Big news for TikTok creators: TikTok now has the ability to upload custom thumbnail images for your clips.
As you can see in this example posted by social media expert Matt Navarra, within the app’s upload flow, you can now select a specific frame from your video to become your thumbnail image, or tap the “Upload” option to add your own custom visual to your hero image.
So you can create your own still image thumbnail in other apps like CapCut and then upload that to use as your cover image.
This option helps you grab attention in searches and on your profile, providing a more eye-catching visual that draws people in.
And thumbnails are certainly important for this purpose. YouTube star MrBeast We spend a lot of time creating thumbnails to maximize viewership, averaging about $10,000 per thumbnail For his clips, and generate Up to 20 thumbnail variations per upload.
So while you probably don’t need to go that far, it highlights the value that top creators see in thumbnails and their ability to attract a wider audience to your work.
TikTok has already effectively followed suit with Reels in this regard with its custom thumbnail editing feature, and YouTube is developing a similar variation for Shorts.
This could be a great addition, but since most people will encounter TikTok clips within their main feed, it may not have as big an impact as YouTube thumbnails.
The only way to know for sure is to try it for yourself and monitor your engagement statistics.
We’ve reached out to TikTok for more information on the rollout of custom thumbnails and will update this post if we hear back.
