ErikTheElectric Food Thumbnail for YouTube

Ever wondered how ErikTheElectric keeps his 4.06 million subscribers glued to his food challenge YouTube videos? Yeah, his content is fun, but it’s really those eye-catching thumbnails that draw people in. From massive calorie challenges to epic food feasts, Erik knows how to make a thumbnail pop – and it’s a huge part of why his channel’s so successful.

To create a custom thumbnail for YouTube videos, make sure the thumbnail is an instantly recognizable sketch that reflects the video's subject, matches the aspect ratio (especially for YouTube Shorts), and you upload it to make your video stand out.

ErikTheElectric at a Glance

Let’s break down the impressive stats that reflect Erik's impact on YouTube:

  • Subscribers: 4.06 million
  • Videos: 1.1K
  • Views: 685.24 million
  • Start Date: 2013

Crafting the Perfect Visual Hook

Erik knows how to grab attention with his custom thumbnails, and it’s no accident! His straightforward approach makes it easy for creators to understand how to make their video thumbnails stand out, whether on the YouTube app or through social media. Each custom thumbnail serves a purpose, enticing viewers and giving them a glimpse of the exhilarating content.

Let’s dive into the different YouTube thumbnail styles that Erik has embraced over the years:

Text-Based Thumbnails

When creating a custom thumbnail for YouTube Shorts, design a thumbnail sketch that serves as an instantly recognizable preview image, similar to thumbnails used for web pages, ensuring it effectively represents the video content.

In his early days, Erik heavily relied on text in his thumbnails. They often featured little more than words against a plain background.

  • Visual Vibes: Lacked visual elements; the focus was solely on text.
  • Text Game: Consistently used the same phrases, which led to reduced impact.
  • Readability: Often blurry and hard to interpret.

Swirls and Sunshine Effects

A powerful tool for customizing your channel is adding text to pictures. You can edit and customize templates, save them in device folders, and use them in the process to enhance the resolution of photos. This makes your pictures more engaging for viewers when they watch your content.

Around 2018, Erik began experimenting with vibrant backgrounds filled with swirls and sunshine effects. This shift significantly improved the visual appeal of his thumbnails.

  • Visual Focus: Bright colors grabbed attention, creating an inviting vibe.
  • Emotional Hook: Showcased feelings that drew viewers in.
  • Word Usage: None, placing emphasis solely on the visuals.

Massive Food Displays

To make your YouTube Short thumbnail stand out, ensure it matches the correct aspect ratio for Shorts (9:16). Customize and edit the picture to reflect the video's content, then download it and save it in a folder for easy access. When you're ready, upload the thumbnail to your channel to enhance your video's presentation.

Since 2015, Erik has featured generous portions of food in his thumbnail sketches, capturing the essence of his content.

  • Visual Balance: The subjects were well-highlighted, making the thumbnails pop.
  • Color Contrast: Excellent contrast, effectively conveying the video’s theme.
  • Emotional Impact: Some emotions are portrayed through expressions.

The Stripe Technique

To create a custom thumbnail for your YouTube video, use icons and frames from a template, customize them to match your video’s theme, and design a unique thumbnail that will make your content stand out and attract viewers.

During this phase, Erik started using stripes in his thumbnails to showcase different types of content, like transformations or before-and-after moments.

  • Visual Balance: Excellent image balance using the rule of thirds.
  • Word Impact: Text added curiosity without cluttering the design.
  • Readability: Clear and easy to read, enhancing viewer engagement.

Blue Backgrounds

To create and upload a custom thumbnail for your YouTube video, start by selecting a photo or frame from your video. Use a template to customize it, making sure it fits your channel's theme, and then upload it to make your video stand out and attract more viewers.

In his latest thumbnails, Erik has opted for a blue background with himself prominently placed on the left.

  • Visual Clarity: Content is easy to understand and visually appealing.
  • Emotional Expression: Adequately portrayed emotions that resonate with viewers.
  • Flexibility: High adaptability for various themes.

What Makes Erik’s YouTube Video Thumbnails Stand Out

ErikTheElectric’s thumbnails are a great mix of eye-catching design and consistency. His approach not only makes them visually appealing but also gets viewers engaged. Check out some of the key elements that really make his thumbnails stand out:

  • Attractive Color Contrast: Bright hues paired with neutral shades make Erik’s thumbnails attention-grabbing.
  • Food Focus: Close-up shots of massive food displays create a personal connection with viewers.
  • Strong Visual Identity: Consistent use of colors and branding solidifies his identity.
  • Sleek Design: Minimalist layouts prevent clutter, making the thumbnails visually appealing.

YouTube Thumbnail Summary

Here’s a quick rundown of Erik's YouTube thumbnail image characteristics:


Description Date Range Key Characteristics
Text-Based 2014-2015 Blurry text, no emotional connection, rigid format.
Swirls & Sunshine 2018-2020 Eye-catching colors, emotional depth, no text.
Massive Food Displays 2015-Present Well-highlighted subjects, excellent contrast, emotional expressions.
Stripe Technique 2020-2023 Balanced layout, effective use of text for curiosity, clear readability
Blue Backgrounds 2023-2024 Clarity, emotional portrayal, high flexibility.

How Erik Stacks Up Against YouTube Thumbnail Guidelines

Creators need to stick to YouTube thumbnail best practices to make sure their thumbnails pop, get clicks, and play nicely with platform rules. It’s all about staying relevant and boosting views.

Here's a concise analysis of how ErikTheElectric thumbnails stack up against YouTube's guidelines:


YouTube’s Suggestions Erik’s Thumbnails Score
Image Balance Generally well-balanced, though older ones lacked 3.5/5
Contrast High contrast enhances the visual appeal 4.5/5
Emotions Features some emotions, enhancing engagement 3.5/5
Lesser Words Minimal text leads to clarity but less impact 3/5
Blank Spaces No blank spaces; thumbnails are fully utilized 3.5/5
Total Score 3.6/5

ErikTheElectric really knows his stuff when it comes to creating thumbnails that follow YouTube’s best practices, especially with contrast and image balance. But hey, there’s always room to grow! He could definitely amp up the use of text and tap into more emotions to boost viewer engagement. With a score of 3.6 out of 5, Erik is definitely on the right path, but refining his approach a bit more could really make his thumbnails pop!

  • Consider capturing more dynamic expressions.
  • Explore the use of brief, catchy phrases.
  • Think about introducing some strategic blank areas.
  • Experiment with varying styles to keep things fresh.
  • A/B tests different designs for better insights.
  • Subtly incorporate hints that reference video content.

Tips for Crafting Your Killer YouTube Thumbnails

Feeling inspired by Erik? Here are some easy tips to help you craft video thumbnails that grab attention and increase clicks:

  1. Use High-Quality Images: Ensure your multiple images are sharp and clear, especially close-ups that create a personal touch.
  2. Play with Color Contrast: Bright, bold colors can make your thumbnails stand out. Experiment to find the best combinations.
  3. Keep Text Simple: Use minimal text that’s easy to read at a glance. Catchy phrases or main ideas work best.
  4. Be Consistent: Establish a signature look for your brand with consistent colors, fonts, and layouts.
  5. Evoking Emotions: Capture moments that evoke feelings. Thumbnail images that resonate emotionally are more likely to get clicks.
  6. Test and Compare: Experiment with different styles and track engagement to see what resonates best with your audience.

How to Make Stunning Thumbnails easily through AI

Rizzle is one of the best AI custom thumbnail generator to boost your engagement by 3X. Use it to make your thumbnail.

Know your audience to generate stunning thumbnails with image files, sharp image formats, bright colors, and engaging text. Adding emotive faces and action shots can enhance the appeal.

For a major boost, a powerful tool and thumbnail maker like Rizzle is an excellent tool for crafting stunning thumbnails that attract more clicks and views.

So, What Exactly Does Rizzle Do?

  • Customizable Templates: Explore templates. Choose from a variety of YouTube thumbnail templates to quickly design unique and engaging thumbnails for your videos.
  • Download Button: Easily download your created thumbnails to any device for fast uploading to YouTube or sharing across social media in just a few clicks.
  • Dynamic Layouts: Utilize AI-generated layouts that automatically position key icons and background elements for the best visual impact.
  • AI-Powered Design: Automatically find the best action shots from your video, ensuring your AI-generated thumbnails highlight the most engaging moments.
  • Premium Stock Media: Access premium images and B-rolls from Getty Images to generate thumbnails that stand out for your creative needs.
  • Edit & Tweak: Customize, edit, and tweak your designs with user-friendly tools, adjusting visual elements to fit your branding.
  • Seamless Upload: Once your YouTube thumbnail is created, quickly upload it to your YouTube channel for better viewer engagement on a desktop or mobile device.
  • Consistency: Maintain a cohesive look across all your videos while offering design flexibility to keep each YouTube thumbnail unique.

Let’s see how ErikTheElectric thumbnails match Rizzle’s standards. We’ll check out where they shine and where some Rizzle magic could make them pop even more:

Rizzle’s Criteria for a Killer Thumbnail

Rizzle’s Criteria


Rizzle’s Criteria for a Killer Thumbnail
Rizzle’s Criteria ErikTheElectric (Reasons for the score) Score
Image Balance The thumbnails are generally well-balanced, and not all of them have a clear rule of thirds. His older thumbnails had no proper image balance or rule of thirds. 3.5/5
Color Contrast Strong color contrast is used effectively to add depth. Overall the thumbnail looks very attractive and appealing. 4.5/5
Visual Clarity Most of his thumbnails can be easily seen and are visually appealing. The viewer can easily depict the content based on his thumbnail. 4.5/5
Emotions Thumbnails often feature extreme emotions. They persuade the viewer to watch his content. 3.5/5
Word Impact Minimal text is used, leading to less impact from words, but definitely are related to the content present in the video. 3/5
Typography The text is clear and bold and can be easily seen due to popping colors and contrasting backgrounds. 4/5
Readability The text is easily readable and simple. 4.5/5
Flexibility The thumbnails are flexible for different sorts of content. 4/5
Total Score 3.9/5

To further elevate their thumbnails, eriktheelectric could benefit from the following suggestions based on Rizzle's criteria:

  • Enhance the use of the rule of thirds.
  • Incorporate varied emotional expressions.
  • Use more impactful text for context.
  • Experiment with additional styles and themes.
  • Explore contrasting elements for depth.
  • Ensure thumbnails clearly communicate content.

Maximize your Thumbnails Impact for YouTube Success

Even though his thumbnails are already doing great, there's always room for improvement—especially when adding more emotional flair and impactful text. By tweaking these elements, Erik can keep his audience engaged and coming back for more.

Erik’s story is a perfect example of how a solid design can make a difference for those looking to up their thumbnail game. Plus, using tools like Rizzle, being the best thumbnail creator, can make it even easier to create unique thumbnails with customizable templates and AI features that streamline the process.

No items found.

Table of Contents