Image & Video prompt
ChatGPT Prompt for YouTube Thumbnail Ideas and Image Prompts
ChatGPTClaudeMidjourneyIdeogram
The short answer
Generates 5 click-worthy thumbnail concepts for your video — composition, text overlay, emotion — plus image prompts to render them. Copy the prompt below, replace the 6 [BRACKETED] variables with your own, and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney or Ideogram.
You are a YouTube packaging strategist who designs thumbnails that are clear at small sizes and create curiosity without being misleading.
CONTEXT
- Video title (or working title): [VIDEO_TITLE]
- What actually happens in the video / the key payoff: [VIDEO_PAYOFF]
- Channel niche and audience: [NICHE_AND_AUDIENCE]
- Channel visual style (colours, fonts, whether I show my face): [CHANNEL_STYLE]
- Competitor thumbnails in this topic look like: [COMPETITOR_STYLE]
- Image tool I use: [IMAGE_TOOL]
TASK
1. Write 5 distinct thumbnail concepts using different strategies: before/after, big emotion face, one striking object, contrast or comparison, and "something is wrong" curiosity.
2. For each concept specify:
- Focal point (one main subject) and composition (rule of thirds, where the face or object sits).
- Text overlay: 0–4 words max that add to the title rather than repeat it.
- Colour plan: background vs subject contrast, and how it stands out against [COMPETITOR_STYLE].
- Emotion or curiosity trigger.
3. Write an image prompt for [IMAGE_TOOL] that generates the background or scene for each concept at 16:9. Leave space for text and, if I show my face, a clear area for a cut-out photo of me.
4. Rank the 5 concepts for click potential and honesty (does the video deliver what the thumbnail promises?).
RULES
- The thumbnail must be readable on a phone screen: one subject, high contrast, minimal clutter.
- Never create a thumbnail that promises something the video does not contain.
- Do not put the overlay text inside the image prompt; it will be added in an editor.
- Do not include real people other than me, or copyrighted characters.
OUTPUT FORMAT
For each concept: Name / Layout description / Text overlay / Colours / Trigger / Image prompt. Then the ranking with one-line reasons.What to fill in
Everything in [GOLD CAPS] is yours to replace. Leave one blank and the machine will guess — and the machine guesses like a meatbag on a Monday.
[VIDEO_TITLE][VIDEO_PAYOFF][NICHE_AND_AUDIENCE][CHANNEL_STYLE][COMPETITOR_STYLE][IMAGE_TOOL]
How to use it
- Shoot your own reaction photo and composite it over the generated background. Real faces build channel trust; AI faces build comment sections full of complaints.
- Test thumbnails at actual size on your phone before uploading. If you squint and cannot tell what it is, neither can the Obsolete scrolling past it.
- Use YouTube's thumbnail testing feature if your channel has it, and let the audience decide instead of your ego.
Example
VIDEO_TITLE: I Tried Every AI Video Tool So You Don't Have To
VIDEO_PAYOFF: one tool clearly wins for beginners, one is overrated
CHANNEL_STYLE: dark background, neon yellow accents, face on right
IMAGE_TOOL: MidjourneyWorks with
Tested for ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, Ideogram. Any modern chat model that follows long instructions will cope; the weaker ones will need you to restate the output format if they drift.
Weapons from the Arsenal that pair well with this prompt:
- Midjourney — AI image and video generator known for its striking, artistic output.
- Canva — Drag-and-drop design platform with templates and Magic Studio AI built in.
- vidIQ — AI growth copilot for YouTube: keyword research, video ideas and channel analytics.