As a YouTube creator, it’s your job to get your audience to consume as much of your content as possible. But how do you persuade them without interrupting their enjoyment of your video? That’s what YouTube cards are for.Â
YouTube cards are interactive elements that you can add throughout your videos. You can set them up with links to your channel or your website, other videos you’ve created, a product you’re promoting, or one of your playlists.Â
Adding cards to your YouTube content is simple once you know the steps. And you’re about to know the steps because, in this article, we share how to add YouTube cards using the YouTube Studio website.
What Are YouTube Cards?
YouTube cards are clickable boxes that you can program to appear at specific times throughout your video.Â
Cards always pop up in the top right-hand corner of the video player next to the Info button. Viewers can access all the cards in a video by clicking or tapping the Info button.
A card can contain one of four elements.
- A video
- A playlist
- A channel
- A link to an external URL (outside of YouTube)
You’re limited to five cards per video, so you should only use them for relevant or supplementary videos, playlists, or channels that your audience might want to click on. Naturally, you’ll want to fill them with your own content as much as possible to boost engagement.
The link to an external URL can go to an ad partner, an affiliate that you mentioned at some point in the video or your own website. Wherever it goes, it should be relevant to the current video.
Note: An external link card is only available to members of the YouTube Partner Program. In other words, your channel must be monetized before you can place an external link in a YouTube card.
How To Add Cards Using YouTube Studio
Step #1: Open your web browser and log into your channel account on studio.youtube.com.
Step #2: Select Content from the left-hand menu.
Step #3: Select the video you want to add cards to.
Step #4: Click Editor.
Step #5: Click Info Cards and Choose which cards you want to add to your video (your options are Video, Playlist, Channel, or Link).
Step #6: Change the start time for each card.
Step #7 (optional): Type a message and a teaser text for each card (this step is required for channel cards).
Step #8: Click Save.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Cards Can I Add in a Single YouTube Video?
You can add up to five cards in a single YouTube video.
How Do I View Cards in a YouTube Video?
To view the cards in a YouTube video, click the Info button on the top right side of the video player.
Why Can’t I Add an External Link to My YouTube Cards?
Only monetized creators that are members of the YouTube Partner Program can add external links to their YouTube cards.
How Do I Turn Info Cards Off When I’m Watching YouTube Videos?
To turn off Info cards for YouTube videos, log into your YouTube account, click Settings, click Playback and performance, and uncheck Show in-video info cards.
Conclusion
YouTube cards allow you to connect with your audience in dynamic and exciting ways. You can gain more views, subscriptions, and clicks on your external links, just with a few well-placed clickable boxes and elements.Â
Use the steps we provided to enhance all your YouTube content and start generating more engagement!
