Distribution

Thumbnail

Also called: cover image, cover frame

The still image that represents a video before it plays — the biggest driver of click-through rate.

A thumbnail is the cover image a viewer sees before deciding to watch. On YouTube it is a custom graphic; on feed platforms it is the cover frame plus first caption. Either way it is the first thing judged and the main lever on click-through rate.

Effective thumbnails have one clear focal point, high contrast, readable text at small sizes, and a face or object that conveys the payoff. Testing variants is the fastest path to a higher CTR.

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Related terms

Engagement rate

Likes, comments, shares, and saves relative to views — a signal of how much a video resonates.

AI video clipping

Using AI to find the best moments in a long video and cut them into ready-to-post vertical shorts.

Hook

The first 1–3 seconds of a video that stops the scroll and makes a viewer commit to watching.

B-roll

Secondary footage cut over the main talking-head shot to illustrate, add energy, and hold attention.

Nva

Stop scrubbing. Start clipping.

Nova finds the moments worth posting and cuts them into captioned vertical clips — free to start.

Create your first clip