"Thumbnails are as important to content as covers are to a book. The old adage goes, 'Don’t judge a book by its cover.' But the reason that became an adage in the first place is because that’s precisely what many of us do. It is a simple fact that if the first impression people have of your content is unpleasant, they are vastly less likely to interact with it further," content creator Trev pointed out that most of us are quick to judge.

"To that end, I wouldn’t say a thumbnail is the most important part. If the content itself is garbage, people will still quickly click away and never return. So you have to make sure you’ve got a good product on the other side. But it’s a very symbiotic relationship, the thumbnail and the content. They need each other to thrive." In short, an engaging, quality thumbnail with no good content to back it up will just leave people disappointed. You have to do both parts well.

"Changing an algorithm is a pretty big undertaking. It’s not something companies can pull off every day, or even week. They also understand that changing the algorithm frustrates many of the top users of their platforms. Still, companies are always pressured to 'innovate,' even if something isn’t really broken. This often results in the kinds of changes that perplex many of us on the other side of them. It always comes down to revenue, so any change you’re seeing was a dollar-focused calculation," Trev explained to Bored Panda.

"Usually when a company changes its algorithm, they will announce these changes at a Keynote event or some other business setting. The press generally reports on these developments, particularly tech journalists. I don’t know how many content creators make it a priority to fill their feed with tech journalists, but they would be very wise to do so," he said.

"The news industry was hit particularly hard when Facebook decided to modify its algorithm. Business pages also saw their reaches plummet for a few years. I owe much of my success to staying current with Facebook’s plans, which is how I learned ‘Groups’ would be greatly favored by the algorithm going forward. The pressure is certainly there to stay up-to-date with the trajectory of these platforms, and how your personal brand is compatible within their fluid ecosystems."

Trev told us that he fully believes it's still possible for quality to content to grab peoples' attention despite a bad thumbnail.... "if the title itself is tantalizing enough."

"But it's very rare that a title, no matter how sensational, can carry all of the weight. A thumbnail doesn’t have to be a masterpiece (they almost never are), but it definitely has to be something that can grab the casual scroller’s attention," he noted.

"A good question for a content creator to ask themself is, 'Will this video seem interesting to people who aren’t already interested in the topic?' If you can make a sports thumbnail that would catch the attention of someone who is not a sports fan, that’s a good thumbnail. Generally, you want to strike a balance between expanding your reach without compromising what it’s about in the first place," the broadcaster told us.

However, trying to appeal to everyone might lead you to quickly lose any substance at all, the content creator pointed out. The result? You end up appealling to no one. "But if you’re too niche, or you only care about catering to the people who are already interested, you’re not going to have your content seen by a substantial audience. Some people might be fine with that, but overwhelmingly creators publish content because they want the world to see it."

It might be helpful to think of thumbnails as small and highly colorful digital signs: they’re all vying for your attention. The most intriguing and eye-catching ones usually get clicked on, especially when paired together with a title and topic that the audience is interested in.

And no matter how immune to ads and digital influence we think we are, many people have clicked on ridiculously over-the-top thumbnails before simply because they wanted to see what the ever-loving frick the video or article was going to be about.

Some time ago, Bored Panda spoke about clickbait with media expert and comedy writer Ariane Sherine, from the United Kingdom. She explained why it is that clickbait works.

“Clickbait works because people are desperate to know the 'one weird trick that doctors don't want you to know!' or similar. When it turns out that the trick is actually something really mundane, readers feel cheated," she noted that the audience can have wildly different expectations from what the content offers.

“This instinct towards drama and not empathy doesn't show humanity in its best light,” she noted why ‘bad’ news tends to be more dramatic.

“[People] want to ogle at what's happened because it's dramatic and entertaining and scary, but it's also a warning of what could happen to them if they're not careful.” It’s why people tend to migrate towards more negative news topics than positive ones.

However, the media expert warned that clickbait has to pay off. For instance, if you have a headline that draws the reader in, you’ve got to back it up with quality content. Otherwise, you might lose a potential long-term audience member.

Now, whether or not the content creator is focusing on short-term rewards or long-term growth is another question entirely… Unfortunately, if someone relies on clickbait, it’s usually the former. Good content creators need to intrigue internet users and hook them in, but don’t feel the need to lie to them.

Professor Lisa McLendon, from The University of Kansas, told Bored Panda earlier that signs have to put clarity and brevity above everything else. “You only have a second or two to get your message across, so you want people to understand quickly with zero confusion.”

Meanwhile, taking the time to edit and proofread your material is essential. Checking in with someone who might tell you if your sign/thumbnail/cover works can also help you down the line.

"Don’t carve an error in stone. It’s embarrassing and expensive to fix. Proofreading before you produce, whether it’s stone or not, is absolutely necessary," the professor said that proofreading is cheaper than having to fix the mistake later. However, that works mainly for physical signs (the embarrassment part still applies, though). In the digital sphere, it’s far easier to edit and adjust on the fly… though ideally, you won’t have to!

"Choose your font with readability in mind. It should be clear and readable at a distance; you don’t want to make people puzzle through a swirly script," the professor noted that the font that you use is very important for readability.

And readability is actually incredibly important. Matt Johnson, from Hult International Business School and Harvard University, previously told Bored Panda about the fluency effect, “the relatively robust behavioral science phenomenon that the more fluent a font is written in, the more likable and trustworthy the message.”

It’s in part due to the fluency effect that more and more brands are opting for similar-looking logos, especially in the online space. Readability means getting the message across, meaning the (potential) customer is left satisfied… or at least far more satisfied than they’d be if they were left to puzzle out what was going on.