Back in December 2008, YouTube decided to implement what they called their “Improved Thumbnails” feature. See YouTube Secret Weapon’s post on this for more detail.
Basically though, YouTube wanted to eliminate people manipulating their video views by adding images of scantily cladded women – gosh, this tactic has lasted an age hasn’t it? I mean … chocolate and women, cars and women, holidays and women … anyway, I digress.
Maybe I’ve been asleep and didn’t know about the change of heart, but I uploaded a video today and not only did I get a choice of three thumbnails, I received a congratulations email for uploading my first video … it’s a new channel. (See Julie Perry’s comment below - seems I misunderstood the part about the thumbnails control - I definately must have been asleep when uploading my past videos!)
Maybe I just didn’t take notice on the other occasions, but I thought this was cool, especially for those not sure where to start with using YouTube.
In one of my future posts, I’ll highlight some of the tips I’ve learnt for getting noticed on YouTube and, how I knocked Alex Mandossian off his #8 spot on YouTube for his Teleseminar Secrets course. It was the very first video I had ever created and even now, two years later, (at the time of writing this post), I’m still featured on the second page. In fact, for that one promotion, I did just that one video and made myself $900 affiliate commission.
Not bad is it for one video.
Go check me out … Go to YouTube and type in “teleseminar secrets.”
Until next time,
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About Trish Jones
Hi Trish — Thanks for the mention of my December 2008 post. It seems though that you misunderstood it just a bit: In that post, I wrote about the fact that YouTube was changing the way it offered up what three thumbnail options video producers could choose from — not that they were doing away with the three thumbnail options altogether.
You see, prior to Dec. 2008, YouTube would offer three thumbnail options taken from the exact three points of a video timeline: exactly 25% of the way through, the 50% or mid-way point, and the point 75% of the way through the video. It was knowing in advance where to place images one wanted to include as a video thumbnail that allowed content producers the ability to manipulate their videos in sneaky or spammy ways (by placing a quick clip of a bikini-clad woman right at the half-way point of a video, for example).
YouTube still offers up three choices for a thumbnail still from which content producers are able to choose — but now those images are randomly and “algorithmically”-selected, with no way of knowing in advance where to place such images.
Meanwhile, it sounds like you’ve been having a lot of success with your YouTube marketing efforts — thanks again for referencing my blog, and keep up the great work!
~Julie Perry
Hi Julie,
Thanks for the correction!
I must have been hiding under a rock since I did not recall seeing a thumbnail option for a long time. Maybe it’s just that the past ones were okay and I never checked. The video thumbnail for the video I uploaded today definately needed changing!
Anyway Julie, is YouTube Secret Weapon still being offered? I’m a member of Video Boss and loving it, but I know not everyone can afford it. I’d like to give them a GOOD alternative. Couldn’t find the link on the blog.
Thanks again for correcting me on this Julie.
Trish
Hi Julie,
Thanks for the correction!
I must have been hiding under a rock since I did not recall seeing a thumbnail option for a long time. Maybe it’s just that the past ones were okay and I never checked. The video thumbnail for the video I uploaded today definately needed changing!
Anyway Julie, is YouTube Secret Weapon still being offered? I’m a member of Video Boss and loving it, but I know not everyone can afford it. I’d like to give them a GOOD alternative. Couldn’t find the link on the blog.
Thanks again for correcting me on this Julie.
Trish