[New] 2024 Approved How to Make Killer YouTube Channel Art

How to Make Killer YouTube Channel Art

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Call it channel art, call it a cover, banner or whatever you like, the fact remains that YouTube channel art is one of the key elements of any successful YouTube channel. Your viewers arrive at your channel to see your videos, but it is the channel art that can market your brand and products to them.

As much as creating great videos with personality can sell your YouTube channel, the way your channel looks and feels is equally important. Take a brief look around any popular YouTuber’s channel and you’ll see that they’ve invested time and thought into creating beautiful, eye-catching channel art for it.

If you’re still in the dark about how to create YouTube channel art; we’re here to help. Here’s what you need to know.

Quick Jump Menu

What is YouTube channel art [5 Elements Should Be Included]
YouTube Channel Art Dimensions & Size [Mobile/Tablet/Desktop/TV]
Why should you care about channel art
Tips for making channel art
Tools you need to create killer YouTube channel art
Download YouTube Channel Art Templates for Free
YouTube Channel Art Dimensions Cheatsheet [Infographic]

The Filmora team has made a video tutorial about how to master YouTube Channel Art, watch it before digging in. Remember to download the free Filmora Trial version to have a try.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Part 1: What is YouTube channel art?

YouTube channel art includes thumbnails, banners, watermarks, and icons. Thumbnails will help viewers decide to watch your videos, and a personalized banner will tell people who you are and what your vlog is about. Watermarks both label your work as yours and protect it from theft. Your icon is the avatar you will use to communicate with your subscribers. You can totally change the look and feel of the page and the changes will carry forwards for the page display on all platforms. However, the elements might look slightly different on desktops, mobile devices, and TV screens.

A banner sits at the top of your channel, welcoming viewers to your videos and promoting your brand. Having your brand front and center here is a great plan, as it gives people confidence in who they are watching, as well as raising your brand profile on the platform.

Size: 2560x1440px recommended. Cannot be smaller than 2048x1152px.

Safe Area for All Devices: 1546x423px

File Size: 6MB or smaller

Do:

- Make sure all your text is in the safe area

- Include channel information like what kinds of videos you make and your upload days

- Add social media links

Don’t:

- Use a font or font color that’s hard to read at a glance

- Put a busy background or photo directly behind your text (put a solid background in-between)

How to Upload a YouTube Banner / Channel Art

Go to My Channel and select Add channel art near the top of the screen (if this is the first time), or hover over your existing channel art to make the edit icon show up.

2. Watermark

Watermarking your videos, banner and other content you produce can help protect your hard work. Sharing should be encouraged on YouTube, but you should absolutely get the credit for your content. A watermark ensures your brand is being acknowledged whenever someone hits the share button.

3. Thumbnail

Developing unique thumbnails can really encourage more video views. Rather than just using a still from your actual video, you can create unique art to accompany each upload, describing what’s within the video and motivating people to watch.

Size: 1289x720px recommended. Width cannot be less than 640px.

File Size: 2MB or smaller

Format: .JPG, .GIF (no moving GIFS), .BMP, .PNG

Do:

- Use colors that stand out

- Have a consistent format (all your thumbnails should have the same basic layout)

- Include your face (or a character’s face, if you’re a gamer)

- Show viewers what your video is about

Don’t:

- Include anything sexually suggestive or violent.

- Write more than 3 words or use a small font

How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail

In the screen right after you’ve uploaded a video (in your Creator Studio), select Custom thumbnail under Video thumbnails after you upload a video.

Select Edit next to your video in the Video Manager/Creator Studio. In the preview screen, click Custom thumbnail.

4. Icon or logo

If you’re building a brand on YouTube, you should absolutely have a recognizable logo or, at least, an icon that is unique to you. This way you’ll start to be recognized whenever people stumble across your footage, even if it’s on another platform such as Facebook.

Size: 800x800px recommended. Can be square or round, but must render to 98x98px.

Format: JPG, GIF (no animated GIFs), BMP, PNG

Do:

- Use a close up of your face (if you want a custom URL: only channels that use photos as icons qualify)

- Use a simple logo (if that’s more on-brand for you)

Don’t:

- Use a full-body picture (it won’t look good shrunk down)

- Use a picture of a celebrity or an image that falls under someone else’s copyright

How to Upload a YouTube Profile Picture / Icon

Go to My Channel, hover over your existing channel icon, and click the edit icon (looks like a pencil). Then, click Edit.

5. Channel art links

Adding links to your YouTube channel is a no-brainer. After all, if people love your channel, why not get them engaged on your social networks and website too? Adding links is easy in the Creator Studio, and you can choose to have links overlaid on your channel art too.

6. YouTube Intros

Ideal Length: under 10 seconds is alright. Under 5 seconds is better.

Placement: within the first 30 seconds of your video.

Do:

- Use music

- Include colors and images that match your personal brand

- Include the name of your channel

Don’t:

- Make it longer than 10 seconds

How to Add a YouTube Intro

Add your intro before you upload using your video editing software. It’s best to create it in a separate project and export it as a clip you can re-use in all your videos. Click here to download some free intros

7. YouTube End Screens

Length: 5-20 seconds

Placement: the last 5-20 seconds of your video

Your video must be at least 25 seconds in order to add an end screen.

Do:

- Link to at least 1 video or playlist

- Prompt viewers to subscribe

- Include social icons and handles so people can find you

Don’t:

- Overcrowd the screen with options (it makes people less likely to click anything)

Part 2: YouTube Channel Art Dimensions & Image Size Checklist

Getting the sizing of your channel art right is crucial. If you don’t plan this from the start, then all the effort you put into designing your channel art will be wasted, as it will either not display properly or will just look terrible. YouTube has provided these guidelines for channel art designs:

The file size must not exceed 6MB
The image should ideally be 2560 x 1440 pixels
The minimum image size is 2048 x 1152 pixels
The maximum width is 2560 x 423 pixels

The ideal dimensions for different devices are listed below:

Mobile:1546px * 423px
Tablet :1855px * 423px
Desktop:2560px * 423px
TV:2560px * 1440px

You see, YouTube channel art 2560*1440 px is ideal for TV devices. If you’re not sure about the width and height of the channel art image, you can download the Channel Art Templates from YouTube Official Site to check.

Keeping in mind people will access your channel on a variety of screen sizes, you’re going to need to design channel art that fits within these proportions and displays correctly no matter how it’s viewed. Use the ‘safe area’ displayed on YouTube to ensure your logo and branding is correct on every screen size.

Part 3: Why should you care about channel art?

If you’re wondering if you should really be bothered about channel art, the answer is you absolutely should. Channel art is all about branding, and in today’s cluttered web world, having a strong, recognizable brand is crucial. Rather than simply having a place to upload some videos, your YouTube channel can become a powerful marketing tool for promoting your brand and values.

According to research, we are a highly visual species. 65 percent of people learn better visually, and when you’re thinking about retaining information, 90 percent of what we store in our brains is visual information. By presenting your viewers with visual content, you’re helping them take it in, retain it better and remember you for the future.

Part 4: Tips for Making Channel Art

1. Tips for Making Thumbnails

A thumbnail is an image that represents your video in YouTube’s search results. There are things you can do with your thumbnail that will make it more likely to get clicked on. Always upload your own thumbnail rather than relying on the one YouTube automatically chooses, and make sure the thumbnail you use is related to the content of your video.

One of the most important things to remember is that thumbnails are small. It is better if there is not a lot going on in them because details will be hard to see. If there is any text in your thumbnail make sure it is huge so that people can still read it once it has been shrunken down.

If you are making a thumbnail for a vlog entry then choose a shot that has you in it, particularly one where you are not too far away from the camera. It is also a good idea if the thumbnails for your vlog entries all look similar so it is easy for people browsing to recognize which videos are yours.

2. Tips for Making Watermarks

Watermarks work best when they are small and transparent so they do not distract viewers from your videos. If your watermark is colored, there should not be more than one or two colors. Unlike the full version of your logo, you do not want your watermark to be overly eye-catching.

3. Tips for Making Icons

Part 5: Best Free & Paid YouTube Channel Art Maker [2021 List]

Fortunately, you don’t need to be a renowned artist or graphic designer to get some swish YouTube art ready for your channel. With some of the easy-to-use, powerful tools that are available out there, you can make some beautiful, professional-looking channel art in no time at all. Here are six of our favorite tools for creating amazing youtube channel art:

1. Photoshop

Produced by Adobe, Photoshop has been leading the way in professional design software for many years. When it comes to creating logos, banners, editing photos and more, nothing really comes close to the power of this software. While the professional version of Photoshop can set you back several hundreds of dollars, Photoshop Elements is much more affordable at around the $100 mark, and has enough functionality to do most things you’d need for your channel art.

New from Adobe is Adobe Spark Post, a free-to-use web and iOS app which has been specifically designed to help you create beautiful channel art. Although it can only provide basic channel art without much in the way of editing tools, if you’re new to graphic design and want a free, user-friendly way to create your art, this could be worth considering.

2. Wondershare PixStudio

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. This online platform provides a wonderful creative design solution for you. Just through drag and drop templates, and then use photos/text/elements to design. After the simple and fast design, One-Click to download your creations, and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, and YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

This online platform empowers anyone to create a beautiful design within a few steps. No professional skills required! By simply dragging and dropping the creative elements and templates, you are capable to release your imagination and convert it to stunning artwork.

3. Fotor

For a good, user-friendly way to create professional-looking YouTube channel art, Fotor is a pretty solid choice. Using a simple drag and drop interface, users can create a unique channel banner using preset designs or even uploading their own artwork.

The developers of Fotor have built in a bespoke banner maker, preset to the exact size required for YouTube channel art. This makes it easier than ever to ensure you develop excellent channel art which will display correctly on any device. Editing is limited, so advanced designers will probably find it all a bit too simplistic, but for the man on the street, this is a perfect choice.

4. Canva

Canva really stands out from the competition for the number of customizable design elements present on the website. From shapes to backgrounds, images to text, there are thousands of awesome, professional-looking elements to choose from to create your unique channel art.

Similar to Fotor, those who know what they’re doing in the design field will find it lacking in functionality, and there’s an irritating glitch where you can’t stretch more than one image to the ends of the canvas. Watch out for premium design elements too, as lots require payment, although usually not more than a dollar or two.

5. PicMonkey

For a good middle ground between expensive but powerful Photoshop and free but limited options like Canva and Fotor, PicMonkey is a great solution. It has plenty of design functionality, from working with layers to performing tasks like blending, and you can free draw and erase parts of your image too.

We found PicMonkey capable of pretty much everything you’d need to create a professional YouTube banner, and it’s a fair bit more user friendly than Photoshop too. It’s not free, but at a cost of $7.99 per month, it’s pretty affordable for what you get.

6. Snappa

Another web-based freemium service, Snappa has the added advantage of coming pre-loaded with all the dimensions of popular social channel’s banners, profile images and more, including YouTube. That means you can work on your channel art directly, seeing clearly which parts will be displayed on what devices.

The drawback to this particular platform is the sheer volume of stock images already on the site. There are some nice ones, but due to the lack of organization you need to scroll through quite a few mediocre options to find them. There’s also a fairly ungenerous limit on how many items you can create and save without upgrading, but the pro version is fairly affordable at just $10 a month.

There are many other services out there to help you create your YouTube channel art and what’s best for you will depend on the type of channel art you’re looking to create, as well as your own abilities with graphic design. Try some of the free versions before you jump in and pay for things, as some are actually really rather good.

Part 6: YouTube Channel Art Templates Free Download

If you don’t know how to make youtube channel art, don’t be worry, because in the following part, I’ll share with you some free youtube channel art templates. The Filmora team has a community and forum for YouTube creators and it has designed some stunning YouTube Channel Art templates for different genres channels such as gaming, beauty, travel, comedy and education. Click here to download 50 free YouTube Banners, JPG & PhotoShop files. Examples:

Part 7: YouTube Channel Art Dimensions Cheatsheet [Infographic]

Usually, a viewer won’t visit your channel page and see your channel art until after they’ve watched one of your videos. The reason they’ve clicked to see your channel is that they want to learn more about you – do you have more videos like the one they just watched? Do you post a lot? Are you worth subscribing to?

If a viewer who is on the fence about subscribing to you arrives on your channel page and sees that you haven’t bothered uploading channel art, or that you’re using something that looks sloppy, odds are they won’t subscribe. This ‘Channel Art Cheat Sheet’ will help ensure you aren’t losing potential subscribers.

Comparing Digital Platform Profits: DailyMovement to YouTube Revenue

Online video creators are always searching for ways to make their passion profitable. YouTube and Dailymotion are two of the largest video platforms. Millions of users use these platforms, and they have updated features. How do you choose the right video platform?

This article compares Dailymotion monetization to YouTube on privacy, audience, and analytics. To ease this exploration, Filmora is assisting us. This software edits videos to increase platforms’ income-generating potential. Read this article to monetize your videos in a better way, and join us on this journey.

Video Monetization Editor Create engaging and valuable videos with Wondershare Filmora for YouTube and Dailymotion Monetization!

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Part 1. Exploring YouTube and Dailymotion: Platforms for Creators

YouTube

A three-person team, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, founded YouTube in 2005. Their goal is to create YouTube as a global platform for sharing videos. A huge $1.65 billion was paid by Google for buying YouTube. YouTube then became a more popular website with over two billion users every month.

Lots of creators, like makeup artists and gamers, make money on YouTube. With the platform, you can livestream, make money from your videos, and watch tons of user-made videos.

Dailymotion

A French entrepreneur and an English entrepreneur founded Dailymotion in 2005. Dailymotion became one of the most popular video platforms in France and then Europe in just 1 year. You can upload and share videos on Dailymotion like on YouTube. There is a slight difference in their focus. Dailymotion’s content tends to be professional, while YouTube’s is user-made.

Dailymotion has over 300 million users every month. It’s accessible in 35 different languages. Also, for pro content, it offers features like “Motionmaker” to users and live streaming to creators.

The popularity and user base of YouTube and Dailymotion

YouTube’s user interface is very easy and simple to use. You can filter the results with date and popularity at the top bar of the website. You can watch YouTube without ads and gain access to YouTube analytics.

It’s cool to create your own channel on YouTube. It allows you to upload videos, customize your banner, and create a community.

It is easy to stream videos or share them with friends by creating playlists. YouTube and Dailymotion both have easy-to-use interfaces. You can customize your own channel, and it has categories and channels. YouTube has advanced playlist features, but Dailymotion does not.

It’s not all fun and games - YouTube has fewer ads than Dailymotion. A premium subscription to Dailymotion removes the ads and gives you access to other features.

Both Platforms have Different Content and Audiences

YouTube Content and Audience

Video content on YouTube ranges from cooking tips to music videos. It even offers live streaming concerts and mind-blowing documentaries. Gamer, beauty, sports, and learning enthusiasts will enjoy this channel.

YouTube allows you to upload 12-hour-long videos to increase your watch time. You can also share all types of experiences in the long video. Every day, 2.51 billion active users watch over one billion hours of content. Creators can showcase their work in high definition, up to 8K, on the platform, which is a major advantage. Mobile devices and smartphones also allow offline viewing of videos.

Dailymotion Content and Audience

There’s something special about Dailymotion. The site provides YouTube videos, animated shorts, music, documentaries, and TV shows. Although Dailymotion has upload limits, its videos are still of high quality, up to 1080p. There is a vibrant community of creators looking to connect with their audiences as well. There were 545.3 million visits to Dailymotion in April 2023, making it a strong competitor. Depending on your taste and the content you’re looking for, you can choose either.

Part 2. YouTube vs. Dailymotion Monetization: Unraveling the Key Differences

YouTube and Dailymotion monetization features and opportunities

It’s crucial for content creators to know which monetization options each platform offers. Let’s have a look at the monetization options available on YouTube and Dailymotion. It is possible to earn money from your content on both Dailymotion and YouTube. Dailymotion is easier to monetize, despite its broader and more sophisticated offering.

Programs and options for monetizing YouTube

There are many ways for YouTube creators to make money from their content. You can display video ads for sponsorships, AdSense payments, and merchandise sales. YouTube offers more monetization options and is more advanced than Dailymotion. The YouTube monetization rules can be tricky to meet for eligible accounts.

Programs and options for monetizaton Dailymotion

Creators can also monetize their content on Dailymotion. Dailymotion has fewer monetization options than YouTube. Unlike YouTube, Dailymotion allows creators to earn money through ads.

The Dailymotion Partner Program has made several French video creators extremely wealthy. The CPM is always low for video creators around the world, for whatever reason. Dailymotion Partners from France earn 3000 - 4000 euros per month. Global Partners withdraw the monthly least of $100.

Monetization Requirements and Earning Potential

YouTube’s YPP monetizes accounts with 1,000 subscribers and earns revenue through advertising. You’ll get 55% of the revenue generated by the ads shown during, before, and after your videos. It is also possible to charge channel memberships. For every 1,000 views, the average YouTuber makes about $18.

The Dailymotion Partner Program monetizes your videos. The least number of views you need to monetize your content is 1,000 (combined). One hour of watch time on the platform generates $57 in income, making it a great way to make money!

Choosing Between YouTube and Dailymotion Channel Monetization

Now that you’ve seen a YouTube vs. Dailymotion comparison, you are leaning toward one. Let’s dive into some key questions if you’re still not sure (you can use both platforms):

Do you have a specific group in mind? It’s important to think about who your audience is.
Are Your Videos Targeted? Do your videos match specific search queries?
Video Length and Size: How long and big are your videos?
Monetization: Want to make money? Consider your subscriber count.
Privacy Control: How much control do you need over your content’s privacy?
Analytics: Do you want detailed data on your video performance?

YouTube is your best bet if you want organic search traffic, a wide audience, and hefty videos. If you want privacy control, or if you want to monetize, Dailymotion shines.

Whatever you pick, remember to add captions to your videos. Transcription tools can help with that, making your content more accessible and engaging.

Part 3. Enhance Your Monetization Journey with Wondershare Filmora: A Video Editing Solution

Let’s take a look at a powerful tool to enhance your gaming experience. It’s Wondershare Filmora. Creating engaging and valuable videos is easy with Wondershare Filmora. An attractive user interface, a media library, and many useful features make it a great choice. A video tool that turns content creators’ vision into professional content. Filmora is perfect for YouTubers, filmmakers, and vloggers of all skill levels.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora Features for Monetization Magic

1. Creative Templates

Filmora’s video templates make it easy to create nice videos. With these templates, you can easily make a captivating intro or an engaging end screen. You make more money when you keep your audience interested.

2. Advanced Audio Editing

To create engaging content, you must have great audio. With Filmora’s audio tools, you can stretch, denoise, and duck audio to improve your videos. Having engaged viewers means you’re more likely to generate income from ads and sales.

3. Enhancing Your Videos with Video Effects

Using Wondershare Filmora, you can transform your ordinary videos into something extraordinary. There are a variety of effects available, such as overlays, filters, and transitions. Filters allow you to change your videos’ feel and appearance. With overlays, like glitch overlays, you can enhance your videos.

4. Color Correction

Wondershare Filmora’s color correction tool can make your videos much better. You can change the colors and mood of your videos with Filmora’s color options. To make your videos look more professional, you can adjust their brightness or darkness. Using vibrant colors can help you earn more and draw in more customers.

Conclusion

When it comes to making money from your passion, picking the right platform is crucial. This guide has shown the main differences between YouTube and Dailymotion monetization. With Wondershare Filmora, you can make the most money from both places.

YouTube is great for long videos, a big audience, and finding people naturally. Monetization Dailymotion is good for making money without needing as many subscribers.

If you put captions on your videos, more people will watch. Think of Filmora as a friend who helps you make money with fun, good videos. It’s like having a partner in making money from your videos.

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