Create instant GIFs for video thumbnails with FastPix API

Fun fact: The average viewer decides whether to click on a video in less than 1.8 seconds. And most of that decision? It’s visual.

Now imagine that split-second decision being made on a thumbnail where nothing moves. A football suspended mid-air. A character mid-blink. A cooking show stuck on a pot before anything simmers.

That’s what one OTT team realized after digging into their catalog metrics. New videos were going live every week, sports clips, episodes, trailers but click-through rates weren’t moving. The content was solid. The titles were fine. But the thumbnails? Static. Forgettable.

Meanwhile, streaming giants had quietly raised the bar. Netflix brought titles to life with looping previews. Sports apps teased big moments. Even kids’ platforms used subtle motion to draw the eye.

Turns out, motion thumbnails aren’t just nice to have, they’re a real conversion lever.

The catch? Manually creating GIFs or previews doesn’t scale. Automating them, at speed, at volume, and with context is what we’ll cover in this guide.

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Why GIFs make great video thumbnails?

Using GIFs for your video thumbnails has several practical benefits. Here’s why you should consider adding them:

• More clickable: GIFs are much more engaging than static images. Adding a GIF as your video thumbnail instantly grabs attention and encourages viewers to click on your content.
• Increased engagement: Once viewers click on your video, they’re more likely to stay longer if the thumbnail showcases an engaging moment. GIFs are visually appealing and full of movement, which helps keep viewers engaged and interested.
• Easy to share: GIFs are perfect for social media and marketing because they’re easy to share. Their small size and engaging nature help your content reach more people.

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Creating instant GIFs for video thumbnails with FastPix

FastPix offers an easy way to create engaging GIFs from videos, perfect for enhancing social media and content-sharing platforms. This guide covers the step-by-step process of generating GIFs, from video upload to final customization.

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Step 1: Upload and prepare your video

To start creating GIFs, the first step is to upload your video to FastPix.

• Upload your video: Begin by uploading the video file to FastPix. This video will serve as the source for generating the thumbnail GIF.
• Quick start guide: FastPix offers a streamlined process for uploading your video, making it quick and easy to get started.

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Step 2: Check the media status

Once your video is uploaded, you need to check its processing status before extracting GIFs or thumbnails.

• Check media status: After uploading the video, it must be processed. The video will be marked as “ready” once it’s fully processed, which means you can now extract thumbnails and GIFs from it.

Note:

If you try to extract gifs before the video is ready, you might encounter errors or incomplete images.

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Step 3: Extract a GIF

With your video ready, you can now extract a GIF by making an API request to FastPix.

• Make an API request: Send a GET request to FastPix with the video’s playback ID and specify the start and end times of the segment you want to turn into a GIF. You can also choose the format (GIF or WebP) and customize the dimensions of the GIF.

API request format:

https://image.fastpix.io/{PLAYBACK_ID}/clip.{gif|webp}

Note: You can choose either the GIF or WebP format depending on your platform’s needs. GIF is more universally supported, while WebP offers better quality and smaller file sizes.

• To extract a GIF or clip from a video, you can make a GET request to the FastPix API using the endpoint: https://image.fastpix.io/{PLAYBACK_ID}/clip.{gif|webp}. This API call retrieves the desired GIF or clip based on the provided parameters.

Path parameters‍

To generate a GIF using FastPix, you need to include the following path parameters in your API request.

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These path parameters are necessary to identify the video and specify the format of the GIF you want to generate.

Query parameters

FastPix also allows you to customize the GIF creation process with several optional query parameters. You can adjust the start and end times, dimensions, and frame rate of the GIF to fit your requirements.

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These parameters give you full control over the appearance and duration of your GIF, making it easier to create the perfect thumbnail for your video. For more details check out our guide.

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Tips for creating the best GIFs for video thumbnails

While FastPix simplifies the process, here are some tailored tips to ensure your GIFs grab attention and perform effectively:

1. Keep It under 5 seconds: GIFs that are too long may lose their impact. Aim for a duration of 3-5 seconds to capture the most engaging part of your video. This keeps the GIF dynamic and avoids losing viewer interest.
2. Focus on High-impact moments: Select action-packed or emotionally engaging moments from your video like key reactions, dramatic pauses, or any visually exciting content. These are the moments that will make viewers stop scrolling and click on your content.
3. Optimize for mobile viewing: Since many viewers watch content on mobile devices, make sure your GIFs are optimized for mobile screens. Ensure the width is under 640px and keep the file size below 1MB for faster loading and a smooth viewing experience across various devices.

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End note

Gone are the days of image thumbnails that blend into the background. With FastPix, you can create GIFs that capture attention, increase engagement, and elevate your content across all platforms. No complex editing, no hassle just simple, fast, and effective thumbnail GIF creation. FastPix offers a range of features including easy clipping, watermarking, and in-video AI, all designed to enhance your content creation and streaming experience. Visit our Features page to learn more.