YouTube End Screens and Cards Guide

End screens and cards can significantly boost engagement. Here's how to use them effectively.

Understanding End Screens

What Are End Screens?

• Appear in last 5-20 seconds

• Clickable elements

• Promote videos, playlists, channels

• Subscribe button option

End Screen Elements

You can add:

• Video or playlist (up to 2)

• Subscribe button

• Channel promotion

• External link (if eligible)

End Screen Best Practices

Timing

• Add at 15-20 seconds before end

• Leave space in your video

• Don't overlap important content

• Create dedicated outro space

Design

• Match your video style

• Clear visual hierarchy

• Don't clutter

• Test visibility on mobile

Content Selection

Best videos to promote:

• Relevant to current topic

• Best performing content

• Recent uploads

• Playlist of related videos

Understanding Cards

What Are Cards?

• Clickable notifications

• Appear during video

• Various types available

• Mobile and desktop compatible

Card Types

• Video cards

• Playlist cards

• Channel cards

• Link cards (if eligible)

• Poll cards

Card Best Practices

Strategic Placement

Add cards when:

• Mentioning related content

• Viewers might have questions

• Natural topic transitions

• Before potential drop-off points

Timing Tips

• Don't add too early (first 30 seconds)

• Space them out

• Maximum 5 per video

• Align with content mentions

Analytics

Measuring Performance

Track in YouTube Studio:

• Click-through rate

• Which elements get clicks

• End screen impressions

• Card clicks per card

Optimization

Based on data:

• Test different videos

• Adjust timing

• Try different positions

• Compare card vs end screen performance

Creating End Screen Templates

Dedicated Outro

Design elements:

• Background that matches brand

• Space for two video boxes

• Subscribe button area

• Clear call to action

No-Template Approach

For seamless integration:

• Smaller elements

• Careful positioning

• Less intrusive

• Works for any video

Common Mistakes

End screens over important content

Too many cards (distracting)

Irrelevant video suggestions

Not using end screens at all

Poor mobile visibility

Advanced Strategies

A/B Testing

Try different:

• Video recommendations

• Card timing

• Element positions

• Call to action wording

Funnel Building

Strategic linking:

• Lead to longer videos

• Guide to playlists

• Build watch sessions

• Convert to subscribers

Tools and Resources

• YouTube Studio (built-in)

• Canva (outro templates)

• Analytics for optimization

Conclusion

End screens and cards are free tools to boost engagement. Test different strategies and let the data guide your optimization.