youtube-thumbnail

name	youtube-thumbnail
description	Generates three YouTube thumbnail options optimized for click-through rate using Canva, applying high-contrast colors, emotional expressions, and concise text overlays. Use when a user needs a thumbnail for a YouTube video, wants to A/B test thumbnail designs, or needs click-optimized visual assets at 1280x720.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob mcp__claude_ai_Canva__generate-design mcp__claude_ai_Canva__list-brand-kits mcp__claude_ai_Canva__export-design mcp__claude_ai_Canva__get-export-formats mcp__claude_ai_Canva__get-design-thumbnail mcp__claude_ai_Canva__start-editing-transaction mcp__claude_ai_Canva__perform-editing-operations mcp__claude_ai_Canva__commit-editing-transaction mcp__claude_ai_Canva__cancel-editing-transaction
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

YouTube Thumbnail Generator

3 CTR-optimized options per video. 1280x720 JPG export. High-contrast colors, emotional faces, 3 words max. User picks one, refine, deliver.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Create a click-optimized YouTube thumbnail for an upcoming or published video
• Generate 3 distinct thumbnail concepts to A/B test or pick from
• Apply CTR best practices (contrast, emotion, minimal text) to a thumbnail design
• Refresh an underperforming video's thumbnail with a higher-CTR alternative

DO NOT use this skill for:

• YouTube channel art or banners (different dimensions and goals)
• Video editing, intros, or end screens
• Social media graphics for non-YouTube platforms (use social-media-graphics instead)

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Quick Reference: Thumbnail Specifications

Spec	Value	Why It Matters
Dimensions	1280 x 720 px	YouTube required minimum; 16:9 aspect ratio
Max file size	2 MB	YouTube upload limit
Format	JPG	Smallest file size at high quality; YouTube standard
Text overlay	3 WORDS MAXIMUM	Must be readable at 168x94 (mobile suggested video)
Font size	Fills 30-40% of thumbnail width	Legibility at all screen sizes
Safe zone	Key elements in center 80%	Edges get cropped on some devices
Color contrast	Minimum 4.5:1 text-to-background	Visibility on white and dark YouTube backgrounds
Faces	Visible, emotional, eye contact	Faces with strong emotion lift CTR 30-40% on average

Quick Reference: CTR Best Practices

Practice	Impact	Implementation
High-contrast colors	CRITICAL	Complementary pairs: yellow/black, red/white, blue/orange
Emotional face expression	CRITICAL	Surprise, excitement, shock, curiosity — exaggerated beats subtle
3 words or fewer	CRITICAL	Every extra word reduces readability at small sizes
Rule of thirds	HIGH	Face on one third, text on the opposite third
No clutter	HIGH	One focal element + one text element maximum
Color pop background	MEDIUM	Solid or gradient in a bold color behind the subject
Outline/stroke on text	MEDIUM	White or black stroke ensures readability on any background
Avoid red/green together	LOW	Color-blind viewers cannot distinguish these

THE #1 RULE: IF THE THUMBNAIL IS NOT READABLE AT THE SIZE OF YOUR THUMB, IT WILL NOT GET CLICKED.

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Quick Reference: Thumbnail Style Types

Style	Layout	Best For	Text Placement	Visual Focus
Reaction	Face on left third, text on right	Commentary, reactions, vlogs	1-2 bold words beside face	Exaggerated facial expression
Tutorial	Step visual on right, text on left	How-to, walkthroughs, guides	Action verb + subject ("Edit FASTER")	Screenshot or tool visual
Listicle	Large number left, subject montage right	Top 5, rankings, comparisons	Bold number as anchor element	Collage of items being ranked
Story	Dramatic full-bleed image, text overlay	Challenges, experiences, storytime	Question or cliffhanger centered	Cinematic photo or dramatic moment
Before/After	Split screen, left vs right	Transformations, results, reviews	Labels for each half	Clear visual contrast between halves
Bold Text	Text dominates 60%+ of frame	Hot takes, opinions, announcements	Statement fills the canvas	Minimal imagery, maximum text impact

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Core Workflow

GENERATE 3 DISTINCT THUMBNAIL OPTIONS WITH DIFFERENT STYLE APPROACHES — NEVER 3 VARIATIONS OF THE SAME CONCEPT.

Step 1: Gather Video Details

Collect before generating anything:

1. Video title — exact or working title of the video
2. Topic/subject — what the video is about in one sentence
3. Style preference — preferred style from the table above, or let the skill pick 3 contrasting styles
4. Face/person — include a face? If yes, describe expression and framing
5. Brand colors — Canva brand kit or manual hex codes
6. Competing thumbnails — thumbnails they want to stand out from (optional)

If the user provides items 1-2, proceed with defaults for the rest.

Brief template for vague requests:

I'll generate 3 thumbnail options. Quick details needed:
1. Video title?
2. What's it about? (one sentence)
3. Preferred style? (Reaction / Tutorial / Listicle / Story / Bold Text — or I'll pick 3)
4. Include a face? (describe expression if yes)
5. Use your Canva brand kit? (Y/N)

Step 2: Load Brand Kit from Canva

1. Call list-brand-kits to retrieve available brand kits
2. Select matching kit or ask user to choose if multiple exist
3. Note brand colors, fonts, and logo references for generation prompts

IF NO BRAND KIT EXISTS:

• Ask for primary color, secondary color, and preferred font weight (bold/heavy recommended)
• DEFAULT PALETTE IF NO PREFERENCE: Yellow (#FFD700) text on dark navy (#0A0E27) background with white (#FFFFFF) stroke — high visibility on both light and dark YouTube interfaces

Step 3: Generate 3 Thumbnail Options

Generate 3 thumbnails using 3 different style approaches. Each must be a completely different creative direction.

Option selection logic (when no user preference):

• Commentary/opinion videos: Reaction + Bold Text + Story
• How-to/educational videos: Tutorial + Listicle + Bold Text
• Challenge/experience videos: Story + Reaction + Before/After
• Review/comparison videos: Listicle + Before/After + Tutorial

For each option:

1. Condense the video title to 3 words or fewer for overlay text
2. Build generation prompt with: overlay text, brand colors, style layout, 1280x720 landscape, high-contrast treatment, text stroke/outline
3. Call generate-design with the prompt
4. Call get-design-thumbnail to preview

Example prompt — Reaction style:

YouTube thumbnail, 1280x720, landscape orientation.
Style: Reaction thumbnail.
Layout: Exaggerated surprised face on the left third of frame.
Background: Solid bold red (#FF2D55) with subtle radial gradient.
Text overlay on right side: "NO WAY" in Impact font, white (#FFFFFF) with
thick black stroke outline. Text fills 35% of frame width.
High contrast. Bold colors. Clean composition. No clutter.
Rule of thirds composition. Safe margins on all edges.

Example prompt — Tutorial style:

YouTube thumbnail, 1280x720, landscape orientation.
Style: Tutorial thumbnail.
Layout: Software screenshot or tool visual on the right two-thirds.
Text on left third: "Edit FASTER" in Bebas Neue, yellow (#FFD700) on
dark navy (#0A0E27) block. White stroke on text.
Arrow pointing from text to the visual.
High contrast. Clean layout. One focal point. No clutter.

Example prompt — Bold Text style:

YouTube thumbnail, 1280x720, landscape orientation.
Style: Bold text-dominant thumbnail.
Layout: Text fills 60% of the frame, centered.
Text: "$10K" in massive Impact font, bright yellow (#FFD700).
Background: Dark navy (#0A0E27) solid.
Subtle money/cash imagery at 20% opacity behind text.
White stroke outline on all text. Extremely readable at small sizes.

Present all 3 options with style name, layout description, design ID, and thumbnail preview. Wait for the user to pick a favorite before proceeding.

IF THE USER DISLIKES ALL 3:

• Ask what element was closest and what feels wrong
• Generate 2 new options incorporating the feedback
• If 5 total attempts miss, stop and provide specs for manual Canva creation

Step 4: Refine the Selected Thumbnail

Once the user picks a favorite:

1. Ask if refinements are needed (text wording, colors, repositioning, add/remove elements)
2. If refinements requested:
   • Call start-editing-transaction on the selected design ID
   • Call perform-editing-operations with the specific changes
   • Call get-design-thumbnail to preview the edit
   • If approved: call commit-editing-transaction
   • If not approved: call cancel-editing-transaction and repeat
3. If no changes needed, proceed directly to export

REFINEMENT LIMIT: Maximum 3 rounds of edits. After 3 rounds, regenerate from scratch with all feedback baked into the prompt rather than continuing to patch.

Step 5: Export at 1280x720 as JPG

1. Call get-export-formats to confirm JPG availability
2. Call export-design with: design ID, format jpg, dimensions 1280x720
3. Verify: file under 2 MB, dimensions exactly 1280x720
4. Present the final export with file name, dimensions, format, size, and export URL

FILE NAMING: youtube-thumbnail-{topic-slug}.jpg — all lowercase, hyphens only

DEFAULT FORMAT: JPG — keeps files under YouTube's 2 MB limit. Use PNG only if user requests it or design is purely text/vector.

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Example 1: "5 Tools Every Solopreneur Needs" — Tutorial Thumbnail

User brief: "Publishing a video called '5 Tools Every Solopreneur Needs' about productivity apps. Professional but eye-catching. Brand colors: teal and white."

Execution:

1. Details: Title: "5 Tools Every Solopreneur Needs" | Topic: productivity apps | Style: auto-select Tutorial + Listicle + Bold Text (educational) | No face | Brand: teal/white

2. Brand kit: list-brand-kits returns "Solopreneur Studio" — teal (#00BFA6), white (#FFFFFF), dark gray (#1A1A2E). Loaded.

3. 3 options generated:

   • Option A (Tutorial): "5 TOOLS" in white on teal block left, app screenshot mockup right. generate-design + get-design-thumbnail.
   • Option B (Listicle): Massive "5" in white left, app icon grid on dark gray right, teal accent line. generate-design + get-design-thumbnail.
   • Option C (Bold Text): "5 TOOLS" fills 60% of frame, dark gray background, teal underline. generate-design + get-design-thumbnail.

4. User picks Option B. Requests pure black background instead of dark gray.

5. Refine: start-editing-transaction > perform-editing-operations (background #1A1A2E to #000000) > get-design-thumbnail > user approves > commit-editing-transaction.

6. Export: export-design as JPG, 1280x720. File: 142 KB.

Delivered:

Thumbnail ready for "5 Tools Every Solopreneur Needs":

  File: youtube-thumbnail-5-tools-solopreneur.jpg
  Dimensions: 1280 x 720 px
  Format: JPG | Size: 142 KB
  Export URL: [URL]

Design: Listicle style — bold "5" left, app icon grid right, pure black
background with teal accents. Upload to YouTube Studio as custom thumbnail.

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Example 2: "I Made $10K in 30 Days" — Reaction/Story Thumbnail

User brief: "New video: 'I Made $10K in 30 Days' about first month freelancing. Dramatic, makes people click. Include my face looking shocked. Brand: gold and black."

Execution:

1. Details: Title: "I Made $10K in 30 Days" | Topic: freelancing income milestone | Style: auto-select Reaction + Story + Bold Text (challenge/experience) | Face: shocked expression | Brand: gold (#FFD700), black (#000000)

2. Brand kit: list-brand-kits returns "Freelance Gold" — gold (#FFD700), black (#000000), white (#FFFFFF). Loaded.

3. 3 options generated:

   • Option A (Reaction): Shocked face left third, "$10K" in massive gold right, black background, subtle money imagery at 10% opacity. generate-design + get-design-thumbnail.
   • Option B (Story): Full-bleed cinematic desk scene, "$10K?" question in gold centered, dark moody tones, vignette. generate-design + get-design-thumbnail.
   • Option C (Bold Text): "$10K" in gold top half, "30 DAYS" in white below, black background, gold arrow between. generate-design + get-design-thumbnail.

4. User picks Option A. Requests bigger gold text and subtle green money rain in background.

5. Refine: start-editing-transaction > perform-editing-operations (scale "$10K" text up 20%, add green money particles at 15% opacity) > get-design-thumbnail > user approves > commit-editing-transaction.

6. Export: export-design as JPG, 1280x720. File: 198 KB.

Delivered:

Thumbnail ready for "I Made $10K in 30 Days":

  File: youtube-thumbnail-10k-30-days.jpg
  Dimensions: 1280 x 720 px
  Format: JPG | Size: 198 KB
  Export URL: [URL]

Design: Reaction style — shocked face left, massive "$10K" in gold right,
black background with subtle green money rain. Upload to YouTube Studio.

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Pre-Delivery Checklist

Run before delivering. DO NOT SKIP ANY ITEM.

#	Check	Verify
1	Text readable at thumb size	Legible at 168x94 px (YouTube mobile suggested size)
2	3 words or fewer	Count overlay words — if >3, cut to most impactful
3	Face visible and emotional	Expression obvious at small sizes (if face included)
4	High contrast	4.5:1+ text-to-background ratio — no medium tones
5	No clutter	Max 2 focal elements (one text, one visual)
6	Rule of thirds	Key elements on thirds grid intersections
7	Safe zone	All key content within center 80% of frame
8	1280 x 720 px	Exact dimensions verified in export
9	Under 2 MB	JPG file size within YouTube limit
10	No title duplication	Thumbnail text complements, not duplicates, video title

Pre-Delivery Checklist:
  [x] Text readable at thumb size (168x94)
  [x] 3 words or fewer on overlay
  [x] Face visible and emotional (if applicable)
  [x] High contrast (4.5:1+ ratio)
  [x] No clutter (max 2 focal elements)
  [x] Rule of thirds composition
  [x] Safe zone (center 80%)
  [x] Dimensions: 1280 x 720 px
  [x] File size: under 2 MB
  [x] Text complements (not duplicates) video title

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Recovery and Troubleshooting

Brand Kit Not Found

1. Inform user: "No brand kits found in your Canva account."
2. Ask for primary color, secondary color, font weight preference
3. No preference? Apply default: Yellow (#FFD700) text, dark navy (#0A0E27) background, white (#FFFFFF) stroke
4. Suggest creating a brand kit in Canva for future consistency

All 3 Options Rejected

1. Ask: "Which was closest? What did you like/dislike?"
2. Ask for a reference thumbnail URL or description of what they envision
3. Generate 2 new options with specific feedback
4. After 5 total options, stop and provide text specs for manual Canva creation

Editing Transaction Fails

1. Call cancel-editing-transaction to clean up
2. Retry start-editing-transaction on the same design
3. Simplify edits — one change at a time instead of batching
4. If still failing, regenerate from scratch with refinements in the prompt

Export Fails

1. Verify design ID with get-design-thumbnail
2. Try PNG instead of JPG (inform user of format change)
3. If both fail, provide design ID for manual export: Canva > Find design > Share > Download > JPG > 1280x720

Design Generation Fails

1. Simplify prompt to essentials: text, colors, dimensions
2. Retry once with simplified prompt
3. Try Bold Text style (fewest layout demands, most reliable)
4. After 3 failures, stop and provide specs for manual creation

Text Overlay Exceeds 3 Words

1. Do NOT put full title on thumbnail
2. Extract 1-3 most powerful words
3. Present condensed options to user:

   Title too long for thumbnail. Condensed options:
     A) "6 FIGURES"
     B) "$100K+"
     C) "BEDROOM BIZ"
   Which one? Or suggest your own (3 words max).
   

4. Use chosen text in all 3 options

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Anti-Patterns

• DO NOT put the full video title on the thumbnail — 3 words maximum
• DO NOT use low-contrast combinations (gray/gray, light yellow/white, navy/black)
• DO NOT generate 3 variations of the same concept — each must be a different style
• DO NOT export before the user picks and approves a favorite
• DO NOT use small or thin fonts — must be readable at 168x94 px
• DO NOT crowd with multiple text elements, logos, and imagery — one text + one visual max
• DO NOT skip the refinement step — always ask if changes are needed before export
• DO NOT export as PNG by default — JPG is the YouTube thumbnail standard
• DO NOT duplicate the video title word-for-word on the thumbnail