Custom Video Thumbnails for Campaigns

When you upload a video to your campaign, GiveCampus automatically uses a frame of your video as the thumbnail. However, you can upload a custom thumbnail image to better represent your campaign.

Setting Custom Video Thumbnails

Main Campaign Page Video

To set a custom thumbnail for your main campaign video:

1. Go to Campaign Settings

2. Navigate to Campaign Setup > Images & Display

3. Scroll to the Custom Video Thumbnail section

4. Upload your desired thumbnail image

5. Click "Update Campaign" to save

Prelaunch Page Video

To set a custom thumbnail for prelaunch page videos:

1. Go to Campaign Settings

2. Select Campaign Setup > Pre Launch Page

3. Find the Custom Video Thumbnail upload field

4. Upload your image and save

Tiered Landing Page Videos

For videos on individual tiered landing pages:

1. Go to Tiered Landing Pages in your campaign settings

2. Click the pencil icon next to the specific page

3. Locate the Custom Thumbnail upload section

4. Upload your image and save

Image Requirements

Recommended specifications:

• Size: 630x350 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio)

• File size: Maximum 2MB

• Formats: PNG, JPG, JPEG

How Thumbnails Work

• If no custom thumbnail is uploaded, the system displays a frame from your video

• Custom thumbnails override the automatic frame thumbnail

• The thumbnail appears until someone clicks play on the video

• Changes may take a few minutes to appear across all campaign pages

Troubleshooting

Video Thumbnail Not Updating

If your custom thumbnail isn't appearing:

1. Check your image size- If it's too large it won't be applied to the video- under 5MB works best

2. Use the 'Sync Video Thumbnail' button- This will show as an option after an image has been uploaded and will resync the image to the video.

Sync Video Thumbnail Button

After uploading a custom video thumbnail, you may see a "Sync Video Thumbnail" button in your settings. This button appears when:

• You have uploaded both a video and a custom thumbnail
• The thumbnail needs to be reprocessed or re-linked to the video

When to use the Sync button:

• Your custom thumbnail isn't displaying correctly
• You've uploaded a new thumbnail but see the old one
• The thumbnail appears but seems out of sync with your upload

To sync your thumbnail:

1. Navigate to Settings > Campaign Setup > Images & Display
2. Look for the "Sync Video Thumbnail" button near your custom thumbnail upload field
3. Click the button to reprocess the thumbnail
4. Allow up to 10 minutes for the change to appear on your campaign

Note: The sync button only appears after you've uploaded both a video and a custom thumbnail image. If you don't see this button, ensure both files have been uploaded successfully.

3. Thumbnail updates can take up to 20 minutes to reflect on the video.

   handling image orientation issues

   Sometimes a thumbnail may appear rotated or upside down. To fix this, try the following steps:

   Quick fixes in the admin UI

   1. Use a screenshot. Open the image on your computer, take a screenshot of the correctly oriented version, and upload it as your thumbnail.
   2. Re-save the file. Open the image in an editor (e.g., Preview, Paint, Photoshop, Canva), rotate it as needed, and save a new file.
   3. Replace the current thumbnail. If a thumbnail is already set, use the Replace Custom Thumbnail option to upload the corrected file.

   How to upload the corrected image

   • Navigate to your campaign's video thumbnail upload section (main campaign, prelaunch page, or tiered landing page).
   • Upload your corrected image or screenshot.
   • If a thumbnail exists, select Replace Custom Thumbnail to update the file.
   • If the change is not immediate, click the Sync Video Thumbnail button to reprocess the image.

   Important notes

   • Supported formats: PNG, JPG, JPEG.
   • Allow several minutes for thumbnail updates to appear.

Thumbnail Appears Blurry or Pixelated

1. Use higher resolution images - aim for at least 630x350 pixels

2. Check aspect ratio - 16:9 works best to prevent stretching

3. Optimize image quality before uploading

Best Practices

• Choose engaging imagery that represents your campaign's purpose

• Include text or branding if it helps convey your message

• Test on different devices to ensure the thumbnail looks good on mobile and desktop

• Keep file sizes reasonable to ensure fast loading