YouTube has a user base of about 2.6 billion active users, which is more than ¼ of the total population of the world. With the growing user base, the competition for survival of the best content and content creators is also increasing. You need to keep your subscribers hooked up to you. Moreover, you also need to gain new loyal subscribers by setting your first impression perfectly. Besides delivering certain content in a video, you also need to direct your visitors toward other videos on your channel. In such cases, YouTube Cards come into the scenario?
Do you use YouTube cards? Ah, don’t know what YouTube cards are. Don’t worry! Vidtechy is there to help you out. In this blog, we’ll discuss what YouTube cards are and why they are necessary for you. Moreover, we shall also explore some best tips and practices you should implement for using YouTube cards in the best way.
YouTube Cards: What Are They?
YouTube cards refer to interactive elements such as external links and other such stuff, generally added at the end of YouTube videos. YouTube creators often use YouTube cards to promote playlists, channels, videos, websites, merchandise, etc. Users can see cards both on mobile and desktop versions of YouTube. YouTube lets you add up to a maximum of 5 cards per video.
YouTube cards help in adding more visual components to your video. Moreover, they help boost engagement and interaction between your video elements and your user. Now, let’s explore the different types of YouTube cards.
Types Of YouTube Cards
According to their functioning and the type of action they invoke from the users, there are various types of CTA-invoking YouTube cards you can use in your videos. Let’s discuss them.
Channel Cards
Suppose you have another channel and want your users to check out that channel and its videos. You can use a channel card. Moreover, if you’ve collaborated with any other YouTube creator and want your audience to watch that video, you can use a channel card. These channel cards help drive the audience from one channel to another.
Link Cards
Link cards are cards used to add links to merchandise sites, associated websites, and crowdfunding pages in the video. However, you should remember that you should be a part of the YouTube partner program to add the links to your website to your YouTube card.
You can associate links to your blog, licensed merchandise, or another eCommerce website. You can also send your visitors to any crowdfunding project you’re organizing or part of.
Playlist Or Video Cards
Playlists or video cards are used to inform your audience about other relatable videos and playlists which are beneficial for the audience. You can either recommend other videos of the series from your channel or recommend videos from other channels to provide value to your audience.
Poll Cards
Poll cards are generally used when you want your users to redirect to a poll which will help you know your users better. Poll cards are among the most engaging cards. They help you in knowing what your audience wants next.
Donation Cards
Donation cards are generally used if you want to redirect to a crowdfunding website that you’re promoting or a part of. After visiting the link, the users will decide whether or not to donate something or not.
How Can You Add YouTube Cards To Your Video?
Follow the steps to add YouTube Cards to your YouTube video:
1.Open and refresh your browser.
2.Navigate to YouTube. Further, navigate to YouTube Studio (https://studio.youtube.com/).
3. Click on the “Content” tab present in the left panel.
4. You’ll see all the videos listed on the next screen. Choose the video in which you want to add your cards. Besides the video thumbnail, you’ll find a pen icon. Click on it.
5. A new page opens up. Click on the end of the menu present on the right-hand side of the page—select “Cards” from the menu.
6. On the next screen, you can add your cards. Click the ‘Add card’ drop-down menu. Select the type of card you wish to add from the list of options.
- If you select Video / Playlist Cards, you can select your desired video or playlist on the next screen. Moreover, if you want to watch a video from another channel, you can enter its link. Now, add your custom message and teaser text. Click on “Create Card,” and now your card is created.
- If you want to use a channel card, click on the “Channel Card” option from the drop-down menu.
- You need to add your channel name or URL on the next page, which you want to be displayed on the card.
- Next, add your custom message and teaser text. Click on “Create Card,” and now your card is created. Similarly, you can also create other cards.
7. On the bottom, you can spot a cursor on your video timeline. Adjust your cursor to set your card’s time.
8. Once you create the card and close the window, you’ll see that the video is automatically updated with your card.
Tips And Best Practices To Implement While Using YouTube Cards
Do you want to make your YouTube cards more appealing and attention-grabbing? Do you wish to strengthen the power of your CTA by invoking the YouTube card? Let’s explore some tips and tricks which will help you master the journey of making YouTube cards.
Be Relevant
The main motive behind using YouTube cards is to help your audience with related and relevant content. Thus, make sure that whatever card you present must be relevant to your users. Presenting irrelevant and unrelated cards will only annoy and piss off your audience. Thus, make sure that whatever card you provide must be in clear relation and relevant to your current video.
Optimize Your Custom Message And Teaser Text Well
Teaser text refers to the text which shows up on the card before a user can click on it. On the other hand, a custom message refers to the message which your audience sees once they click on the card. While writing your teaser text, you need to give your audience a reason to click on the card. So, try to keep it as enjoyable as possible.
For example, if you’re suggesting a video describing a particular growth hack on YouTube, you’ll generally write, “Check out this video for an amazing YouTube growth hack.” This sounds quite boring. Ain’t it? Thus, you can use something interesting like “Go from 0 to 100k subscribers on YouTube”. Likewise, you need to be creative while writing your teaser text.
Similarly, while writing the custom message, make sure to include a strong CTA, which forces the users to follow the card’s link. Be clear in what you want them to do.
Use Verbal CTAs
Almost every creator uses YouTube cards in their video. Moreover, they are also easy to miss. A scripted CTA following up on the card increases the chances of the audience taking action after seeing the card. These verbal CTAs and cues make the impact of your cards much stronger, thus convincing a visitor to follow the link.
Use Cards In The Second Half Of Your Video
Your cards should be present in the last 20% of your video, according to YouTube. Adding the cards in the first half isn’t a problem. However, your users may skip your video and jump off to where the card link leads you. Thus, it’s always advisable to add cards in the second half of the video, preferably towards the end, when the user is ready to leave off from the current video.
Use Action Cards
YouTube’s SEO considers retention score an essential parameter for deciding your video’s rank on the SERP results page. A retention score indicates the maximum time up to which a user watches your video without skipping it. Videos with high retention scores often rank high compared to those with low retention scores. You can pick some of your videos that are the best performing and have a high retention score. Adding cards of videos with low retention scores to videos with high retention scores is an excellent way of driving the audience to those videos.
Highlight Your Support To A Non Profit
Charitable actions will help you create your brand awareness, thus creating a kind and great impression of yours in the audience’s minds. You can highlight a non-profit organization that you support. You can accompany such highlights with a donation card which convinces your audience to follow the link.
Analyze Your Cards
Using cards is not enough. You also need to analyze your card’s performance to know which cards work out best. You should always have a measure of helpful information like:
- How many people took the action of following or clicking on the card?
- Which of your cards is the best performing?
- Which of your cards is the worst-performing?
- Which videos have the highest-performing cards?
- How many times do people click on teasers to view more information?
A Word From Vidtechy
Youtube Cards are a great way to connect with your audience and know their interests. You can also help them by providing some helpful related videos to them. I hope we have provided you with all the necessary information about YouTube cards and how you can ace making some CTA YouTube cards. For any doubts, queries, comments, or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comments section below. We’ll reach out to you at the earliest. Happy reading!