24d (edited) • Thumbnails/Titles experiments
Switching out thumbnail after 12 hours after poor performance.
I am switching out my thumbnail after seeing poor performance after 12 hours, to the next thumbnail with the big phone and 'Hands Only'.
I have attached my analytics below after 12 hours and why I am experimenting.
The reason I am dialled in on thumbnails right now is because my last 3 videos were 1 of 10's so now I am asking AI for help - in this videos case, it is saying it is a packaging problem, so let's see how it goes.
Do you change out your thumbnails and titles sometimes after posting? I don't normally, or not this fast anyway.
Here was the Chat GPT response below to my asking 'can I change anything to help this video?' and what led me to making this new thumbnail:
Your AVD (4:38) is a good sign. People who click are watching.
The problem is packaging: CTR 2.4% is low, so YouTube won’t push it wider yet. This is a thumbnail/title job, not a content job.
What’s not working (based on your screenshot)
Thumbnail issue
Your thumbnail is basically saying:
- “PHONE ONLY” (clear)
- “faceless” (red bar) but it’s subtle and a little confusing at small size
At phone-size, the face + red bar becomes visual “noise,” and the real benefit (“you don’t have to be on camera”) isn’t instantly readable.
Title issue
“Start YouTube Without Being On Camera” is good, but it’s not adding extra punch beyond the thumbnail. You want title + thumbnail to work as a pair, not repeat each other.
Roughly how many impressions has it gotten so far? (If it’s under ~500 impressions, the CTR is still “noisy” and changes can swing fast.)
Your retention is fine (4:38 AVD with a ✅ at your size is a win).Your CTR is the problem (2.4% with a down arrow).
That means: people who click are enjoying it… you just need more of the right people to click.
What I see in your thumbnail right now (based on the screenshot)
What’s working
- “PHONE ONLY” is instantly readable (great).
- Your face + the red bar is a pattern you’ve used before, so it’s on-brand.
- Clean layout (not cluttered).
What’s hurting CTR
- The red bar + smile can read as “meme/joke” more than “solution/tutorial.”
- Your thumbnail is saying PHONE ONLY louder than it’s saying NO CAMERA / NO FACE.
- On mobile, viewers may not immediately understand why the red bar is there (privacy? faceless? banned?).
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Switching out thumbnail after 12 hours after poor performance.
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