3 Ways To Add Custom Thumbnail to Instagram Video.
A thumbnail allows you to showcase the actual content of a video in a single frame. Or, let’s put it this way, the icon is the reason people click on your video. Many people also use it as bait to grab the attention of users and get more views.
You’ve probably already noticed that Instagram automatically selects the first frame of the video as the thumbnail. However, there are other ways to creatively add thumbnails to your posts to help you present your content more clearly. So, here are three ways to add a cover image to your Instagram post.
Read How to Post to Instagram from PC
How to add a custom thumbnail to Instagram Video
1. Use the cover feature
Once you have selected the video you want to upload to Instagram, click Next in the upper right corner of the screen. You will now find three options at the bottom: Filter, Crop, and Cover. Click on the cover to display the timeline of the video you intend to post.
To select a cover or sketch, all you have to do is drag the highlighted strip with your finger, which will give you still frames from your video. When you are happy with the frame, click Next again at the top of the screen. Now just write your signature and click Share. Your video will be published with the cover of your choice.
2. Frame your post
As we know, Instagram allows you to post videos up to 60 seconds long. If you are someone like me who wants to upload useful and innovative content to your video, it is not always possible to add a cover art within those 60 seconds that gives the viewer an idea of the video content. But with this simple trick, you can easily add a cover image to your video.
- Just use the thumbnail tool and create the thumbnail you want to use for the video.
- Now use any video editing application and save the thumbnail as the first 5 frames of the video. …
- Then when you upload a video, you can select a thumbnail from the first 5 frames.
By using this trick, the user will not see the icon while the video is playing. This is a nice trick, and for those looking to add something different without affecting the video, this is the best way.
3. Instagram Creator Studio
If you are the one who edits most of your photos and videos on PC. You should try using Instagram Creator Studio. It is a great tool that provides you with mobile-like functionality as well as profile statistics in your browser. But this is not the case. It has another feature that the Instagram app doesn’t have, which is the ability to upload a “Custom Cover Image”.
Sign up to Instagram Creator Studio. After you are done. Click on Create Post in the top left corner and select your Instagram feed. After adding a video, a new “Cover” option will appear in the right options menu. Select your cover images and click Upload Your Own Images and select the cover image you want. Now all you have to do is add a description and publish the post. Voila, your post has now been published with a personalized cover.
Read: How to Post to Instagram from PC
Concluding remarks
Remember, Instagram currently doesn’t give you the option to change the cover image after the video is posted. So be careful before adding a cover / thumbnail. The only option to change this is to delete and download the video again.
I used the second method, which is to add a five-frame thumbnail to the post, as it’s a quick and easy way, but you can also use Creator Studio. So these were three ways to add a cover image to an Instagram post. If you have any suggestion, please leave a comment below.
Also Read: Best Instagram Story Template Apps for iPhone and Android