YouTube is testing a feature that provides users with short video previews before they click on a recommendation, aiming to offer a clearer representation of video content.
This initiative potentially impacts creator strategies that currently rely heavily on thumbnail optimization for view counts. YouTube’s “Discover videos with Previews” feature is designed to show users more context about a video before they decide to watch it.
YouTube stated in a March 19 support update that the feature will display 5-10 short, engaging moments from recommended videos after clicking an entry card on the homepage. Users can then choose to watch the full video or add it to a “watch later” list.
The system generates a highlights package to offer potential viewers more information about a video’s content. This approach may alter how creators optimize their videos for viewers.
Some creators, such as MrBeast, currently employ teams to optimize thumbnail images. Jimmy Donaldson of MrBeast revealed that he pays approximately $10,000 per thumbnail image through this optimization process.
YouTube emphasized that this is a small-scale experiment, with the highlights feature currently available to a limited percentage of users on the Android mobile application.
