nostr:npub1zdp33shl69xr0uq3x8n5gsjykq9upycwh6nqm02c3f6x0frrn0dq42vqv8 yeah, we find it really frustrating at Mossy Earth (particularly the video team). The thumbnail seems vital but it's so hard to tell. It's bizarre that YouTube doesn't provide proper A/B testing for it.
Discussion
nostr:npub1tzw6a8akxjeqv37etnfrkxxsaeu306rutu0ymsy2z5pszf8p5myq0qyfvk
Thumbnails do seem to matter more than they ought to. Put a human face with an intense emotional expression "reacting" in the thumbnail and a picture that raises a question "what's in the mysterious cave" -- an ambiguous image that people will want to see more clearly... that stuff "works"
But why does it work? Because it's better communication, and better represents the video? Or because someone decided that it works and so those who do it get boosted? Who knows!
nostr:npub1tzw6a8akxjeqv37etnfrkxxsaeu306rutu0ymsy2z5pszf8p5myq0qyfvk
I think the point is to keep you guessing is what I'm saying. Never let your sense of worth or pride in your work get tied to that stuff. There is no correlation.