Creating a professional thumbnail for both a website and YouTube involves several steps, including finding the right image, designing the layout, and ensuring visual appeal. Here’s a general breakdown of the time involved:
Finding the Appropriate Image
- Stock Image Search: If using stock photos, finding a relevant and high-quality image can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending on how specific or niche the subject is.
- Custom Photography: If creating a custom photo (e.g., product photo or team photo), this could take a few hours to a day depending on scheduling, editing, and quality control.
Designing the Thumbnail
- Graphic Design Tools: Using tools like Photoshop, Canva, or Illustrator, the actual design process can take 30 minutes to 2 hours. This includes adding text, adjusting colors, and ensuring visual appeal.
- Iteration: Time may increase if multiple iterations are requested for review or feedback.
The alternative to good design is always bad design. There is no such thing as no design.
Adam Judge
Visual Appeal & Optimization
- Branding & Consistency: Ensuring that the thumbnail matches your branding guidelines (colors, fonts, logos) can add an additional 15-30 minutes.
- Testing for Different Platforms: A well-designed thumbnail might need some resizing or adjustments for different platforms, which could add another 30 minutes.
Total Time Estimate
- On average, expect the process to take anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours depending on complexity and revisions.
Rates as of 2024
- Agencies: If you hire a design agency, they may charge anywhere from $75 to $150 per hour for more polished work, factoring in their design expertise and branding insights.
In total, the cost for creating a thumbnail (including finding images) could range from $50 to $600, depending on how much time is involved.
