I add end screens to most of my YouTube videos, and they are very easy to add during the upload process and after the video is published. End screens are a great way to promote your other videos, channels, playlists, external websites, and more at the end of your YouTube videos. Adding end screens can help increase viewership and drive traffic to other areas you want to highlight. Let’s go over how to add end screens to YouTube videos and some best practices.
What are YouTube End Screens?
YouTube end screens are customizable segments that appear in the last 5-20 seconds of your videos. End screens typically contain clickable elements like video recommendations, subscription prompts, links, and more.
End screens aim to keep viewers engaged and watch more content from your channel after your video finishes playing. They are an effective promotional tool for YouTube creators.
YouTube End Screen Requirements
To be eligible for end screens, your YouTube video must:
- Be at least 25 seconds long
- Not be set as “made for kids”
- Not be a 360, flash, or YouTube Music video
- Be uploaded from a desktop (end screens don’t appear on mobile uploads)
Additionally, your YouTube channel must be in good standing without any active Community Guidelines strikes.
How to Add an End Screen in YouTube Studio
First, you need to click on the video you want to edit.
Second, click on Editor and click on the plus-sign to Add end screens to your videos.
Third, add elements to your video by going through the Editor tab. You can import end screens from other videos.
Adding an end screen is simple within YouTube Studio Step-By-Step:
- Sign into YouTube Studio and go to Content.
- Select the video you want to edit.
- From the left sidebar, choose Editor.
- Select the “End Screen” option.
- Choose an end screen element to add like a video, playlist, subscribe prompt, etc.
- Customize the layout, timing, appearance, and positioning of your end screen.
- Preview how it will look.
- Click “Save” to add the end screen.
You can add up to 4 end screen elements for 16:9 videos. Other aspect ratios may allow less.
YouTube End Screen Elements
There are several end screen elements you can choose from:
- Recent upload – Automatically promotes your newest video upload
- Best for viewer – Let YouTube pick a recommended video based on the viewer and video
- Specific video – Manually select any public or unlisted video from your channel or others’ to promote
- Playlist – Promote one of your public YouTube playlists
- Subscribe – Add a subscribe prompt
- Channel – Promote another YouTube channel you want to shoutout
- Link – Add a clickable link to an external website (must be in YouTube Partner Program)
- Merch shelf – Highlight an item from your YouTube merch shelf
Mix and match elements to create a custom end screen for each video. Make sure to follow YouTube’s policies when adding links.
YouTube End Screen Best Practices
Follow these tips to create effective end screens:
- Choose elements relevant to the video topic and audience
- Use clear calls-to-action like “Subscribe Here” or “Next Video”
- Ensure custom images are high-resolution (300×300 minimum)
- Allow enough time at the end of your video for the end screen
- Stagger when different elements appear for greater impact
- Analyze performance in YouTube Analytics to optimize
Conclusion
Well-designed end screens can help retain viewers, increase watch time, and promote your best content. Take time to create customized end screens to boost your YouTube channel’s performance.
