Clear titles
Use words your viewer uses, state the result or question, and keep it short. Avoid vague titles like "My thoughts on marketing".
Readable thumbnails
One face or object, three to five words maximum, strong contrast, readable on a phone. The thumbnail should add to the title, not repeat it.
No misleading promises
Clickbait that the video does not deliver hurts retention and trust. Viewers leave quickly, and recommendations drop.
Test and learn
Prepare two or three title and thumbnail options. Where testing features are available, use them; otherwise compare click-through rates over time.
Example
Title options
"How to price freelance work (3 packages that clients accept)" · "Stop charging by the hour: the 3-package method" · "Freelance pricing: my exact packages and prices".
Prompt to try
Replace the [brackets] with your own details and review the result before using it.
Write 10 YouTube title options for a video about [topic] for [audience]. Under 60 characters, clear, no clickbait. Then suggest 3 thumbnail concepts with 3 to 5 words of text each.
Exercise
Write ten title options for one video.
