Sneak Peek: Wed Jan 10, 2024 (Patreon)

Time for a little meta-commentary. The design of the "thumbnail," which is the rectangular graphic that shows up on your YouTube (or Nebula) homescreen or sidebar when you're browsing for videos,  just has a massive, massive impact on the performance of your video. Whether YouTube's algorithm decides to spread your content to a wider audience really depends on two things: (1) do people click on your thumbnail, and (2) do they actually watch your video once they click on it, and how much of it do they watch. The thumbnail directly impacts the first thing, of course, but it indirectly impacts the second, because if what I start talking about in the video doesn't match the expectation I set with the thumbnail, the viewer will definitely bail out early.

Anyway, I bring this up because, well, thumbnails are crucial to the long-term viability of my channel, and I consider myself to be NOT GOOD at making them. And also, I now have the ability to "A/B test" thumbnails. Meaning I can upload up to three options, and YouTube will randomize which thumbnail it serves up over a set time period and then tell me how each is performing. Anyway, I'm releasing today's video with two options, shown above.

My question for you guys is, which would you be more likely to click on? (The title is important in this calculus, too, and for this video it's "10 Cities That Destroy Their Downtowns With Parking.") Maybe some of you are masochists who click on my stuff no matter what, and for that you have my sympathy. But vote anyway!

(1) Parking map, or

(2) Parking photo?

Feel free to critique, too. From you guys, I can handle it!

Random additional note -- I've been invited to speak at the American Planning Association National Conference, which is in Minneapolis this year, mid April. Maybe I'll see a couple of you out there!