Why do people click on a thumbnail?
Psychology has the answers.
Here’s 10 powerful theories that explain why people click:
Psychology has the answers.
Here’s 10 powerful theories that explain why people click:
Confirmation Bias
→ People look for and favour information that confirms what they think.
Titles and thumbnails that confirm what target viewers 'feel' about a topic are more likely to get the click.
→ People look for and favour information that confirms what they think.
Titles and thumbnails that confirm what target viewers 'feel' about a topic are more likely to get the click.
Cognitive Load
→ The total amount of mental effort required to interpret information.
Thumbnails that minimise the effort required to understand the idea are much more effective on a busy homepage.
→ The total amount of mental effort required to interpret information.
Thumbnails that minimise the effort required to understand the idea are much more effective on a busy homepage.
Anchoring Bias
→ Decisions are heavily influenced by the first piece of information people see.
Whatever viewers see first in a thumbnail is going to have the biggest impact on whether they click or not.
→ Decisions are heavily influenced by the first piece of information people see.
Whatever viewers see first in a thumbnail is going to have the biggest impact on whether they click or not.
Progressive Disclosure
→ When complex information is withheld and disclosed later on.
Effective titles and thumbnails focus on the remarkable parts of the idea and leave confusing details for the content.
→ When complex information is withheld and disclosed later on.
Effective titles and thumbnails focus on the remarkable parts of the idea and leave confusing details for the content.
Tesler's Law
→ Any collection of information requires a certain level of complexity that cannot be reduced.
There is a certain level of context required in the title and thumbnail for viewers to understand an idea and click.
→ Any collection of information requires a certain level of complexity that cannot be reduced.
There is a certain level of context required in the title and thumbnail for viewers to understand an idea and click.
Framing
→ The way information is presented affects how people make decisions.
This is the core part of effective titles and thumbnails - they frame ideas in the most clickable way.
→ The way information is presented affects how people make decisions.
This is the core part of effective titles and thumbnails - they frame ideas in the most clickable way.
Social Proof
→ People tend to copy the behaviours of others.
It's not just the title and thumbnail that impacts whether viewers click, the views act as a measure of quality.
→ People tend to copy the behaviours of others.
It's not just the title and thumbnail that impacts whether viewers click, the views act as a measure of quality.
Curiosity Gap
→ When people detect new and valuable information is available, they have a desire to access it.
The bigger the gap between what the viewer knows and what the viewer wants to know, the more likely they are to click.
→ When people detect new and valuable information is available, they have a desire to access it.
The bigger the gap between what the viewer knows and what the viewer wants to know, the more likely they are to click.
Occam’s Razor
→ The simplest form of information is often better than more complex forms.
The best thumbnails capture exactly what it needs to capture, in the most efficient way possible.
It includes the minimum amount of information required to get the click.
→ The simplest form of information is often better than more complex forms.
The best thumbnails capture exactly what it needs to capture, in the most efficient way possible.
It includes the minimum amount of information required to get the click.
Familiarity Bias
→ People prefer what is familiar and avoid the unknown.
Why do thumbnails within niches always end up looking the same?
Potentially a lack of creative innovation but also because viewers become familiar with a particular style of thumbnail for that niche.
→ People prefer what is familiar and avoid the unknown.
Why do thumbnails within niches always end up looking the same?
Potentially a lack of creative innovation but also because viewers become familiar with a particular style of thumbnail for that niche.
More to thumbnails than people think.
Found this tweet useful?
Check out the Thumbnail Course.
Everything you need to make clickable thumbnails and improve your CTR.
thumbnail.world
Found this tweet useful?
Check out the Thumbnail Course.
Everything you need to make clickable thumbnails and improve your CTR.
thumbnail.world
And if you really liked the tweet...
1. Follow me @theJayAlto for more YouTube knowledge.
2. Retweet the first tweet if you now feel like a professional psychologist.
1. Follow me @theJayAlto for more YouTube knowledge.
2. Retweet the first tweet if you now feel like a professional psychologist.
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