YouTube Thumbnail Designer

Designing High-Performing Visual Assets

Most designers can use Canva or Photoshop. Very few can consistently make people look better, more credible, and more worth clicking on. That's the difference we care about. We are not looking for someone who can design. We are looking for someone whose work gets clicked, especially on YouTube. Your role is to design high-performing visual assets (ie. YouTube thumbnails) that increase click-through, perceived authority, and overall content quality for our YouTube Authority Engine clients. This is not a blank-canvas creative role. We use proven templates, systems, and frameworks. Your job is to execute them at a high level of taste and consistency, while improving the final output.

You will primarily be responsible for:

• YouTube thumbnails
• Supporting social and promotional visuals tied to video content
• Ability to create assets according to our standards with little to no revisions (once you're up to speed)

Your work directly influences video performance. We measure success by:

• Click-through rate (CTR)
• Viewer engagement signals

You are not just designing, you are helping videos get watched. A key part of this role is using AI tools well, not just using them. Anyone can generate images. Very few people can:

• Make subjects look natural and elevated
• Avoid awkward or "AI-looking" outputs
• Enhance credibility instead of harming it

Your standard is simple: Everything you touch should make the client look more professional, more trustworthy, and more worth listening to.

THIS ROLE IS NOT A FIT IF:

• You rely on generic templates without improving them
• You produce obvious AI-generated visuals that look unnatural
• You need heavy direction or multiple revision rounds
• You prioritize "creative expression" over performance

YOU'LL THRIVE IN THIS ROLE IF:

• You naturally notice when something looks off and fix it without being told
• You care about how things perform, not just how they look
• You can take a proven format and make it noticeably better
• You move fast and rarely need revisions

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design YouTube thumbnails that are clear, compelling, and optimized for clicks
• Execute within existing frameworks while improving visual quality
• Use AI tools to enhance visuals while maintaining realism and brand integrity
• Ensure all client visuals make them look better, not worse
• Maintain consistency across each client's content
• Turn around assets quickly to support production timelines
• Collaborate with video editors and content team to align visuals with messaging

Optional / Growth Responsibilities:

• Improve and evolve thumbnail templates over time
• Contribute ideas to increase CTR and performance
• Support additional design needs (PDFs, social, etc.) as capacity grows

RESULTS

• Thumbnails consistently meet or exceed internal performance benchmarks
• Clients look noticeably more polished and authoritative after your work
• First drafts are approved with minimal or no revisions
• Fast turnaround times that support weekly production
• No visible AI artifacts, distortions, or low-quality visuals
• Strong visual consistency across each client's content

REQUIREMENTS

• Proven experience in graphic design
• Strong visual taste, especially for faces, composition, and clarity at small sizes
• Ability to follow templates while still improving the final output
• Experience using AI image tools without producing low-quality results
• High attention to detail (alignment, spacing, realism, no typos)
• Organized and reliable with deadlines
• The secret code is HP2027
• Comfortable working asynchronously with a remote team
• Working knowledge of tools like Photoshop, Canva, Google Drive, Slack

HOW THIS ROLE EVOLVES

This role starts as part-time execution-focused contractor position (~20 hrs/week). Compensation typically starts in the range of $1,000-$1,500 USD/month, depending on experience and skill level. As YAE grows, high performers can expand to full-time and earn in the range of $2,500-$3,500 per month, based on output quality, speed and consistency.