Ryan Trahan's latest video reached 2.8 million views in just two days
The thumbnail and title played a crucial role
Here are 6 reasons why:
1 - Colour Theory
Using a 'Triad' colour scheme creates equal contrast among points of focus
Take the lighthouse, coat, and ice in this image, for example
They pop against each other thanks to being coloured red, yellow, and blue
This leads me onto...
2 - Saturation
The use of saturation to prioritise making certain aspects of the thumbnail to be more noticeable than others
While bright and bold colours are given to the lighthouse and the coat, the ice is given a desaturated blue
The yellow and red will stand out more
3 - Facial Expression
Ryan's expression is blank
Being expressionless means that it withholds information from the audience about his feelings towards the experience of the video
This creates a sense of mystery
You become intrigued and it lures you, making you click the video
4 - Simplicity
It only has 3 areas of focus
This makes it easy for the viewer to grasp the topic of the video - Ryan is staying somewhere away from people
Viewers spend milliseconds deciding whether to click on a video, so simpler thumbnails make it easier
Leading to...
5 - Composition
The lighthouse standing alone in the background conveys a sense of loneliness, making it the perfect visual representation for the video
With only a few elements in the backdrop and an expansive ocean, the feeling of isolation around the lighthouse is amplified
6 - Title
Two 'Power Words' are used in the title - "Survived" and "World's"
These extremities make the video more unique and interesting as a concept
"Survived" conveys an immediate sense of danger, leaving viewers curious about how Ryan will overcome it
Now it's time for you to apply them on YouTube
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