YouTube Thumbnails: Concepts, Prompts and Text

About the “YouTube Thumbnails: Concepts, Prompts and Text” template

Honest thumbnail concepts for your video, with image prompts, text-overlay options and a legibility and truthfulness check. The thumbnail should only promise what the video delivers. It is one of the templates in AI Video.

What it will ask you (12)

1. What is the video about? (e.g. how to set up an urban garden on a small balcony)
2. What does the video actually show or tell? (the thumbnail cannot promise more than this)
3. Video type
4. Visual elements you are interested in
5. Main feeling you want to convey
6. Visual style
7. Maximum words of text on the thumbnail (0 for none, max 6)
8. How many different concepts do you want? (between 3 and 8)
9. Language of the thumbnail text
10. Your channel's visual identity (colours, typeface, recurring style)
11. I will include my own photo in the thumbnail
12. The video includes sponsorship, a paid collaboration or affiliate links

Example result

What the AI returned with this prompt and some sample answers.

# YouTube thumbnails · 'Changing a bike inner tube step by step' · 2 concepts

REAL PROMISE AND HONESTY RULE
The video shows how to change the rear inner tube with two tyre levers
and a hand pump. The thumbnail must not suggest it is done without tools
or in a time the video does not show.
Ruled out: stopwatches, arrows pointing at nothing and shocked faces.

CONCEPTS
1. Wheel off, new tube in hand
   Main element: hands holding the tube · Emotion: calm
   Text: 'New tube' · Risk of misleading: low
2. Before and after of the same wheel
   Main element: flat wheel next to the finished wheel
   Emotion: relief · Text: 'Wheel ready' · Risk of misleading: low

IMAGE PROMPT (concept 1)
Close-up of hands in workshop gloves holding a black bicycle inner tube,
wheel resting behind, blurred garage background, warm side light, orange
and dark grey palette, realistic photographic style, left third empty for
text, no logos, no faces.

OVERLAY TEXT (3 words maximum)
'New tube' · 'Change the tube' · 'Step by step'
…

How to use it

1. Answer the questions in the form above.
2. Generate the prompt and copy it, or open it straight in your AI.
3. Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. If the result doesn't fit, ask the AI to adjust it or generate it again with other answers.

Frequently asked questions

What do I get with “YouTube Thumbnails: Concepts, Prompts and Text”?

A complete prompt tailored to your answers, ready to paste into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Honest thumbnail concepts for your video, with image prompts, text-overlay options and a legibility and truthfulness check. The thumbnail should only promise what the video delivers.

How long does it take?

You answer 12 guided questions; most have options to pick from, so it usually takes a couple of minutes.

Is it free?

Yes. Fill in the form, sign in with Google and copy the prompt, at no cost.

Do you store what I type?

Yes, in your history: we keep your answers and the generated prompt, linked to your account, for 12 months. You can see and delete them in “My account”. For health, diet, fitness and finance templates we store nothing.