it gets you clicking partially just to see who made this wonderful art. And honestly, if you are ever struggling with a thumbnail idea. Look at some fanart and message an artist you like to ask if you can use their work for a thumbnail. It really helps engage with the community. Showcasing fanart in general really helps. On the New Life Server many players set up art galleries to showcase fanart in the world since it’s a modded series where you’re able to import images into the world as paintings. And that really drove up engagement in the fanart community side of it.

[@taytaythehufflepuff8532]

I love seeing the fanart in Doc's thumbnails, even if I don't click on the videos! And I love that Martyn and Grian are using a fanartist to create thumbnails for some of their videos too! It's just so cool to see the creativity of people and the fact that these youtubers are utilizing and encouraging it.

[@oklol7799]

I like your perspective but I think you’re in the minority in the grander scheme of things because it’s rare for this to work well on KZbin. To each their own though

[@queenraven007]

using fan art as thumbnail was started by Technoblade I think. I remember him using not even the best "prettiest" arts with stick figures then his KZbinr friends started doing the same

[@calmwaveofchaos1878]

@@queenraven007​​⁠I don’t know if he started it, but those thumbnails are definitely iconic. The distinct pig character makes it easy to recognize one of his videos at a glance (same with Doc’s), and the diverse art styles and color palettes make it easier to find individual things in a playlist, especially on mobile where all the formulaic ones look exactly the same

[@match_mc114]

I watched 20 hours of Bodyman's streams (posted on youtube) because Etho was in them and they were playing Don't Starve.... a game I don't even play.

[@amankasat]

same

[@fretzT_T]

Wait I like etho playing don't starve. Loved his DST with doc

[@Protofall]

lol, I did too! Also Team Canada recently beat a CTM, but only Beef uploaded it (Etho did tweet about it though)

[@match_mc114]

@@ProtofallWOAH thanks for the tip!

[@GothBoyUK]

I've always found you very similar to Etho, X. What I mean by that is when I watch your content I feel like I'm getting multiple levels of engagement. It's difficult to explain but it's like I'm not just watching a person playing a game, it's like I'm watching someone's thought processes. I guess that's why I'm always eager to see the content.

[@castlebeki]

I discovered X through a raid on twitch, and that's exactly what hooked me ! In only the first minutes, Xisuma remade my world. It's like he has those vibes that inspire you to always think further. I always feel like i've gained something from his vids or streams.

[@stefansauvageonwhat-a-twis1369]

They also have a similar very building style in my eyes, something very purely minecraft

[@hawkspiral]

I think the numbers are nice for series like hermitcraft where you want to watch in a linear fashion -- it's nice to immediately know where you are in the rough timeline. Helps to orient yourself in the narrative of it all :D

[@averageaf4321]

100% agreed! I find episode numbers useful when I want to catch up or see something I missed. I've ran into a couple channels that don't have numbers on some of their series thumbnails or titles, and it can be extremely confusing which comes next. Especially if I'm watching months or years old content, where I can't go to the video page and just see what was uploaded next or before.

[@SoopCanSam-EthoPlaylists]

Etho has created what can almost be described as a cult (a cult that I also subscribe to). The loyalty of his fans and his conviction to his philosophies within the game and his videos is incredible. That being said... Putting Etho in the thumbnail will give you more views.

[@BTGTB]

That is very true, while I do watch several of these from time to time, seeing Etho in the thumbnail definitely made decide to watch it faster.

[@gigaherz_]

I would personally be most likely to click on a thumbnail WITH the "hermitcraft" text, because that helps me know it's a HC video at a glance, but without the "noise" of the episode number or the season, because I already know which season we are in, and I don't really watch videos from other seasons (I don't need to - I have been watching almost every hermit since season 3)

[@MarieAxelsson]

Oh, now I remember. KZbin recommended me Ethos first Minecraft series yesterday. 12yr old videos, I've started watching it before. Yeah, Etho's personal brand is massive, because he's not a brand, if that makes sense?

[@HeatherKraafter]

this entire conversation is a BIG reason I left being a YT creator...too much about YT itself instead of the content I was putting out. It's way too much about something else outside of being the best at what you are doing IN the video. The Etho aspect...if he were to start a youtube channel in this current world, without anyone knowing who he is...he would not succeed as he has. The game has changed and fortunately he had the numbers before it changed so much.

[@ef1876]

I like doc's thumbnails. Idk how successful they are at pulling in views but think they're a really cool way of involving his fans and its awesome to see some of the stuff his community creates

[@Dosktop]

As a graphic designer, for me Bdubs thumbnails are the most beautiful. Etho's videos go so well with the old school thumbnail because they match the concept he created for himself and his channel, and all of this when it comes to promoting his product (in his case, the videos) matter more than that quality, because thumbnails in this style gain a meaning behind them, which goes beyond having a good design, and this along with the fact that he is very good at entertaining the public, the way he talks to the audience, the comments that he does in the videos and the editing, which despite being simple, is well done and with good timing, and of course, the content of the video itself, from someone who knows a lot about what they are doing and always brings innovations, all of this creates a bond of the public with him that will make people keep coming back to watch

[@Dark__Thoughts]

The current ones? I know Bdubs used heavy clickbait in the past too but it seems he changed his thumbnail style over the last couple years. I checked most of the hermits at some point and pretty much almost all of them used cheap tactics like that, which is pretty much why I'm only watching Etho. And that even though I do like some of the hermits themselves quite a bit, like Gem is just a pleasure as a person but her clickbait thumbnails & titles trigger me so hard that I just can't help but block her. As someone who's been with YT since the early days it really hurts a bit, seeing what it has become now.

[@Dosktop]

@@Dark__Thoughts There is no clickbait in Gem's thumbnails or video titles, you are hating her for other reasons my friend

[@Dark__Thoughts]

@@Dosktop Dude, I can see literally 4 red arrows, 4 yellow exclamation marks, and 6 capitalized titles just on the first page without even scrolling down. Stop being stupid. But please, enlighten us all, including me, why I actually "hate" Gem. I'll await your surely enlightening response with anticipation. Edit: And he was never seen again. Great talk.

[@mikeymartyr]

I agree, Bdubs' videos always feel like a production, he's very cartoonish and theatrical and everything he does kind of plays into that. When you watch a Bdubs video, you're watching an Episode of the Bdubs Show, but when you watch an Etho video you're watching a minecraft youtube video. They may be on the same platform but they're very different types of media within one category and their thumbnails align with that

[@FireallyXTheories]

A/B testing KZbin thumbnails is something a lot of people have been doing manually for a few years now, so I think giving youtubers an ability to interact with the algorithm more directly more easily I think is a positive change.

[@NinjaSnow]

Yeah, thinking on this way, it makes really sense since the algorithim will analyse based on how itself works. Since your video will be at the power of the algorithm after you upload it anyway, its help will improve your numbers as a result.

[@gunnaryoung]

Couldn't agree more about Etho! I've been watching Etho since I was in middle school and still watch everything he puts out when I've stopped watching most other KZbinrs I watched at the time and it's because he's good at what he does and doesn't try to be anyone but himself! I mean he's definitely improved as a KZbinr and has improved his audio and video quality but when I watch his latest Etho Plays Minecraft I feel like I'm in 8th grade again! I guess what makes him so great is his clear honesty in every part of his channel.

[@WizardTrixx]

It’s amazing how Etho has affected so many people in this way just be being his true self to the fullest extent

[@linusnox]

Oddly, I know that it is a new Etho video based on the thumbnail - even if its just plain minecraft without his character on it.

[@odinsmartyr5415]

Or you can put Etho in your thumbnail and get a boost from that alone.

[@duntemdraws310]

I am guilty of clicking on videos from other hermits solely because of Etho's presence.

[@DJ1TJOO]

I feel like a lot of creators actually want this feature. As for the past couple year’s many big creators have been swapping out thumbnails in the first hours of publication to see which performs best

[@delukilla]

Crazy idea, have Secret Santa but for each member bring their thumbnail making style but for someone else's video. Like use the same assets and position and titles but for a different channel and the context of what the recipient did in that episode. I think it would be super interesting like when Mumbo swapped everyone's bases in order to make more interactions. This could be done in a time like Christmas when Decked Out will be completed and go with that Secret Santa gimmick.

[@Eraqon]

Crazy, but I'd love to see that haha

[@CringyGull]

One of the best things you can do as a youtuber, and just in life in general, is be yourself and not try to be someone you're not. Some great points here Xisuma 😁

[@UkuleleProductions]

Don't let the KZbin-game get to you! You are big and successful enough, to survive, without putting attention to the numbers. People watch you for your authentic content - no matter what content that is. So just do whatever you enjoy most!

[@Rain0T]

the kind of thumbnails that keep me coming back are the calm but recognizable ones. the bright and complicated ones all just blend into each other. also if a title is in caps lock i don't even look at it

[@nwnate659]

I’ll be honest, I didn’t even notice if the title/number were missing from the dungeon lackey episode. I might not be very representative of the new audiences you’re trying to reach with the new thumbnails, though. Been here a few years. Sounds like you’re figuring out a healthy way to go about it, and I’m always supportive of that!

[@ItoKyoshiro]

you describe both sides of anxiety (fearful feelings on the bad side and decision paralysis on the "better" side), so hoping you can have a better time dealing with it I'm pointing in out because the techniques you can use for coping/dealing with one side of it are also goong to work the other way around if you re mindful of it =3!

[@Sock-Monster-Simian]

I really like having the Hermitcraft and numbers on it, because it lets people know what you are clicking on. Without just seems too blank (but maybe I'm just nostalgic for old KZbin).

[@Nico_M.]

The problem with A/B testing on KZbin is that it doesn't give you more information than "A performed at this %, B performed at that", without nuances. So, 55% vs 45% is basically even. How much of those are regular viewers vs. newcomers? Or, for instance, I tend to mark the video to watch later, so when I return later and watch it, which thumbnail does it count?

[@joelconolly5574]

"I'm in my own platform now. I'm on X." Shoot he's right 😂

[@DanielGiuseppeDiNiro]

I would click on an Etho's video even if his thumbnail was total black, but what about those who don't know him? Those screenshots are "perfect" because they represent his style, but they definitely don't help him reach new people

[@Manas_190]

Agreed

[@leritykay8911]

Well if it helps, I think Mumbo thumbnails draw me in the most among all the hermits. The red corner, the yellow numbers, Mumbo's skin front and center. It all pops, it makes me immediately recognize Mumbo

[@msclrhd]

For me, I use the recommendation page for a lot of what to watch, checking the sub page for updates. I'll often see a video and decide to watch it later. If KZbin shows it to me with a different thumbnail and that's when I want to watch it, it's not down to the thumbnail at that point that's made me watch the video. If other people have a similar pattern, then that can skew the A/B testing.

[@CraftyMasterman]

Like you said, you can still play the yt game and still be true to who you are. I think a lot of audience members didn't realize that though. They seem to prioritize "content integrity" rather than concrete data showing growth. Personally I LOVE playing the yt game, it lets me be more creative and experiment with different video formats. The last thing I'd want to do is make 1000 videos in the same style haha, that would burn me out.

[@taytaythehufflepuff8532]

It depends on the person, I think. For those who have always played the yt game and are good at balancing it healthfully, it can be helpful and very enjoyable. But there are plenty of people who, when they have gotten too engrossed in the numbers, have unhealthfully handled it and ruined their lives as a result. For those who are known for not following the trends (in this case example: Etho), it would be weird for those folks to change... and likely feel inauthentic. (Even if it wasn't necessarily inauthentic.) I've seen so many cases of clickbait content and it's just annoying at this point. It feels like everyone is pulling for my attention. I personally appreciate people who stay consistent with their content as a result. But it's good to see as many different styles of content. No one content creator is for everyone.

[@SamDapan-on3wn]

Hey man

[@dowen01]

(now finished) Every episode is a joy x, keep doing the things what you love 😊

[@Headgamerz]

I’m glad you made this video. Over the past week I’ve stated noticing KZbin will recommend a video, then if I don’t click on it and refresh the page it’ll recommend the same video again but with a different thumbnail. I’m use to creators changing the thumbnail if a video isn’t performing well or what not, but recently changes were happening so often and so fast I stated to assume KZbin was auto-generating them or something. Glad to know what’s really happening. As far as your specific question (Hermitcraft ep# vs not) I do prefer the title so I know what I’m clicking on partially when a creator is putting out multiple Minecraft series. But I suppose if you see better results without the title then you should do that. I expect I’ll click either way so long as I recognize what the video is.

[@taytaythehufflepuff8532]

Playing the youtube game is a weird space from the viewers perspective. I watched a podcast where a couple guys talked about Mr. Beast and how his whole game is making the most clickable and viewable content and they felt it would eventually have to die out. The thing about youtube is at times it feels inauthentic, and for people like me, who care about authenticity, we care that the youtubers we watch are real people. Not just people who are trying to draw in a statistic. I think that's where Etho has the advantage that few people have. His consistency keeps that loyal fanbase coming back, and if suddenly he started playing that "youtube game", for a lot of us, I think it'd put a weird taste in our mouth, so to speak. (It's why I really like the fact that he doesn't play by thumbnails or shorts. I like watching some shorts, like yours --- they're pretty creative and funny. The mini challenges are fun to watch. But a lot of shorts feel like they're trying to grab my attention, which I don't appreciate --- feels inauthentic) Maybe I'm biased (Etho is my favorite hermit)... while if Etho started changing up his thumbnails and other youtube-y things, I wouldn't stop watching him, but I wouldn't appreciate what he does as MUCH. His channel would grow, yes, but I wonder if his fanbase would be as loyal. (I think some of his reputation in the youtube space comes from how he is different from most people. He doesn't need anything eye catching to get views. He has disappeared for half a year and still has people coming back AND super hyped up when he returned.) I have similar feeling on other people who do play to getting views --- it just doesn't feel real. It may be why in some cases I prefer the less cut videos, live streams, and podcasts. It's not produced to bring in massive numbers of views. Of course, this is all personal opinion, but my respect lies for the people who don't change, who don't seem addicted to getting all the views, and who play things the old school way. There are some exceptions to this... I do watch different people with different editing styles, and I love a good stylistic thumbnail... But I think if a person on youtube has a loyal fanbase and is able to sustain themself (and family, if that is a variable), then their main focus should be improving the quality of their videos and their skillsets, instead of chasing after the numbers. (It's also, as you mentioned, very easy to make those numbers an unhealthy thing if your mindset is off. If I were in that situation, in a stressful/overwhelmed mindset I could see myself falling to that too. As for these videos, the thumbnail doesn't change if I click on them. I will usually just read the topic and decide if it sounds interesting. More times than not, I will listen to these, because I love hearing you ramble on different topics (and I love thinking about my own opinions and challenging them as I read the comments.)

[@trueNahobino]

Pretty excited to use that new thumbnail comparing feature since I'm always stuck on a few different ideas that seem good but I can't tell which one I really like more, just hope they roll the feature out completely soon.

[@BCowcorn]

I assume the auto-selection of thumbnails is based on which does better overall. But I wonder if it will eventually be developed to the point where it presents each potential viewer with the thumbnail it thinks they in particular will respond to. I imagine that could be arrived at after sufficient impressions to see which thumbnails people with similar interests click on more, but I wonder if they could leverage AI for an initial guess based on the AI 'looking' at the thumbnails before there are any viewer impressions at all.

[@realphillipcarter]

With, and here's why I think so: The addition of text shows viewers who are new to your channel that your channel is an authority in the field. That massive number of episodes might seem overwhelming, but someone is clicking just for the one video, not all of them. It's a quick way to show your expertise before they even watch. It also keeps people looking at the product (the video) for longer, which increases click through.

[@mionejr]

I’ve only recently started on KZbin as a creator, but idk I’ve never thought of thumbnails as playing the KZbin game. I wanted to create a certain style that could be consistently identifiable as mine, but mostly because I think consistency looks neater on the channel. From a viewer’s perspective, I agree with what someone else touched on, your thumbnails, as with people like Mumbo or Zed (off the top of my head), stand out to me for being neat and consistent. You know what you’re in for straight away. Personal preference tho innit, different things work for different people and opinions can change with times.

[@Holmesy87]

I prefer with, for one very simple reason: At a glance, you know exactly what vid you're gonna watch. No having to read some stupid video title that doesn't tell you what episode you're on, which is probably gonna get cut off anyway cos YT hate showing the whole thing. No faffing about trying to find the next episode in a series, and usually no stupid crap all over the thumbnail cos you need the space for text. A simple background of the game showing what the next episode involves. Text at the top saying what series you're watching. Text at the bottom showing what episode it is. Simple, clean, and effective at a glance. I don't know why there even is a debate, and why this is losing.

[@Banks4004]

The knowledge is always a double edge sword in the competitive space. There will always be people spending more time analyzing. If the feature makes it easier for the masses to be on par with those who spend most time/money analyzing, then it's probably a great addition.

[@myggmastaren3365]

For some perspective, the letsplayer Chuggaconroy still put the episode number in the thumbnail

[@SamuraiPipotchi]

2:19 My instinct is telling me that somewhere between the two might be best. I would try one when you remove the number but keep the title as a background element of the thumbnail; So in the shown example, the honey bottles and the avatar would slightly obscure the title as oppose to the other way around. Also, make the title font a little smaller.

[@ricedanan]

I didn't know this was a thing but that actually explains why sometimes I see a video I already watched or saw with a passing glance with different thumbnails.

[@n0anime342]

Ethos style of just screenshot works so well for me because when I am looking at the side bar it is full of images and text, I see a minecraft screenshot I know its Etho. I remember during Foolcraft Etho put the Foolcraft logo in the thumbnail and it felt weird and I was less likely to click on it. I think its more of what is recognizable

[@hermitcollector]

I really like this feature because I feel like it gives you a chance to actually learn what works instead of guessing.

[@kirbyhypno2522]

2:30 Haven't watched the reta yet, but from what I see of the two options, I think that the right has twi little to catch the attention, but I can see the issue with putting the number and title on the left. I think just having the Hermitcraft title is a good compromise of the two

[@wowitscoldout1119]

I really appreciate how Etho found a Thing, playing Minecraft and goofin around, and has just kept doing it for like 15 years. I hope he keeps going with his shtick, and I wish that you guys didn't need to play the KZbin game. I just want y'all to be happy and healthy and having a fun time sharing your goofs with us.

[@Jack93885]

I've always hated whenever I see a thumbnail change, especially as it seems to be a recently created convention. Sometimes I'll refuse to click on the new thumbnail as I don't want the creator to think that change is what made me click, when it's usually due to convenience/time managment. I've completely skipped some videos (thinking specifically of one by SmarterEveryDay) out of stubborness because the thumbnail changed. I don't care if the thing in the thumbnail is pink or blue but I do care that you think I care.

[@sechmascm]

Yeah, let me put it this way. I am caught up with Etho's videos. About 6 weeks ago I started watching all of his videos from the start. I only wanted to see his first LP at first, but now I'm watching every single video of his chronologically, as I am doing with his modern stuff. No way around a non uploaded video. So I'm experiencing 13 years of history in a super binge, and I'm loving it. I saw some comments from you Xisuma on his old videos as well. And let me tell you, his videos are full of people that came back throughout the years and rewatched his stuff over and over again. In a way, he could stop right now and he'd probably have enough income from rewatch time for years to come (please don't though)

[@bemusedHorseman]

The one major thing I'd suggest is, at least keep the _game or series name_ in the thumbnail. In your A/B comparison at 2:10, if I wasn't familiar with your channel, I would think the textless one is just some random Minecraft animation maybe (out of literally millions on the site, so why should I click this one specifically?), you _need_ the "Hermitcraft IX" in the thumbnail for people to go "oh okay, I guess this is a letsplay series or something". I can agree with removing _episode numbers_ (it's one of the biggest suggestions I keep getting on /r/letsplay and /r/NewTubers, that "people don't click on thumbnails that look to be in the middle of a series, so don't have the episode number in the thumbnail itself"), but you gotta at least keep the name of the series in the thumbnail... especially in such a huge niche like Minecraft.

[@lomiification]

Ive noticed the youtube changing thumbnails back and forth and its really annoying and hard to tell if its a new video or an old one

[@geulach]

With Etho there is a sense of mutual respect of not fucking you over as a viewer. This respect and trust is what makes it. Some youtubers just want quick fame and they play all kinds of games forgetting the humanity in all of this.

[@neociber24]

I don't think Etho thumbnail are close to be the best, but he has a style people like and will click anyway, that may not be the same for other creators.

[@Tiptop9278]

for some reason I assumed this was already a feature because I'd often see the same video with two different thumbnails within a few hours or days. It surprises me that it's taken them so long to add this, it's pretty common to have an A/B testing feature on advertising platforms.

[@pikmints]

I feel like part of the reason that people don't click on videos that have a number and series name is that nobody wants to jump into a new series on episode 15, so people who don't want that can avoid it. Without the number or series name, people will jump in, not realizing what they've signed themselves up for, and I wonder how that reflects on viewer retention whether people commit to their choice or whether people feel duped. Swapping thumbnails on KZbin always gave me a bad feeling. I've heard of content creators that make their thumbnail clickbait for the first 48 hours, then swap it to a more normal thumbnail so that the people turned off by clickbait still give them their views as well. It sounds like it would give a channel more views than just using clickbait, so I often tell youtube "don't recommend videos from this channel" when I see people swapping their thumbnails. If I can't trust the creator to commit to the type of crowd they want to attract, then they'll get plenty of views, none of which will be from me. Clickbait already gives a channel more views than the video warrants, I'm not going to feed that beast.

[@butterbee_bb]

As a mobile player I really appreciate it when there’s text on the thumbnail. Often times the title is clipped, and if creators always preface their titles then I can never know which video I want to watch, it just becomes a guessing game

[@NPCforsale]

I was just at VidSummit, a big KZbin conference, and they showed off some of these new features. I thought it looked really cool

[@toreole]

alternate title: xisuma fanboying over etho for 2 and a half minutes

[@thefinnnn]

I've always found it interesting to see someone post a video and then to watch the thumbnail and title change slightly, presumably because of performance issues. Sometimes I have to do a double take before I realize I've been recommended the same video I noticed days before, just marketed differently.

[@YourNeighborNat]

Good to know that's a new function that can be used. Maybe I'll give it a go for some future videos. Though for my singleplayer Minecraft series I have been doing the "screenshot as the thumbnail" thing. Perhaps I'll try taking 3 screenshots, format them for use as thumbnails, and use this function to have KZbin pick which of the 3 to use.

[@rampawar]

KZbin recommended me this video just when I was thinking about the thumbnails. Great video, 👍ed every second of it

[@HarrisonBorbarrison]

3:07 Depends on the channel

[@MottBotMinecraft]

Instagram has been doing this for years with their carousel posts to help determine which one should go first and it seemed kinda neat--might be odd for youtube though as I if I watch a video and want to refer back to it later, it would be frustrating to have the thumbnail changed and then I'm unable to recognize which video I had watched

[@Beckah11]

Sorry all the wonderful points you were making popped out my head once I got to the animation at the end.... eeeeeeee - love it!!! LOL

[@ashenbreese]

i'm not surprised by the removing of information being more successful. i have felt like we are in the dumbing down of media for a long time now. the example i give is in the transitions made from morrowind to skyrim, wherein each game went from being more complex and niche to more hack-and-slash and general audience. yes, skyrim brought in a bigger crowd (and more money), but was it a better game, all things considered? personally, i like complex, i like information, and i like the numbering system--ESPECIALLY in terms of, say, HC 9, ep 7; this tells me a great deal about the episode (whether it is an HC vid or not) and how it falls in with other episodes. (bdubs hasn't been numbering his HC eps for a long time and it drives me nuts!) also, on the idea of "playing the game" making someone like etho something else, to me this just means that etho represents someone who is genuine and uncontrived--someone who is unapologetically themselves and does not play games. i don't mean to put too sharp of an edge on this, as someone like X playing these kinds of games doesn't inherently make him less genuine, but the more one falls into this kind of algorithmic thinking, the less genuine i feel the tend to become. it is much like with the writing of stories or music, does one follow one's own path or does one use a formulaic approach that has tended to be more popular? there is a reason why the formulaic approach has become very common. there is also a reason why it feels less genuine.

[@imperfectimp]

I wonder if there's a way to track people's personal preference and show them the version of the thumbnail they like. Bc I like text and numbers bc they make it easy to see at first glance whose channel it is and whether it's from a series I'm following or not.

[@jucabnubster]

Even as a smaller guy on yt, the number "episodes" of my stuff goes as following: •If there's an episode 1 of something, it's higher with views than normal. •If there's a vid without episodes, then it's ok. •But any time I have an "episode 2" or beyond, it performs the worst. The only outlier is if I have a guest, then those perform well enough. Now, for thumbnails, I try to do what I feel it needs to be. I've maybe two times tried making a perfect thumbnail and both times it didn't really help much. This feature could be a neat thing for my sake, since I just don't know how to mix my style with the styles that perform well. Interesting topic, X!

[@danicatempleton6745]

I enjoy being able to see at a glance while scrolling through someone's channel which videos are a part of which series, but I can see why the less cluttered thumbnails get more clicks

[@OhBenWhyKenobi]

X: is struggling with thumbnail. Etho: is struggling with intro. Us: We see you guys upload, we watch. I constantly check my notifications to see who's uploaded. We will continue watching every Hermit as long as Hermitcraft exists.

[@zetertheduck]

Well, me as a small youtuber. I don't really get much traction. So the issue with these sort of things is that you can't tell the difference of what's working or not. Even when you try to improve the title, thumbnail, intro, etc. it just doesn't end up making that much of a difference depending on what your video topic is. Like you said, there's a drought on views on minecraft content, which I do. I have friends doing content from other games that are getting more views in orders of magnitude. It's just frustrating to see.

[@johnraven5517]

WoW, X got a social media named after him, congratulation!

[@ooinvsaoo]

I miss 100% of the hermitcraft episodes that the thumbnails don’t say hermitcraft. But that’s just me 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

[@simpson6700]

all you need is something recognizable, something that makes people go "oh this youtuber uploaded again, i liked his videos in the past, so i'll watch this one too". what makes a new viewer click on a thumbnail is seemingly random, at least for lets plays. and i agree with youtube, a text in the same font, in the same location as in past videos can do that very well.

[@Moe_Posting_Chad]

Etho is a mythical being. Kind of like saying. "The King of Chocolate Island"

[@Luke-zj6ge]

It's making me smile knowing that I already knew this. Episode 1 gains the most attention because it's Episode 1. If you remove the numbers. All episodes will gain the same amount or maybe more views. Anyway, it's not rocket science & I figured it out by just looking at statistics on most KZbin Channels following the episodic formula.

[@corivian]

I’m really an outsider comming here bc I haven’t actively wachted xisuma last few years, but was still in love with minecraft, but i just want to say that I relate to this from a real life perspective, staying yourself plus trying to reach something can be very hard.

[@TheZiiFamily]

I like it with the title and number of the title of the series helps grab my attention so I know which video to look for the number tells me which which place I’m at so I know if I’m missing one or not in the series For me personally without the thumbnail and title, if it’s just a single image (whether it looks like Clickbait or not) it feels a little off like something is missing, tho i agree that it is good to experiment with both or what works better what people prefer is pretty subjective so I can imagine it’s a little tricky to figure out which one would work better

[@DrKvo]

I personally like it seeing the ep# in the thumbnail, but I'm not surprised that "without the HC logo and Ep#" performs better. I remember when I was first getting into Etho's single player world, seeing he was on episode 300 or 400 (from the titles, not the thumbnails of course) and feeling daunted because I would have no idea what was going on and missing all the subtle context and not having time to go back and watch hundreds of episodes. I would guess removing the # off the thumbnail could help alleviate those feelings for those that feel overwhelmed by jumping into a huge series, and once they watch an episode you might be able to "rope them in" or "sell it to them" so to speak.

[@mattgriffin0231]

The experiment you did was quite interesting. The only thing you changed was removing the numbers and letters, and frankly I expected it to be worse. That image just looks worse without the text, but despite that it ended up winning. I guess it makes some sense, it's probably easier to draw in new viewers when there's less that could give the impression that they need to watch other stuff to get them caught up. Or maybe it's just more eye catching without the text.

[@therepublic4759]

So etho is etho and will always keep you coming back because of that but his thumbnails, through composition and content, give a very good idea of what the video is going to be about, telling you what you can wait for especiallygivin the length.

[@steampunkWizardStudios]

The comments seem to say a simple, unique and recognizable style is the most important and I agree. If you what to change your thumbnails, your unique style would stand out the most. Thumbnails are only part of the picture. If you want better numbers, you'll have to conform to "the youtube game" in your whole video or try your own thing to attract attention.

[@Sollace]

2:50 I believe the term for that is "decision fatigue". ;D

[@kurtlindner]

I've seen other channels I sub to do this, and I think it's huge mistake for some channels. ComicsExplained started dropping the old thumbnail format for just pictures, and 75% of the time I completely miss the upload now.

[@SamSam-ds9ny]

I personally love the title and number on the thumbnail it helps see the videos, catches my attention more

[@E_T_31]

Oh, that's a great new feature! People have been cycling through thumbnails for years to catch the best performing one. To me that always seemed far too tedious but if KZbin does it for you it's a win-win! Regarding which of these two thumbnails would perform better, I think the one with the text looks more refined but the one without it saves itself the "dead weight" of always the same headline. The best of both worlds might be to add an alternative title/description for the video in the top row :)

[@dboyedoe]

I miss the random still shot from the video as the thumbnail.

[@timwoods2852]

It's always good to know what season we're in. Though the big numbers get hard to follow after a while.😅

[@supermj767]

Where can I find this new feature?

[@GikamesShadow]

When you showed the thumbnail, I instinctivly went "left looks better" But then I realized something when the numbers came up cause at first my reaction was "What? No way!" I then went to the frontpage and yup that confirms it. Several youtubers I love have switched to literally no text at all for a while already without me noticing. Even channels who dont do much in terms of content but upload every now and then just make a generally good thumbnail and let the title speak for itself. This is... weird to notice and I wont how long its been that way. Cause even now, I look to the right where you got all the recommendations of what to watch next and I see several videos that are just "This is what it is" without any flavortext. Title then says "This is what the video is about". In this case Iskall and Sparklez ranking enchantments funny enough. But its just Sparkleypants and Iskall in the thumbnail with a ranking system and enchantment books in the back. Drew my attention more than some of the other ones I see for sure. This is so weird to notice wth! What hast thou done Xisuma, why did you curse me with this knowledge? xD

[@phantom-origin7042]

i like the hermitcraft title. it helps me instantly identify what is going on and relate it to a scenario without having to read a title. i like this about several other youtubers who post multiple types of content. The episode counter isn't necessary but the title.

[@Paradigm7977]

I love it with, it makes it so simply to know what your video is about.

[@loclogic9195]

I think the younger a channel's primary audience is, the more click bait affects the numbers (I'd be curious about the data on that). Etho has mentioned how loyal his fan base is, I've been following since ~2012, and I think that is a natural consequence of not playing the yt game in this context, but his channel doesn't grow as quickly as a tradeoff.

[@harshityashwardhan]

I think it's better to have some text on thumbnail as it's tell you about video without even going to the title, as you're scrolling through first thing you notice is thumbnail, the more thumbnail tells about a video is what I prefer.

[@discotechgaming]

As someone who has been trying to get a channel off the ground for a few months, I definitely feel like I struggle with thumbnails. Hopefully this new feature will help as I try to figure them out.

[@Zirbelz]

I recently stumbled across a browser extension that removes youtube thumbnails and I gotta say I love it. Shows me a frame of the video instead. I don't feel as overwhelmed by attention seeking thumbnails anymore. A bit like yt used to be.