Why Thumbnails Matter for Video SEO
A thumbnail is often the first visual Google and your visitors see. It acts like a mini billboard for your video. A strong thumbnail can boost your visibility in search and encourage more users to click.
Google also uses thumbnail data to understand video relevance and context—especially when paired with schema markup.
How to Add a Custom Thumbnail in Blogspot
1. Upload the Thumbnail Image
Before embedding your video, upload the thumbnail to your Blogspot image library or host it externally. Keep it in JPEG or WebP format and under 150KB for fast loading.
Recommended size: 1280x720 pixels (16:9 ratio).
2. Embed the Video With a Static Preview (Optional Trick)
If you want to control the thumbnail shown before play (especially for non-YouTube videos), use a clickable image with a play button overlay instead of the standard embed.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abcd1234" target="_blank">
<img src="https://yourblog.blogspot.com/img/video-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Watch our SEO tutorial" style="width:100%; max-width:640px;">
</a>3. Use VideoObject Schema With Thumbnail URL
To help Google understand the relationship between the video and the thumbnail, always include the thumbnailUrl property in your JSON-LD markup:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "VideoObject",
"name": "How to Rank Videos in Google",
"description": "A 2-minute guide to improve your video SEO on Blogspot.",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://yourblog.blogspot.com/img/video-thumbnail.jpg",
"uploadDate": "2025-05-02",
"embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/abcd1234"
}
</script>Thumbnail Design Tips That Attract Clicks
Use Clear Text Overlays
Add bold text like “Watch Now” or “SEO Tips” in high contrast over the image. Make sure it’s readable on small screens.
Show a Face or Action
Thumbnails with expressive faces or actions get more attention. If your video features a person, freeze a moment with good eye contact or strong gesture.
Be Consistent With Style
Use the same fonts, colors, and layout for all your thumbnails to build brand recognition across your Blogspot posts.
Avoid Too Much Clutter
Keep the design clean—limit yourself to one main subject, 2-3 words of text, and clear contrast.
Best Practices for Hosting Thumbnails
1. Store in Blogspot or Trusted Hosting
For faster crawling, host the thumbnail image on Blogspot (via Blogger image upload), or use a reliable CDN like Google Photos or Imgur (if allowed).
2. Use Descriptive Filenames
Instead of IMG_1234.jpg, use seo-video-thumbnail.jpg. This helps Google image search understand the file and strengthens keyword relevance.
3. Add alt Text
Always include descriptive alt text to improve accessibility and give crawlers extra context. For example:
<img src="..." alt="Thumbnail for video about on-page SEO tips">How to Know If Google Recognizes the Thumbnail
- Use the Rich Results Test on the blog post URL
- Look for a green “Video” result and verify that the thumbnail is shown
- Check Google Images using a keyword + site search:
site:yourblog.blogspot.com video seo
Conclusion: Make Your Thumbnails Work Hard for Your Video
Don’t let your video content blend into the background. A strong thumbnail is like a visual headline—it can attract, persuade, and help Google understand your post faster.
So design with care, use schema, and give every video you publish the best chance to shine—even on Blogspot.