Tech Video Thumbnail Analysis

By Fiel Hage

I picked this topic specifically so I can provide you with value for the task you’ve
set out for me. I looked for videos similar to your DJI Pocket 3 video,

Here are videos that performed better because the thumbnails arouse interest for good
reason. For example your thumbnail can get more enhancement when it comes to the
layout and I’ll show you a possible solution at the end of this. The thumbnails I’ve
chosen show what you can do with the camera. they take you on a journey before you
even start.

Now of course this depends on what niche you're targeting, outdoor shots are for travel
people who are looking to capture their outings, and on the opposite side are people
looking for a specific item for their specific use case. Some want to have their daily life
documented while they’re walking through the city, a forest trail, or when vlogging with
friends. They would want a camera that could do several things like Depth of Field, Field
of View, AI Tracking, Gimbal Support, etc.
Faceless Thumbnails
I think these thumbnails work because they aspired for a dramatic effect; drawing
you into the DJI Pocket 3's lens. They pulled it off by having their thumbnail focus
your eyes to the center and then guiding you to the wide angles it can do.

Andy To - 247k subscribers - 184 videos

This thumbnail speaks to me as it draws you into the middle, giving a glimpse of
what the out of focus background is about. The purpose is clear: the DJI Pocket
3 can be a tool to record amazing city shots despite a busy atmosphere. The text
is simple but is only supplementary to the photo.

Thumbnail and Title have the same direction,

City Pic + NYC Overview (Vlogging Camera) = 304k views

Brandon Li - 575k subscribers - 214 videos

His thumbnail is stunning, a wide angle shot of the mountains while he is
standing against a glass railing. Again it shows what the DJI Pocket 3 can do, the
Pocket 3 can focus on its subject and you can use it even solo. The text is big
like a movie title, fitting perfectly with the whole thumbnail.

Thumbnail and Title convey the same thing,

Solo subject against a stunning background + Solo Filmmaking = 551k views
Thumbnails with Face/s
I think thumbnails with faces work because they give the effect of being genuine
despite having the product also being featured. They pulled it off by having your
eyes focus on either the Pocket 3 or what’s behind it.

Potato Jet - 1.01M subscribers - 361 videos

This thumbnail catches my attention as it is simple, no text but you can see that
the Pocket 3 can be used for personal memories, vlogs, etc. They pulled it off by
blurring the photo and making it sharp on the Pocket 3’s screen.

Thumbnail layers blend together,

Blurred Couple Photo + Sharp Couple Photo on Pocket 3 = 103k views

Tamara Gabriel - 39.2k subscribers - 338 videos

I chose this thumbnail amongst the other ones with faces as I saw it unique,
similar to the blurred couple one in concept but she pulled it off by having the
Pocket 3 to be in the frame and using its lens to be her left eye as a nice touch.

Thumbnail layers blend together,

Blurred Photo of Youtuber + Pocket 3 in focus but blending it = 141k views
After Thoughts:
Doing this quick research it can be noticed that the number of subscribers don’t
necessarily mean many views like Potato Jet with 1.01M subs only has 103k
views on his DJI Pocket 3 video. On the other hand, Tamara Gabriel got 42k
more views despite her subscribers being a fraction of Potato Jet’s.

Here is a possible suggestion for your own video:

The caption you have remains the same but putting more story into your
thumbnail will draw people in better to watch your video, intrigued as to why it’s
almost perfect using the Pocket 3. You overlooking a great view of Dubai’s city
scape shows that something’s amiss, you're also looking for something to make
the shot a bit better.