From Novice to Pro: How to Evade the Most Critical 8 Mistakes on YouTube

8 Mistakes People Should Avoid as a New YouTuber

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

In the ten years that I’ve been a YouTuber, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I learned from those mistakes and have helped many new YouTubers start their own channels. Here is a list of eight common mistakes that new YouTubers should avoid, along with tips to do things in a better way.

1. Failing to have a long-term vision

One common mistake that a lot of new YouTubers make is failing to have a long-term vision. Without a long-term vision, you’re more likely to poorly brand your YouTube channel, drop your YouTube channel activity in busier times, and, midway through, change the type of content you create and upload. None of these are good for your channel!

If you can think of the kind of content you’ll love to consistently create and share in the long-run, you’ll not only be able to narrow down your brand and effectively communicate to your audience who you are and what your channel is all about, but you’ll also have a better idea on what to put out next.

2. Choosing an ineffective custom URL

Another mistake I made with my first YouTube channel was choosing an ineffective custom URL. Because my last name is Kim, I wanted to make my custom URL “YouTube.com/kimagination.” But it wasn’t available. So, I took “kimaginati0n” with a zero where the “o” should be. I thought it was a good idea back then but it was a terrible idea.

Choose a custom URL with words that can’t be confused with other similar-sounding words. For consistency across all your different social media accounts, try to choose a custom URL that matches the usernames of all your other social media channels. If the username you want isn’t available, then keep on trying to come up with a good name that is available. When you’ve secured the same username across all your different social media channels, you can then very simply promote yourself and all your social media channels by displaying just the social media icons followed by your one username.

3. Coming up with titles that won’t get searched

Many new YouTubers make the mistake of titling their videos in an ineffective way. Rather than coming up with titles that more people might search, they either come up with titles that summarize what the video is about as a whole or title their videos the way big YouTubers do.

Big YouTubers can take advantage of non-searched, curiosity evoking titles like “You won’t believe what just happened…” because they already have a huge following. Their channels aren’t depending on getting discovered through search. But yours is. So come up with titles that people are actually searching.

As an example, let’s suppose you vlogged your time backpacking around Europe last summer. Don’t title your YouTube video “My Summer Backpacking Trip.” Instead, title it “Going Up The Eiffel Tower | Beautiful View of Paris!” This way, all the people who are curious about visiting Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and seeing what the view is like from the top of the Eiffel Tower might find your video.

4. Failing to have a thumbnail strategy

New YouTubers tend to think about their thumbnail images after they’ve finished editing their videos together. This is way too late in the process for something that is so incredibly important in getting views.

Even before filming, you should think about how you’re going to title your video to get the most views. After that, you should then try to picture, in your head, a thumbnail image that matches your title and creates curiosity and excitement. When you go into filming, you can then make sure to include some footage of you recreating that image.

5. Making weak intros

After you’ve managed to get someone to click on your video through your effective title and thumbnail image strategy, the next challenge is to keep that person watching your video without closing it too early. A typical viewer on YouTube decides within the first ten to fifteen seconds of landing on a video whether or not he or she will stay or leave. This short window of time is so important to set the tone of the rest of your video and build excitement and curiosity in your viewer with an effective, high-energy intro.

New YouTubers often make the mistake of having weak intros. Starting at the beginning of a story makes sense, right? The beginning, however, is not always the most exciting. Consequently, new YouTubers lose their audience’s attention too early on.

To read more on how some of the most successful YouTubers effectively do their intros, check out my blogpost on “How To Edit YouTube Videos Like a YouTuber .”

6. Forgetting to engage with subscribers

An important thing to do as a new YouTuber is engaging with your subscribers. Some new YouTubers, though, are so focused and busy with the production side of things that they forget to do the community side of things, including responding to comments. By not responding to comments as a new YouTuber, you hurt your potential to get more comments consistently from your subscribers. If your video’s comments section is very active, YouTube ranks your video higher in the videos it recommends to viewers.

Connecting with your audience shouldn’t just be limited to YouTube either. Use your other social media channels to connect with your audience as well.

YouTube isn’t the only social media platform that people are spending their time on. People are spending their time on all kinds of different social media platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The more content in all of these platforms that you create to promote your video, the more potential your video has to be seen by their users.

New YouTubers sometimes forget to promote their videos and channel using other social media platforms. Consequently, they miss out on the opportunity to get views from multiple sources of social media.

8. Spamming comments

Commenting on other YouTube videos is another way to get your channel discovered from people reading over comments. If your profile picture and comment appears interesting enough, out of curiosity, people just might click your username to have a look at your channel.

But rather than leaving interesting comments that are related to the video, rather than adding to the conversation, some new YouTubers desperate to get more subscribers make the mistake of spamming videos with “check out my YouTube channel!” comments.

Spam comments annoy YouTubers. It would be much more beneficial to your channel to build good relationships with other YouTubers to possibly collaborate on a video together in the future.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Engage More Viewers: Unveiling Top YouTube Font Secrets

YouTube has grown in popularity since it was developed and launched. You can watch YouTube videos for educational purposes, entertainment, or catch up with your favorite content creators. Thumbnails are a massive element of what makes a YouTube video successful. You can incorporate numerous fonts into your thumbnails, leaving you feeling stuck on which is the best option.

This article will discuss the 20 best YouTube thumbnail fonts to make your videos amazing.

Bebas Neue - Popular YouTube Thumbnail Font
Impact - YouTube Thumbnail Font for Strong Sense
Montserrat - Good Font for YouTube Thumbnail
Alfa Slab - YouTube Thumbnail Text Font With a Futuristic Vibe
Againts - Best Font for YouTube Thumbnail
Dancing Script - YouTube Thumbnail Font With a Sweat Vibe
Oswald
Arial Negrata - Print Font for YouTube Thumbnails
BlackOpsOne - Best YouTube Thumbnail Font for Gaming Videos
Beauty and the Beast
Chucklesome
Caribold
Bernhard - Serious YouTube Thumbnail Font
Dustin Font Quartet
The Tide - Chunky-Letter Font for YouTube Thumbnails
Badaboom BB
River Drive
Traveler Note
Free Love Script
Config Rounded

Generate Cool YouTube Thumbnail Texts With Wondershare Filmora

20 Best Fonts for YouTube Thumbnails To Bring Traffic to Your Videos

Your thumbnail is the first thing your audience will see as they browse on YouTube. Since you only have a few seconds to make a good first impression, it would be wise to make the most out of it.

YouTube thumbnails capture the viewer’s attention and spark their interest. The more eye-catching your thumbnail is, the more likely they will click on your video. If you take your time to make good thumbnails for your YouTube videos, you will undoubtedly increase your channel’s traffic and expand your reach.

Recent research reveals that YouTube thumbnails with text and numbers get more clicks than thumbnails with plain images. Therefore, choosing a great font to accompany your thumbnail would be wise and make it more visually appealing. Stick around for the fun part of the article, where we discuss twenty best fonts for your YouTube thumbnails.

1. Bebas Neue - Popular YouTube Thumbnail Font

The first YouTube thumbnail font on our list is a popular one known as Bebas Neue. You can use this font for your videos and thumbnails regardless of what content you post. The elegant yet sublime design makes it a perfect choice for you if you are just starting out or have yet to explore other options.

2. Impact - YouTube Thumbnail Font for Strong Sense

If you want a straightforward font for your thumbnail, look no further than Impact. Its strong sense makes it the best font for YouTube thumbnails. Even though it is versatile for any content, it is most frequently used on reaction videos, pranks, or reviews.

3. Montserrat - Good Font for YouTube Thumbnail

The letters in the Montserrat video are very simple, with the slightest shadowing and outline. This font is pretty versatile, and you can use it to make thumbnails for laid-back content or more serious and factual videos.

4. Alfa Slab - YouTube Thumbnail Text Font With a Futuristic Vibe

The Alfa slab font has a futuristic vibe to it, making it the perfect choice for content about new innovations or the future of technology. The blocky yet simple letters are easy to read and don’t take away from the main message or the background.

5. Againts - Best Font for YouTube Thumbnail

Suppose you post lots of travel content, share videos of you lounging on the best, or sample a new restaurant. The Againts font has a unique outdoor vibe that makes your videos pop and makes your audience anticipate where you will travel next.

6. Dancing Script - YouTube Thumbnail Font With a Sweat Vibe

The Dancing Script font is a must-have in your arsenal if you wouldn’t want your videos to be too serious. The slanted letters also give your thumbnail a feminine touch, making it great for fashion vlogs or videos about life hacks for ladies.

7. Oswald

The letters in this Oswald font are encapsulated in a dark grey rectangle, making them stand out and easy to read. You could use this font with other backgrounds in your thumbnail to highlight keywords you wouldn’t want your audience to miss as they scroll through YouTube.

8. Arial Negrata - Print Font for YouTube Thumbnails

We couldn’t forget to mention Arial Negrata, which has a beautiful print font and complementary sub-fonts. You can easily vary the fonts’ sizes for emphasis and to capture the interest of your audience.

9. BlackOpsOne - Best YouTube Thumbnail Font for Gaming Videos

Are you tired of the boring print fonts and girly cursive text? If you answer yes, you should check out the BlackOpsOne font, which is unlike anything you have ever seen. This font is perfect for gaming videos or content that involves long streams.

10. Beauty and the Beast

If you are a streamer, gamer, or like to post life hack videos on YouTube, you are probably looking for some good fonts for YouTube thumbnails to make your video less serious. The Beauty and the Beast font is very whimsical, giving your thumbnail a playful feel.

11. Chucklesome

You will immediately recognize this font if you grew up watching many cartoons and reading comic books. Chucklesome is another font with the best font color for YouTube thumbnails, making it an excellent choice if your YouTube channel is about games, movies, or comic books. The artsy typeface, bold letters, and bright colors can capture your audience’s attention from a mile away.

12. Caribold

As the name suggests, the Caribold font for YouTube thumbnails is very bold, and the letters almost jump out of the screen at you. The borders, outline, and shadows emphasize the font, making it hard to miss. You can use this font to create thumbnails for “How To” videos.

13. Bernhard - Serious YouTube Thumbnail Font

Depending on the content you post, you might want to discard the whimsical feel and give your thumbnail a more serious vibe. The Bernhard font is technically an enlarged script font that makes your videos and thumbnails look fresh and elegant. You can use this font for historical or factual videos.

14. Dustin Font Quartet

It is not uncommon for thumbnails to draw inspiration from other brands. The Dustin font is an excellent example of such a font, which is similar to the Supreme brand logo. This font is pretty versatile as it comes in a pack of four fonts, making you spoilt for choice!

15. The Tide - Chunky-Letter Font for YouTube Thumbnails

The Tide thumbnail font gives a relaxing beach vibe that would be great if you love posting laid-back content. This font also comes with chunky letters, which are easy to read and grab the attention of anyone scrolling through the platform.

16. Badaboom BB

The best font for YouTube thumbnail is Badaboom BB font, which has vibrant colors and unique letters. The red and yellow colors are an absolute showstopper and a must-have if you want your audience to notice you. This font style is excellent for gaming and streaming YouTube videos, where you just want your audience to have a good time.

17. River Drive

When inserting text into a thumbnail, you must balance the visual elements to ensure the letters don’t overshadow the image. The River Drive font allows you to create bold yet legible text without removing the stunning photo in the background.

18. Traveler Note

Adventure and travel channels help us know what it’s like to visit a place, even though we haven’t left our couches. The Traveler Note font brings life and cheer to your travel vlogs as you continue introducing us to different parts of the world.

19. Free Love Script

Perhaps your YouTube is missing that feminine touch to tie everything together. The curvy lettering in the Free Love Script is perfect for lifestyle videos or fashion vlogs, which could use a bit of femininity to drive the message home.

20. Config Rounded

If your channel is professional or you post informative content about finances, business, and other important topics, the best YouTube thumbnail font for you is the Config rounded font. It looks pretty modern and works well with any background.

Generate Cool YouTube Thumbnail Texts With Wondershare Filmora

If you have been making YouTube videos for a while now, then you must be familiar with Wondershare Filmora , a top-tier video editing tool. If not, we will discuss some of the features that make it a great editing tool in a short while. You can also use this platform to create and design the perfect thumbnail for your YouTube video.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

The title editing feature on this platform allows you to add creative text to your video and customize it as you see fit. You can also use Wondershare Filmora to make a title with customizable parameters. For instance, you can edit the text titles using three different fill types: color fill, gradient fill, and image fill.

Wondershare Filmora is an excellent tool to help bring your thumbnails alive and reel the masses in to view more videos from your channel. You cannot possibly exhaust the 107 animation styles, 12 types of shadow effects, and more than ten borders that make your text stand out from the rest. If you are unhappy with your current font, you can choose from over 30 categories of titles till you find one that tickles your fancy.

We couldn’t forget to mention the 3D titles feature with Wondershare Filmora. Gone are the days when creators would use 2D titles to introduce their videos to their audience. Even though not many content creators use 3D titles, you can be among the few that do and gain a competitive advantage. Ensure you peruse through the various categories and find one that speaks to you and fits the kind of content you create.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to edit YouTube thumbnail text fonts.

Step1 Launch Wondershare Filmora on your device and select “New Project.”

Step2 Click on the icon shown below to import media from your device.

Step3 Drag and drop your photos as shown below to create your YouTube Thumbnail on the platform.

Step4 Add titles to customize the texts in your Thumbnail.

Step5 In the Titles panel, you can customize the font. Filmora offers hundreds of fonts for your choosing.

Step6 Select a still frame to be your thumbnail. Click the camera icon on the right side to take a snapshot.

Step7 The snapshot will appear on the Media panel. Right click the snapshot, and select “Reveal in Explorer” to locate it in your local drive. Then you can use it as your YouTube Thumbnail.

You don’t need to search for fonts on the Internet when Wondershare Filmora offers downloadable fonts. If you are interested in installing fonts in Filmora, watch this video to learn how.

Conclusion

As you generate thumbnails for your YouTube videos, it would be wise to ensure you make them full-sized. The ideal dimension for a YouTube thumbnail should be 1280*720. Since most of your viewers use their mobile phones to watch YouTube videos, it would help to ensure the thumbnail looks the same on your laptop and your mobile device.