Why people click: the psychology behind YouTube thumbnails
People click a thumbnail when it wins a glance against its neighbours, raises a question the title does not answer, and looks like a promise the video can keep.
Topic
Click Psychology
Why people click: curiosity gaps, emotion, stakes, specificity, novelty, and the first-second decision in a crowded feed.
4 articles
Facial expressions in thumbnails: which emotion earns the click
The expression on a thumbnail is information, not decoration. Which emotion fits which promise, why the shocked face wears out, and where the eyes should look.
The curiosity gap in thumbnails: open a question without clickbait
A curiosity gap is the distance between what a viewer knows and what they want to know. How to open one on a thumbnail, and why the video has to close it.
What makes a YouTube thumbnail clickable? The short answer
A thumbnail is clickable when it is seen before it is read, raises a question the title does not answer, and looks like a promise the video keeps. Seven levers.
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