YouTube End Screens to Keep Viewers on Your Channel

Who hasn’t heard of YouTube? Many of the influencers nowadays started their careers off on that platform. Being a content creator, you know how much of a big ask it is to keep the attention of your viewers. Of course, making high-quality and engaging content is important. But what many YouTubers do is ignore a powerful tool in their hands—the YouTube end screen.

When end screens are used strategically, they can provide a lot of benefits to you. It can improve viewer retention and increase the overall watch time, which lets people stay on your channel longer. We all know how important it is to keep people interested, but how can you start using YouTube end screens? Read on to see all the ins and outs that you need to know about this powerful tool.

What Are YouTube End Screens?

Sometimes, YouTube end screens are called End Cards and it’s important to know that we’re talking about the same thing. These end cards are a sort of interactive element that can be added in the last 5-20 seconds of your YouTube video. You can use them to promote other videos and get different viewers to subscribe to your channel. If this doesn’t sound like something you've seen before, go to any YouTube video and skip to the end. You’ll see different recommended videos pop up right before the video ends. That’s what end cards are. 

As viewers, we don’t really understand the mechanisms and notice how these end screens actually impact our next watch. Haven’t you ever clicked on another recommended video immediately as the one you’re watching ends? The YouTube end screens include a bunch of things like links to other videos or even playlists created by the YouTuber. Oftentimes, you’ll also see a huge subscribe button pop up.

Many YouTubers also try using end screens as a last minute promotion. Here, they’ll add clickable links to external websites. This is a special program that’s available for a select few through the YouTuber Partner Program. By clicking on the links, viewers are immediately directed to merch websites or any product that the YouTuber is promoting. This helps a lot of YouTubers save up on their marketing expenses.

What you’ve read up till now can all be summarized by the words Call To Action. That’s essentially what YouTube end screens are. Every recommended video or link that you see is like a call from the YouTuber asking you to watch another video or support them. This allows YouTubers to keep viewers on the platform and prevent them from switching over to other creators.

Why YouTube End Screens Matter

End screens act as more than just your everyday add ons. These are strategic tools for anyone who wants to watch their channel grow. You can either add YouTube end screens manually or follow an automated template. But why use them? Let’s see:

Increasing Viewer Watch Time

YouTube’s algorithm automatically attaches an importance to videos and channels that keep viewers watching for longer. After all, YouTube benefits from people staying on the platform for a longer time. By using end screens, you’re essentially directing your audience to more content on your channel. In turn, this works to keep the viewers engaged.

Boosting Your Subscribers

A well placed subscribe button can do wonders for your follower base and encourage casual viewers to hit that button. Oftentimes, when YouTubers choose to skip out on end screens, they’ll be missing out on turning new audiences into loyal followers. As a result, this also ends up reducing the viewer retention in the future.

Strengthening Your Channel Identity

When trying to strengthen your channel’s identity, we’re talking about getting people to continue staying on your channel. This can be done very easily by linking your playlists or related videos in the end screen. This little act reinforces your channel’s niche and allows viewers to understand what sort of content you make. That encourages them to continue watching.

Different Monetization Chances

A major opportunity that arises is how you can gain money by monetizing your channel. YouTubers can link external sites to a video’s end screen. This guides the viewers to the merch stores that are affiliated with them. You’ll also see many YouTubers linking their Patreon pages. By doing this, YouTubers are directly increasing their chances of earning money from more than just views and ads.

What You’ll See in an Effective End Screen

Creating an effective end screen needs more than just adding random content. If you do that, chances are that you’ll end up clickbaiting your audience. The main objective of the end screen is to keep viewers on your channel, and a good way to get people to start thinking of that is through a Call To Action. This can be something as simple as “Watch this video next” or “Subscribe for more content.” A clear CTA can get people to stay on the videos you post. Avoid adding unnecessary comments as it will only confuse your audience.

Designing your end screen to match your channel is another important aesthetic. Consider using consistent colors and fonts that match what your channel already looks like. This makes your brand identity stand out and nice to look at. Also, remember that relevance is key! Imagine yourself as an educational channel. Your viewers have just clicked on a specific chapter’s explanation. To keep the viewers on your channel, your end screen should have video suggestions that are related to the chapter that you’ve just explained. This increases the chances that they’ll stay tuned in.

Abruptness can be confusing. When you’re adding a YouTube end screen, it’s good to keep the transition smooth. This prevents viewers from feeling confused or surprised.

Adding Your Own End Screens

Adding end screens to your videos is pretty straightforward. But this is something that’s very easy to mess up if you’re not careful. Here’s a few things you should follow to add your end cards:

• Upload The Video: For the end screen to exist, your video has to exist so get to uploading. Ensure that your video is at least 30 seconds long. On videos shorter than that, you won’t be able to add the end cards. Also, note that YouTube doesn’t allow end cards on videos that are marked for children. Your end screen can last anywhere from 5-20 seconds.
• Accessing the Editor: Head over to YouTube Studio and search for the Content tab to edit what your end screen will look like. Once you’ve found it, click on your video and then hit the “Editor” option.
• Add End Screen Elements: This is where you’ll be editing your YouTube end screen. After clicking on the Editor option, press the “Add an end screen” button to get started. Here, select the elements that you want in your end cards. You can also choose from many pre-existing templates. If not, manually create one that you like.
• Customize Layout: Once you’ve selected what to add, you can drag things around to adjust the final positions. Ensure that everything that you’ve picked is visually appealing and not overcrowding your end screen. At the bottom of the Editor option, you’ll find the Timeline option. This is where you can choose when to start and end your end screen. You’ll also be able to customize how long each element stays on screen.
• Saving the Final Changes: Before you upload the changes you’ve made, hit Preview to see what it’ll look like to your viewers. It’ll help you decide if everything is how you want it to be.

Creative Ideas For Your YouTube End Screens

The ideas for end screens are endless. Here are some:

Mini Previews

A great way to keep your viewers engaged is to show them a clip of what they’re tuning in for. With end screens, you can add a small clip or teaser of the videos that you link right at the end. This will encourage more viewers to continue watching if they’re interested.

Interactive Options

Why not pose a question? Maybe something that encourages viewers to click on a related video for the answer. Curiosity is a major factor that a channel can play around with. If you can think of questions that are interesting enough, viewers are bound to interact to get some answers.

BTS Footage

Teasers are a very engaging way to get people to stay tuned to your channel. Many YouTubers use their end screens to try and show off BTS footage that shows the viewers what they’ll be in for. Adding BTS footage can be exclusive footage for viewers that stick around to the end of your video. This gets the viewers to also comment on your videos as they’ll be excited to see what’s next from your channel.

Countdown Timers

End screens can also be used to build curiosity amongst the viewers. You can add countdown timers which encourages the audiences to click on a link/video before the timer runs out. It’s worked for a lot of YouTubers and it’s a fun way to get views on other videos.

Common Mistakes That You Shouldn’t Do

Even the absolute best end screens can have a few mistakes. When you’re designing your end screens, there’s stuff you’ll need to look out for. Many viewers tune in to watch your content from their phones. Because of this, you should try to make your end card elements mobile friendly. This allows a greater percentage of your viewers to move from one video to another without it being a hassle.

As said earlier, doing too much can be confusing. We recommend sticking to a cleaner and simpler layout. This isn’t just attractive to viewers but it also allows them to make their choices easily. You should also try to avoid adding irrelevant recommendations. Try not to suggest unrelated videos. Adding relevant suggestions makes it easier for your audience to go around your videos. 

Don’t make your end screens too abrupt! When you’re planning your videos, it’s necessary to think about what your end screen will look like. Many YouTubers stick to a base template that they showcase after every video. If that’s not you, then you need to be careful about how your video turns out before the end screen. Ensure that the last 20 seconds (the end screen) fit smoothly with how your video is going.

The Bottom Line

YouTube end screens are a powerful tool that’s not being used by a lot of YouTubers, and that significantly reduces the chances of keeping your viewers engaged with your content. Once you start planning and thinking about how to keep your viewers invested even as your videos come to an end, the benefits of end screens can go a long way. 

Figuring out what works the best is something only you can learn. So whether you’re a seasoned creator or a new YouTuber looking to keep the views coming, investing your time into making end screens is important. If you’ve read on, you know there’s a lot you can get from a simple 20 second end card.

But be careful! End screens that aren’t used properly won’t do you any good and the time you put into designing these will be for nothing. Try to keep things simple and relevant and watch as your viewers stay tuned for a long time!