Thumbnail Concept Generator Agent Skill
Generate thumbnail concepts and ideas for YouTube, TikTok, and other video platforms. Creates detailed visual briefs with composition, text, colors, and emotion suggestions. Use when planning thumbnails, improving CTR, or briefing designers.
Install
one command, takes just this skill from the repositorynpx skills add https://github.com/nicepkg/ai-workflow --skill thumbnail-concept-generatorThe instruction itself
22 sections, as written by the authorThumbnail Concept Generator
Create click-worthy thumbnail concepts that maximize CTR.
Thumbnail Psychology
📊 THUMBNAIL IMPACT:
- 90% of top-performing videos have custom thumbnails
- Thumbnails are responsible for ~50% of a video's click-through rate
- Viewers decide in <2 seconds whether to click
KEY PRINCIPLE: Thumbnail must work at SMALL sizes (mobile, sidebar)
Thumbnail Elements
1. Faces & Emotions
EMOTION SCALE (from most to least effective):
1. 😱 Shock/Surprise - Wide eyes, open mouth
2. 🤔 Curiosity - Raised eyebrow, intrigued look
3. 😄 Joy/Excitement - Genuine smile, energy
4. 😤 Frustration/Anger - Visible emotion
5. 🤯 Mind-blown - Exaggerated reaction
6. 😢 Sadness - For emotional content
FACE RULES:
- Eyes should be visible and expressive
- Face takes up 30-50% of thumbnail
- Direct eye contact with camera
- Avoid sunglasses/obstructions
2. Text Overlay
TEXT RULES:
- Maximum 3-4 words
- Large, bold, readable at small size
- Contrasting colors (white on dark, dark on light)
- Don't repeat the title exactly
- Use outline/shadow for readability
EFFECTIVE TEXT:
✅ "IT WORKED" / "$10K" / "DON'T BUY" / "vs"
❌ "Watch this video to see what happens when I try..."
3. Color Psychology
RED: Urgency, excitement, warning
YELLOW: Attention, energy, optimism
BLUE: Trust, calm, professional
GREEN: Growth, money, nature
ORANGE: Enthusiasm, creativity
PURPLE: Luxury, creativity
BLACK: Premium, serious, drama
WHITE: Clean, simple, contrast
4. Composition Rules
RULE OF THIRDS: Place key elements at intersection points
Z-PATTERN: Eye travels Z-shape (top-left → top-right → bottom-left → bottom-right)
CONTRAST: Main subject must pop from background
NEGATIVE SPACE: Don't overcrowd - let elements breathe
Thumbnail Templates by Video Type
Tutorial/How-To
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [RESULT/OUTCOME] │ FACE │
│ Text: "EASY" │ (excited/ │
│ or "5 MIN" │ helpful) │
│ │ │
│ [Tool/Product │ │
│ being used] │ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Elements:
- Split screen or diagonal divide
- Before/After if applicable
- Tool/product clearly visible
- Helpful/excited facial expression
Reaction/Commentary
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ [SUBJECT OF REACTION] │
│ │
│ ┌────────┐ │
│ │ FACE │ │
│ │ (react)│ │
│ └────────┘ │
│ Text: "WHAT?!" or "NO WAY" │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Elements:
- Content being reacted to (screenshot, image)
- Your reaction face (corner or overlay)
- Exaggerated emotion
- 1-2 word reaction text
Product Review
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [PRODUCT] │ FACE │
│ (hero shot) │ (opinion │
│ │ expressed) │
│ "$XXX" │ │
│ or "★★★★☆" │ 👍 or 👎 │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Elements:
- Product prominently displayed
- Price or rating visible
- Your verdict (thumbs, expression)
- Clean, studio-style background
Vlog/Story
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ [DRAMATIC SCENE OR MOMENT] │
│ │
│ Text: Context/Tease │
│ "IT HAPPENED" / "DAY 30" │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Elements:
- Key moment from video
- Emotional peak captured
- Curiosity-inducing text
- Real/authentic feel
Comparison (vs)
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [ITEM A] │ VS │ [ITEM B] │
│ │ │ │
│ $XX │ │ $XXX │
│ │ │ │
│ [Label] │ │ [Label] │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Elements:
- Clear split/division
- Both items equally visible
- VS in center
- Price or key differentiator
- Optional: Winner indicator
Listicle/Top X
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ "TOP 5" [Item preview] │
│ or "7 BEST" │
│ FACE │
│ [Category] (excited) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Elements:
- Number prominent
- Preview of best/first item
- Your face showing enthusiasm
- Category/topic clear
Concept Output Format
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
THUMBNAIL CONCEPT FOR: [Video Title]
Platform: [YouTube/TikTok Cover]
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
🎨 CONCEPT A (Recommended):
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Layout: [Template type]
Visual Elements:
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [ASCII representation of layout] │
│ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
- Background: [Color/setting]
- Main Subject: [What/who is featured]
- Face/Expression: [Emotion to capture]
- Text Overlay: "[Exact text]" - [Font style], [Color]
- Props/Objects: [Items to include]
Colors: Primary [#XXX], Secondary [#XXX], Accent [#XXX]
Why It Works: [Explanation]
📸 PHOTO DIRECTION:
- Camera angle: [Eye level/Above/Below]
- Lighting: [Bright/Dramatic/Natural]
- Expression to capture: [Specific direction]
- Pose: [Description]
🎨 CONCEPT B (Alternative):
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Same format, different approach]
💡 A/B TEST SUGGESTION:
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Test: [Element to test]
Version A: [Description]
Version B: [Description]
Metric: CTR over first 48 hours
⚠️ AVOID:
- [What NOT to do for this specific video]
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
How to Use
Quick Concept
Generate thumbnail concepts for a video about [topic]
Detailed Request
Create thumbnail concepts:
- Video title: [title]
- Video type: [tutorial/review/vlog/etc.]
- Target emotion: [shock/curiosity/excitement]
- Must include: [product/face/text]
- Style reference: [channel or style]
- Avoid: [anything specific]
Thumbnail for Existing Video
My video "[title]" is getting low CTR.
Current thumbnail: [describe it]
Suggest improvements.
Thumbnail Checklist
Before finalizing:
- [ ] Readable at small size: Test on mobile
- [ ] Face visible and expressive: If using face
- [ ] Text is 3-4 words max: Large, bold
- [ ] Contrasting colors: Subject pops from background
- [ ] Complements title: Doesn't just repeat it
- [ ] Passes squint test: Recognizable when blurry
- [ ] Brand consistent: Recognizable as your channel
- [ ] Platform appropriate: Right aspect ratio
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---------|---------|-----|
| Too much text | Unreadable on mobile | Max 3-4 words |
| Low contrast | Subject blends into background | Use contrasting colors |
| Small face | Emotion not visible | Face = 30-50% of frame |
| Cluttered | Too many elements | Focus on 2-3 key elements |
| Boring expression | No emotional hook | Exaggerate emotion |
| Repeats title | Wastes space | Complement, don't repeat |
| Generic stock look | Doesn't stand out | Add personality/branding |
Thumbnail Dimensions
YouTube: 1280 x 720 px (16:9)
TikTok Cover: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16) - choose key frame
Instagram: 1080 x 1080 px (1:1) for feed
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How to use it
Take nicepkg/thumbnail-concept-generator from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal
use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.
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same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.