Having an eye-catching thumbnail is crucial for getting views on your LinkedIn videos. The thumbnail acts as the cover image that viewers see before clicking to watch your full video. It’s often the first impression you make and can determine if someone takes the time to view your content or keeps scrolling past it.
The good news is that you can change your LinkedIn video thumbnail even after you’ve published your video. LinkedIn allows you to edit various aspects of your posted videos, including the thumbnail image. With a few simple steps, you can upload a new custom thumbnail that better represents your video content and entices viewers to click play.
Why You Should Consider Changing Your Thumbnail
Here are some key reasons you may want to change your LinkedIn video thumbnail after posting:
- Your original thumbnail is blurry, low-quality, or doesn’t showcase an appealing image
- You want imagery that better conveys the topic and content of your video
- You want the thumbnail to include text overlays that highlight key points or topics covered
- Your video isn’t getting the views you expected and you want to test if a new thumbnail will increase clicks
- You’ve noticed higher performing thumbnail styles from competitors and want to emulate that
- You simply want the thumbnail to be more eye-catching and click-worthy
The thumbnail is valuable digital real estate for your LinkedIn videos. Taking the time to create a polished, professional looking thumbnail that properly represents your content is worth the effort. An improved thumbnail can increase your overall video views.
Requirements for LinkedIn Video Thumbnails
If you want to change your video thumbnail, there are a few requirements to keep in mind:
- Thumbnail Dimensions: Your image must be at least 560×315 pixels. Vertical thumbnails are not supported.
- File Size: Keep your thumbnail under 2 MB.
- File Types: LinkedIn supports JPG, PNG or GIF formats.
- Aspect Ratio: Use a 16:9 horizontal aspect ratio.
- Text & Overlays: Feel free to add text, logos, or graphic overlays as needed.
- High Resolution: Upload the highest resolution version possible for quality.
Adhering to these requirements will ensure your custom thumbnail appears correctly after updating. Keep the file size on the lower end if possible for fastest load times.
Step-by-Step Guide to Updating Thumbnails
Follow these steps to change your video thumbnail on LinkedIn after publishing:
- Open LinkedIn and go to your video post. Click the three dots “More” menu.
- Select “Edit this video” from the dropdown menu.
- This will open the video editing screen. Click on the thumbnail image to upload a new one.
- Choose your new thumbnail file from your computer files.
- Crop or edit the thumbnail as needed. Be sure to maintain the proper dimensions.
- If adding overlays, use the text and sticker options to layer these over your image.
- Click “Save” when you have your desired thumbnail image.
- On the video editing screen, scroll down and click “Save” again to confirm the new thumbnail.
That’s all there is to it! Your updated thumbnail will now be live on your published video for all to see. You can repeat these steps in the future if you ever want to test new thumbnails. Experiment to see which thumbnails perform best at increasing views.
Thumbnail Design Best Practices
When designing custom thumbnails, keep these best practices in mind:
- Use high-quality, eye-catching imagery relevant to your video topic
- Include your logo, branding, or other graphics if appropriate
- Add engaging text overlays like “Watch Now” or provocative questions
- Use bold, contrasting colors that stand out on feeds
- Feature people’s faces/expressions if applicable to draw attention
- Ensure any text is large, easy to read at small sizes
- Keep some negative space around focal points to avoid clutter
Refer to top-performing thumbnails from influencers in your industry for inspiration. Test different styles, fonts, and layouts to see what resonates most with your target audience. Analyze the data to guide your ongoing thumbnail optimization efforts.
Other LinkedIn Video Editing Options
In addition to the thumbnail, you can edit these other aspects of your video post:
- Title: Consider changing your title to use keywords or phrases proven to get more engagement.
- Description: Update your video description to include better SEO, value propositions, or viewer instructions.
- Visibility: Switch from public to private or vice versa if you want to limit or increase viewers.
- View Count: You can hide view counts to put more emphasis on content vs. popularity.
Regularly optimizing your video title, description, and metadata ensures your content shows up in the right searches and keeps drawing in viewers over time.
Pro Tip: Schedule Videos for Maximum Impact
One final tip – take advantage of LinkedIn’s scheduling options when posting new videos or updated versions.Scheduling videos in advance allows you to:
- Strategically release videos when your audience is most active.
- Build anticipation and plan promotional campaigns around launch dates.
- Avoid saturating followers by spacing out video posts.
- Test posting at different days/times to see what performs best.
Head to your video draft, then click “Schedule” to choose when you want your content to go live. Scheduling around peak engagement windows can get your videos in front of more people which translates to more views!
Conclusion
As you can see, updating your LinkedIn video thumbnails after publishing is simple and straightforward. Investing the small amount of time needed to test higher-converting thumbnails is worth the effort. An optimized thumbnail acts as a click magnet, enticing viewers to watch more of your videos. Combine a compelling thumbnail with strategic scheduling for maximum views and engagement!