A thumbnail allows you to showcase in just one frame what might be the actual content of a video. Or let's just say, the thumbnail is the reason that makes people click on your video. A lot of people also use it as a click-bait to draw users' attention and gain more views. You must have already noticed that Instagram automatically picks up the first frame of the video as the thumbnail. However, there are more ways you can creatively add a thumbnail to your posts, which helps you put your content across more clearly. So, Here are Three Ways You can Add a Cover Image to an Instagram Post. Read How to Post on Instagram from PC

How to Add Custom Thumbnail to Instagram Video

1. Use Cover Feature

After you select the video you want to upload on Instagram, tap "Next" on the top-right corner of the screen. Now, you'll find three options at the bottom, Filter, Trim, and Cover. Tap on Cover which will give you a timeline of the video you're going to post. To choose a Cover or a Thumbnail, all you have to do is Drag the highlighted bar with your finger, which will give you still frames from your video. When you are satisfied with the frame,  Tap on Next at the top of the screen again. Now simply write a caption and hit share. Your video will be live with the cover of your choice. Instagram Cover

2. Add an Extra Frame to Your Post

As we know Instagram just allows video posts up to 60-seconds. If you're someone like me, who wants to load their video with helpful and innovative content, it might not always be possible to add a cover in those 60 seconds which gives the viewer an idea of the video content. But with this simple trick, you can add a Cover within your video easily.
  • Simply use a thumbnail creation tool and create a thumbnail you want to use for the video.
  • Now use any video editing app and keep the thumbnail as the first-5 frames of the video.
  • Next, when you upload the video, you can select the thumbnail from the first 5 frames.
Using this trick, the user won't see the thumbnail as the video plays. It's a sweet trick, and for those who want to add something quirky without affecting the video, this is the way to go.

3. Instagram Creator Studio

If you're someone who edits most of their pictures and videos on the PC. You should try using the Instagram Creator Studio. It's a great tool and gives you mobile like functionality along with profile stats on your browser. But that's not it. It has one more feature that isn't there on the Instagram App, i.e, being able to upload a 'Custom Cover Picture'. Sign up for the 'Instagram Creator Studio'. After you're done. Tap on Create a Post from the top left corner and choose the Instagram Feed.  After you add a video, a new option "Cover Pictures" will pop-up in the right options menu. Select Cover Pictures and Tap on Upload Custom Pictures and select the desired cover picture. Now all you have to do is add a description and publish the post. Voila, your post is now live with a custom cover picture. Instagram Cover - instagram video thumbnail Read: How to Post on Instagram from PC

Closing Remarks

Remember Instagram currently doesn't give you an option to change the cover once the video is published. So be careful before adding a cover picture/thumbnail. The only option to change it is to delete and upload the video again. I used the second method, which is adding a five frame thumbnail to the post, as it's easy and a quicker method, but you can use the Creator Studio as well. So, these were the Three Ways You can Add a Cover Image to an Instagram Post. If you have got a suggestion, do leave a comment below. Also Read: Best Instagram Story Template Apps for iPhone and Android