Have you heard of TubeBuddy AB tests? Thumbnails are key to the success of your YouTube channel. A good thumbnail can improve the click-through rate and watch time of your videos. But what’s a good thumbnail?
One way to create better thumbnails is to A/B test them to see what works best. In this video, I will show you how I do it with TubeBuddy.
How to use TubeBuddy AB Tests (2023)
What Is A/B Testing?
A/B testing, also known as split testing, refers to a randomized experimentation process wherein two or more versions of a variable (web page, page element, etc.) are shown to different segments of website visitors at the same time to determine which version leaves the maximum impact and drives business metrics.
Why Are YouTube Thumbnails Important?
A great custom video thumbnail can make all the difference when it comes to a viewer clicking through to your video. A good thumbnail makes you want to watch the video. It’s immediately noticeable whether it’s on desktop or mobile. If people don’t click through the thumbnail, they will never see your video. Instead of guessing which thumbnail might perform better, TubeBuddy takes the matter into its own algorithm and helps you decide based on real data from YouTube so you don’t have to.
Video Tutorial – Improve your YouTube Thumbnails with TubeBuddy
How A/B Thumbnail Tests Works in TubeBuddy
Simply upload two designs to TubeBuddy, decide how long you want to run the test for, that’s it. You just sit back, relax until the test is complete. Every 24 hours, TubeBuddy displays one variation. Afterward, it switches to the alternative thumbnail for another 24 hours.
In the report below, you can access
- Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Impressions and Clicks
- Watchtime per Impression
- Daily impressions and daily clicks
Additionally, TubeBuddy will warn you (as seen in red) if you stop the test before it was scheduled to complete.
TubeBuddy also indicates the algorithm’s confidence level for the “current” decision made on the thumbnail. For example, 95% is the required confidence level for TubeBuddy to confirm is a design is clearly better than the other.

We are confident that you’ll find A/B Testing helpful. Give it a try!
You might also enjoy…
- How To Improve CTR On YouTube: USE TubeBuddy Click Magnet (2023)
- How to Use Tubebuddy to Grow Your YouTube Channel in 2022 (3 Easy Steps)
Ready to Grow On YOUTUBE?
Written by
Fei WuFei Wu is the founder and CEO of Feisworld Media, a Massachusetts-based digital media company helping brands get discovered by people and by AI. An Adobe Global Ambassador and brand partner to ElevenLabs, Synthesia, and 50+ other tech and AI companies, she hosts the Feisworld Podcast (400+ episodes, 500K+ downloads — guests have included Seth Godin, Steve Wozniak, Chris Voss, and Arianna Huffington) and co-created the documentary Feisworld: Live Your Art on Amazon Prime. Fei writes for CNET, Lifehacker, and PCMag, and her work has been featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and WIRED. She has been publishing on the internet since 2014 — long before AI discoverability had a name.
View all posts by Fei Wu→Stay updated
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