Make your ZipLeads course content stand out by setting an eye-catching thumbnail for each lesson. You can capture an exact frame from your uploaded video or upload your own image. Clear thumbnails make lessons easier to find, encourage more clicks and keep your branding consistent.
Key Benefits of Video Frame Thumbnails
A well-chosen thumbnail helps learners recognise content quickly, makes your course look more polished and keeps your brand consistent across your course library.
Brand consistency: Keep lesson visuals in line with your brand style and course theme.
Higher engagement: Use lively, relevant frames to attract more plays and keep learners around.
Faster workflow: Set a thumbnail in one click without leaving ZipLeads or using other editing tools.
Easier navigation: Distinct thumbnails help learners find the right lesson.
Where Thumbnails Display (Lesson vs. Video)
Knowing where your chosen image appears helps you plan the learner experience and keep things consistent.
After saving, the selected image appears as the Lesson thumbnail and the Video thumbnail inside that lesson.
Want a different image for the lesson tile than the video player? Upload a separate lesson thumbnail image to override it.
Requirements & Limitations
Check you're working within these supported scenarios so your thumbnail behaves as expected.
Works with videos uploaded directly to the lesson in ZipLeads.
For lessons using embedded third-party players, select Upload custom thumbnail to control the lesson tile image.
Always click Save to confirm your thumbnail selection.
Best Practices for Effective Thumbnails
Thoughtful thumbnails make lessons clearer and your course more professional, especially for longer programs.
Use a clear subject (speaker's face, key graphic or product) centred in the frame.
Add a little readable text if needed (3–5 words max) to show the lesson's focus.
Choose frames with good contrast and sharpness. Avoid dark, blurry or busy frames.
Keep the visual style consistent across lessons (colours, typography, framing).
How to Set Up a Lesson Thumbnail
Follow these simple steps so your thumbnail updates correctly and displays properly in both the lesson and the video.
Go to Sites > Memberships > Courses and open your course.
Select the Lesson you want to edit and upload the video.
Choose a frame: Play to the moment you want, pause, then click Use current frame as thumbnail.
Check that the preview updates.
Click Save in the lesson editor.
Important - Lesson vs. Video Thumbnail
Selecting Use current frame as thumbnail sets both the Video thumbnail (1) (the image shown before playback) and the Lesson thumbnail (2) (the image on the course/lesson tile).
To use different images:
Keep your chosen frame for the Video thumbnail inside the lesson.
For the Lesson thumbnail (course/lesson tile), either:
Switch to Lesson thumbnail and choose a different video frame (pause on the moment and click Use current frame as thumbnail again), or
Upload a separate image in the lesson details/thumbnail settings.
Go back to your course list to check the Lesson and Video thumbnails match your selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does selecting a video frame also set the thumbnail inside the video player?
A: Yes. After you save, the image is used as both the Lesson and Video thumbnail for that lesson.
Q: Can I upload a different image for the lesson tile than the video player?
A: Yes. Upload a dedicated lesson thumbnail to override the shared image, while keeping a different video thumbnail if you like.
Q: Does this work with embedded videos like YouTube or Vimeo?
A: The "Use current frame as thumbnail" option only works with videos uploaded to ZipLeads. For embedded players, upload a custom lesson thumbnail image to control the lesson tile.
Q: What image size should I use for best results?
A: Use a 16:9 image (1280×720 or larger) that's optimised for clarity and contrast.
Q: Will changing the thumbnail affect existing students?
A: Yes. Once saved, new and returning learners will see the updated thumbnail everywhere it appears.
Q: Can I change the thumbnail later?
A: Absolutely. Repeat the selection or upload process and click Save to apply the new image.