YouTube has launched End Screens for videos, allowing creators to add a clickable promotional page at the end of videos that works on both mobile devices and desktop computers. Previously, video makers would have to upload a promo page and it would only work on the desktop.
YouTube says that you can use the End Screens to:
- Point viewers to other videos, playlists, or channels on YouTube
- Call for subscriptions to your channel
- Promote your website, merchandise, and crowdfunding campaigns
End Screens are embedded within the video and appear during the last 5-20 seconds. They can include up to 4 elements to promote your content, channel and websites, which on the desktop offers more information on hover or on a mobile device on tap. YouTube notes that other interactive elements, like card teasers, featured content, and branding watermarks, are suppressed during the End Screen.
According to YouTube, elements can feature the following types of content:
- Video or playlist: You can select to always feature your most recently uploaded video; allow YouTube to select a video from your channel to best suit the viewer; or pick any video or playlist from your channel, public, or unlisted content.
- Subscribe: Encourage subscriptions to your channel.
- Approved websites: Link to your associated website or to approved merchandise and crowdfunding websites. Provide a custom image, title and select a call-to-action.
- Channel: Promote another channel and provide a custom message.
This feature is planned to get more robust over time as YouTube receives feedback and data on performance, viewer behavior, device and context. They say that the End Screen will not be played when a video is viewed in background mode and for this reason YouTube recommends not pointing to elements or adding crucial content to the end screen part of the video.
- Feature elements that are relevant to the video.
- Encourage viewers to click using calls to action for different end screen elements.
- Make sure you leave enough space and time at the end of the video for an end screen. Make sure you consider the video’s last 20 seconds when editing it.
- Consider timing different end screen elements to appear at different times.