Treat YouTube like your Tinder profile

Hey - It's Rory.

I want you to imagine you're on Tinder.

You've got an incredible personality, great stories, and a solid job.

In person, you'd be a 10/10.

But there's a problem.

Your photos SUCK.

One of them is a low-light, blurry selfie.

In another you're half cropped out of a group photo.

And, worst of all, one of them is a photo of you from 2014, squeezed into the skinniest jeans known to man (I can't believe people actually thought they looked good).

What happens?

No one swipes right.

Not because you're not amazing, but because they never gave you a chance due to a poor first impression.

It's the exact same with YouTube.

You could have the best video in the world.

It could be funny, insightful, and packed with value.

But if your thumbnail looks like it was made in Microsoft Paint and your title is as interesting as a tax document, no one is clicking.

They're swiping left before they even realise what they're missing.

The reality is, if you want people to actually watch your incredible content, you need to give them a reason to stop scrolling and click.

What makes a "swipe-right" thumbnail & title?

Let's go back to Tinder for a second.

What makes someone stop and think, "Wow, I need to know more about this person?"

A great profile picture:

✅ High quality, clear, and well-lit

✅ Shows confidence and personality

✅ Makes people curious to learn more about you

Now, let's apply that to YouTube.

Your thumbnail is the first thing people see.

It needs to:

✅ Stand out visually - Bold colours, contrast, clean composition, easy to process.

✅ Show emotion & intrigue - Faces with clear expressions (shock, excitement, curiosity) connect instantly with viewers.

✅ Tell a story at a glance - The best thumbnails spark questions in the viewer's mind: "What's going on here?" "What happens next?" These are questions that can only be answered by clicking.

Now, let’s talk titles.

A bad title is like a boring Tinder bio: “I like food, travel, and movies…”

Great, so does everyone.

A great title sparks curiosity and makes people need to know more.

• Boring: “I Woke Up at 5AM Every Day"

• Swipe-right: “Why Waking Up at 5AM Made Me 10x More Productive"

• Boring: “How to Save Money”

• Swipe-right: “How to Save $500 a Month Using these 12 Tips”

The formula?

✅ Create curiosity – Make people wonder what happens next.

✅ Short & sweet – Keep under 55 characters so the viewer can process quickly.

✅ Highlight a clear benefit – Show them why it’s worth their time.

So, by now you get it.

Your thumbnails and titles make or break your YouTube success.

But let’s be honest:

• You didn’t start a YouTube channel to spend hours tweaking images in Photoshop.

• You don’t have time to analyse title formulas or test 20 variations to see what works.

• And if you’re like most creators, you’re probably guessing what will get clicks and hoping for the best.

That’s where I come in.

Imagine uploading your video knowing that:

✅ Your thumbnail is bold, clean, and eye-catching.

✅ Your title is engineered to drive curiosity and engagement.

✅ You can focus on creating great content, while I make sure people actually click.

That’s what I do in my 1-on-1 coaching program.

Unfortunately, I can’t help you with your Tinder profile (that’s a whole different issue), but I can help you get the attention your YouTube videos deserve.

As each channel requires my full attention, there are only 3 spots available.

If you're interested in working together, reply to this email with a link to your YouTube channel, and I'll send over the details.

Speak soon,

Rory "Helping YouTubers get clicks, not dates" Marles