TikTok Allows the Uploading of Custom Thumbnail Covers

TikTok / Custom Thumbnail Covers

TikTok has added support for custom thumbnail covers. Users can now upload an image from their camera roll for their videos during the publishing workflow via a new Upload option. Previously, users were limited to selecting a frame from their video.

Why It Matters: Custom thumbnails allow creators and brands to use visuals that best represent their videos and entice people to watch them. While thumbnails may not play a major role in the For You Page, they can be effective when users visit a creator's or brand's profile or search for content. The right thumbnail can attract viewers and encourage them to click and watch.

YouTube’s Miss Is TikTok’s Win: This update follows YouTube's recent announcement that it will allow creators to customize their thumbnails for Shorts, though not in the way they had hoped. Unlike TikTok’s new feature, which lets users upload custom thumbnails directly, YouTube’s solution falls short of meeting creators’ needs.

Although it's a small upgrade, it could influence creators' decisions on where to invest their time—whether in Shorts or TikTok. Despite YouTube’s assertion that thumbnails have minimal impact on Shorts content discovery, it would be better to meet the request of creators, especially since this feature would likely be a relatively light lift.

Will TikTok’s move prompt YouTube to give in? I think so, eventually.