How to Use YouTube End Screens and Cards to Boost Engagement

Step by step

1. 2 min

   Access YouTube Studio and select your video

   Navigate to studio.youtube.com and sign in to your YouTube account. Click on Content in the left sidebar, then select the video you want to edit. Your video must be at least 25 seconds long to add end screens and must not have any Content ID claims that restrict modifications.

   Note: Videos with high audience retention rates perform better with end screens since more viewers will see them.
2. 3 min

   Add cards during video playback

   Click on Editor in the left sidebar, then select Cards. Scrub the timeline to the moment where you want the card to appear. Click Add card and choose your card type: Video or playlist for promoting content, Channel for subscriber growth, or Link for approved websites. Enter the URL or select the content, add a custom message, and click Create card.

   Note: Place cards at natural breaks or when you verbally mention the content you're promoting for higher click-through rates.
3. 3 min

   Configure end screen elements

   Navigate to Editor, then select End screen. YouTube automatically suggests the last 20 seconds of your video for end screen placement. Click Add element to choose from Video or playlist, Subscribe button, Channel promotion, or Link options. Drag elements to position them and resize using the corner handles.

   Note: Leave space in your video's final seconds for end screen elements, or record a dedicated outro segment.
4. 2 min

   Optimize element timing and placement

   Adjust the start time for each end screen element by dragging the timeline markers or entering specific timestamps. Position elements where they won't cover important visual content. The subscribe button works best in the center or right side, while video recommendations perform well on the left.

   Note: Test different element positions using YouTube Analytics to see which placements generate the most clicks.
5. 2 min

   Select strategic content for promotion

   For video elements, choose your best performing content, recent uploads, or videos topically related to the current video. Use the Best for viewer option to let YouTube automatically select relevant content, or manually choose specific videos and playlists that align with your content strategy.

   Note: Promote videos with similar topics or create series playlists to keep viewers engaged with your channel longer.
6. 2 min

   Preview and publish changes

   Click Preview to see how your end screen and cards will appear to viewers. Test the interactive elements by clicking on them during preview mode. If satisfied, click Save to apply the changes. Your cards and end screens will be live immediately on the published video.

   Note: Check your changes on mobile devices since many viewers watch YouTube on phones where element sizing appears differently.
7. 3 min

   Monitor performance in YouTube Analytics

   Access your analytics by clicking Analytics in YouTube Studio, then navigate to Engagement. Review the Cards and End screens reports to see click-through rates, impressions, and which elements drive the most engagement. Use this data to optimize future videos.

   Note: Cards with 5-15% click-through rates and end screens with 10-30% rates indicate strong performance.