Crafting YT Masterpieces for IGTV Showcase

How to Convert YouTube to IGTV Videos? [3 Ways]

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Publishing video content on social media platforms like Instagram or IGTV can help influencers and brands reach new customers. The only trouble is that both Instagram and IGTV have very precise video upload requirements, so each video you want to share on your IGTV channel must be saved in MP4 file format and in a 9:16 aspect ratio.

YouTube videos, on the other hand, are mostly horizontally oriented. If you attempt to upload a YouTube video to IGTV and wondering how to achieve it, just keep reading. Because in this article, we are going to show you how you can convert a horizontal YouTube video into IGTV vertical one in 3 different ways.

• Part 1: Re-post YouTube Video to IGTV with Filmora
• Part 2: Use YouTube to IGTV Online Converter
• Part 3: Convert YouTube Video to IGTV with FXP

---

Part 1: Convert YouTube Videos to IGTV Vertical Videos with Filmora

If you don’t already have the original file of the video you’d like to upload to your IGTV channel, you can download a video from YouTube , but keep in mind that you can’t use any content without permission from its owner.

Once you have the file, you can create a new project in Filmora and then after the project loads you should click on the File menu and select the Project Settings option. Pick one of the 9:16 video resolution options provided by the editor and click OK to confirm the changes.

Click on the Import button to add a YouTube video to your project and then place it on the timeline. Your video will be displayed in the Preview Panel, and you’ll be able to see that the video is positioned at the center of the panel and that its top and bottom are black.

Go to the Effects tab and click on the Background Blur submenu if you want to blur the empty areas of the frame. Add the Basic Blur effect to the timeline and drag one of its sides to position it over the entire video.

In case you are working with a video that already has a 16:9 aspect ratio, you can create a project that has the same aspect ratio, and then just use the Rotate slider in the Transform menu, to change turn a landscape video into a portrait video. The scaling tool is helpful to enlarge the frames in a vertical aspect ratio.

Filmora lets you create vertical videos in just a few quick steps, which makes it a perfect choice for influencers and marketers who want to share video content on YouTube and IGTV.

Latest News: In Filmora V10.5 and later versions, there is a new feature called Auto-Reframe. This feature allows users to convert one video for different social media platforms based on the aspect ratio changing, and its features of detecting the moving object. Click the Analyze button, and Filmora will convert this 16:9 YouTube video to vertical 9:16 IGTV video automatically. And I can adjust frames to follow Yasmine’s movement to fine-tune the result.

You can watch the video below to find out more information about the Auto-Reframe tool.

Part 2: Use Kapwing to Convert YouTube to IGTV Online

YouTubers who already have lots of videos on their channel can use online video editing platforms, like Kapwing to edit the content they want to post on IGTV. This online video editor offers a number of video editing tools that let you polish your videos before posting them on social media.

Click on the Resize tool and simply copy and paste the URL of a YouTube into the appropriate bar and the platform will automatically import a video and display it on the screen once the content is finally fetched.

Pick the Story (Snap/Insta) or IGTV 9:16 option and then proceed to choose the background color for your IGTV video, increase or decrease the zoom level or change the position of the video. Click on the Create button when ready and wait for Kapwing to process your video. All videos you create with the free version of this online video editor are going to be watermarked and you have to pay a six-dollar fee for each watermark-free video you edit with Kapwing or you can opt for a $20 monthly subscription fee that enables you to export an unlimited amount of videos without watermarks each month.

A growing number of IGTV users choose to rotate their videos, instead of resizing them, so if you already have a YouTube video with a 16:9 aspect ratio you can just rotate it and get a video with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Click on the Rotate option and then rotate it 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise and click on the Create button. If you opt for this method of creating a vertical video for IGTV, your video will remain the same size, but the viewers will have to hold their phones horizontally in order to view it properly.

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Part 3: Changing the Aspect Ratio of a YouTube Video with Final Cut Pro

Editing videos with professional video editing software products like Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro requires a certain amount of skill. There is more than just one way to change the aspect ratio of a video in Final Cut Pro, but probably the best one is to set the project resolution to 2160X3840 or any other lower resolution that matches the 9:16 aspect ratio. During the video editing process, you will have to resize all of the footage you want to include in the final version of the video. Planning your shots and composing them differently than you would compose horizontally oriented shots can potentially save you a little time on resizing and repositioning the video clips you’re working with.

If you’ve already exported a video and uploaded it to your YouTube channel, you can open that video in Final Cut Pro and just rotate it using the Transform tools. However, the viewers will have to hold their phones in a horizontal position while watching the video if you choose this method of creating a 9:16 aspect ratio in Final Cut Pro.

Conclusion

Posting YouTube videos on your IGTV channel is still a somewhat complicated process because you can’t share posts directly from one platform to the other. Moreover, you can’t upload videos that last more than ten minutes to IGTV, unless you have a verified account. Even so, the IGTV platform can help you extend the reach of your videos and increase the revenue you’re generating from the content you’re sharing on social media. Do you know another way of changing a YouTube video’s aspect ratio before re-posting it on IGTV? Leave a comment and let us know.

You may also like: YouTube to WAV File: 4 Best Free Convert Solutions >>

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Publishing video content on social media platforms like Instagram or IGTV can help influencers and brands reach new customers. The only trouble is that both Instagram and IGTV have very precise video upload requirements, so each video you want to share on your IGTV channel must be saved in MP4 file format and in a 9:16 aspect ratio.

YouTube videos, on the other hand, are mostly horizontally oriented. If you attempt to upload a YouTube video to IGTV and wondering how to achieve it, just keep reading. Because in this article, we are going to show you how you can convert a horizontal YouTube video into IGTV vertical one in 3 different ways.

• Part 1: Re-post YouTube Video to IGTV with Filmora
• Part 2: Use YouTube to IGTV Online Converter
• Part 3: Convert YouTube Video to IGTV with FXP

---

Part 1: Convert YouTube Videos to IGTV Vertical Videos with Filmora

If you don’t already have the original file of the video you’d like to upload to your IGTV channel, you can download a video from YouTube , but keep in mind that you can’t use any content without permission from its owner.

Once you have the file, you can create a new project in Filmora and then after the project loads you should click on the File menu and select the Project Settings option. Pick one of the 9:16 video resolution options provided by the editor and click OK to confirm the changes.

Click on the Import button to add a YouTube video to your project and then place it on the timeline. Your video will be displayed in the Preview Panel, and you’ll be able to see that the video is positioned at the center of the panel and that its top and bottom are black.

Go to the Effects tab and click on the Background Blur submenu if you want to blur the empty areas of the frame. Add the Basic Blur effect to the timeline and drag one of its sides to position it over the entire video.

In case you are working with a video that already has a 16:9 aspect ratio, you can create a project that has the same aspect ratio, and then just use the Rotate slider in the Transform menu, to change turn a landscape video into a portrait video. The scaling tool is helpful to enlarge the frames in a vertical aspect ratio.

Filmora lets you create vertical videos in just a few quick steps, which makes it a perfect choice for influencers and marketers who want to share video content on YouTube and IGTV.

Latest News: In Filmora V10.5 and later versions, there is a new feature called Auto-Reframe. This feature allows users to convert one video for different social media platforms based on the aspect ratio changing, and its features of detecting the moving object. Click the Analyze button, and Filmora will convert this 16:9 YouTube video to vertical 9:16 IGTV video automatically. And I can adjust frames to follow Yasmine’s movement to fine-tune the result.

You can watch the video below to find out more information about the Auto-Reframe tool.

Part 2: Use Kapwing to Convert YouTube to IGTV Online

YouTubers who already have lots of videos on their channel can use online video editing platforms, like Kapwing to edit the content they want to post on IGTV. This online video editor offers a number of video editing tools that let you polish your videos before posting them on social media.

Click on the Resize tool and simply copy and paste the URL of a YouTube into the appropriate bar and the platform will automatically import a video and display it on the screen once the content is finally fetched.

Pick the Story (Snap/Insta) or IGTV 9:16 option and then proceed to choose the background color for your IGTV video, increase or decrease the zoom level or change the position of the video. Click on the Create button when ready and wait for Kapwing to process your video. All videos you create with the free version of this online video editor are going to be watermarked and you have to pay a six-dollar fee for each watermark-free video you edit with Kapwing or you can opt for a $20 monthly subscription fee that enables you to export an unlimited amount of videos without watermarks each month.

A growing number of IGTV users choose to rotate their videos, instead of resizing them, so if you already have a YouTube video with a 16:9 aspect ratio you can just rotate it and get a video with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Click on the Rotate option and then rotate it 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise and click on the Create button. If you opt for this method of creating a vertical video for IGTV, your video will remain the same size, but the viewers will have to hold their phones horizontally in order to view it properly.

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Part 3: Changing the Aspect Ratio of a YouTube Video with Final Cut Pro

Editing videos with professional video editing software products like Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro requires a certain amount of skill. There is more than just one way to change the aspect ratio of a video in Final Cut Pro, but probably the best one is to set the project resolution to 2160X3840 or any other lower resolution that matches the 9:16 aspect ratio. During the video editing process, you will have to resize all of the footage you want to include in the final version of the video. Planning your shots and composing them differently than you would compose horizontally oriented shots can potentially save you a little time on resizing and repositioning the video clips you’re working with.

If you’ve already exported a video and uploaded it to your YouTube channel, you can open that video in Final Cut Pro and just rotate it using the Transform tools. However, the viewers will have to hold their phones in a horizontal position while watching the video if you choose this method of creating a 9:16 aspect ratio in Final Cut Pro.

Conclusion

Posting YouTube videos on your IGTV channel is still a somewhat complicated process because you can’t share posts directly from one platform to the other. Moreover, you can’t upload videos that last more than ten minutes to IGTV, unless you have a verified account. Even so, the IGTV platform can help you extend the reach of your videos and increase the revenue you’re generating from the content you’re sharing on social media. Do you know another way of changing a YouTube video’s aspect ratio before re-posting it on IGTV? Leave a comment and let us know.

You may also like: YouTube to WAV File: 4 Best Free Convert Solutions >>

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Publishing video content on social media platforms like Instagram or IGTV can help influencers and brands reach new customers. The only trouble is that both Instagram and IGTV have very precise video upload requirements, so each video you want to share on your IGTV channel must be saved in MP4 file format and in a 9:16 aspect ratio.

YouTube videos, on the other hand, are mostly horizontally oriented. If you attempt to upload a YouTube video to IGTV and wondering how to achieve it, just keep reading. Because in this article, we are going to show you how you can convert a horizontal YouTube video into IGTV vertical one in 3 different ways.

• Part 1: Re-post YouTube Video to IGTV with Filmora
• Part 2: Use YouTube to IGTV Online Converter
• Part 3: Convert YouTube Video to IGTV with FXP

---

Part 1: Convert YouTube Videos to IGTV Vertical Videos with Filmora

If you don’t already have the original file of the video you’d like to upload to your IGTV channel, you can download a video from YouTube , but keep in mind that you can’t use any content without permission from its owner.

Once you have the file, you can create a new project in Filmora and then after the project loads you should click on the File menu and select the Project Settings option. Pick one of the 9:16 video resolution options provided by the editor and click OK to confirm the changes.

Click on the Import button to add a YouTube video to your project and then place it on the timeline. Your video will be displayed in the Preview Panel, and you’ll be able to see that the video is positioned at the center of the panel and that its top and bottom are black.

Go to the Effects tab and click on the Background Blur submenu if you want to blur the empty areas of the frame. Add the Basic Blur effect to the timeline and drag one of its sides to position it over the entire video.

In case you are working with a video that already has a 16:9 aspect ratio, you can create a project that has the same aspect ratio, and then just use the Rotate slider in the Transform menu, to change turn a landscape video into a portrait video. The scaling tool is helpful to enlarge the frames in a vertical aspect ratio.

Filmora lets you create vertical videos in just a few quick steps, which makes it a perfect choice for influencers and marketers who want to share video content on YouTube and IGTV.

Latest News: In Filmora V10.5 and later versions, there is a new feature called Auto-Reframe. This feature allows users to convert one video for different social media platforms based on the aspect ratio changing, and its features of detecting the moving object. Click the Analyze button, and Filmora will convert this 16:9 YouTube video to vertical 9:16 IGTV video automatically. And I can adjust frames to follow Yasmine’s movement to fine-tune the result.

You can watch the video below to find out more information about the Auto-Reframe tool.

Part 2: Use Kapwing to Convert YouTube to IGTV Online

YouTubers who already have lots of videos on their channel can use online video editing platforms, like Kapwing to edit the content they want to post on IGTV. This online video editor offers a number of video editing tools that let you polish your videos before posting them on social media.

Click on the Resize tool and simply copy and paste the URL of a YouTube into the appropriate bar and the platform will automatically import a video and display it on the screen once the content is finally fetched.

Pick the Story (Snap/Insta) or IGTV 9:16 option and then proceed to choose the background color for your IGTV video, increase or decrease the zoom level or change the position of the video. Click on the Create button when ready and wait for Kapwing to process your video. All videos you create with the free version of this online video editor are going to be watermarked and you have to pay a six-dollar fee for each watermark-free video you edit with Kapwing or you can opt for a $20 monthly subscription fee that enables you to export an unlimited amount of videos without watermarks each month.

A growing number of IGTV users choose to rotate their videos, instead of resizing them, so if you already have a YouTube video with a 16:9 aspect ratio you can just rotate it and get a video with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Click on the Rotate option and then rotate it 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise and click on the Create button. If you opt for this method of creating a vertical video for IGTV, your video will remain the same size, but the viewers will have to hold their phones horizontally in order to view it properly.

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Part 3: Changing the Aspect Ratio of a YouTube Video with Final Cut Pro

Editing videos with professional video editing software products like Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro requires a certain amount of skill. There is more than just one way to change the aspect ratio of a video in Final Cut Pro, but probably the best one is to set the project resolution to 2160X3840 or any other lower resolution that matches the 9:16 aspect ratio. During the video editing process, you will have to resize all of the footage you want to include in the final version of the video. Planning your shots and composing them differently than you would compose horizontally oriented shots can potentially save you a little time on resizing and repositioning the video clips you’re working with.

If you’ve already exported a video and uploaded it to your YouTube channel, you can open that video in Final Cut Pro and just rotate it using the Transform tools. However, the viewers will have to hold their phones in a horizontal position while watching the video if you choose this method of creating a 9:16 aspect ratio in Final Cut Pro.

Conclusion

Posting YouTube videos on your IGTV channel is still a somewhat complicated process because you can’t share posts directly from one platform to the other. Moreover, you can’t upload videos that last more than ten minutes to IGTV, unless you have a verified account. Even so, the IGTV platform can help you extend the reach of your videos and increase the revenue you’re generating from the content you’re sharing on social media. Do you know another way of changing a YouTube video’s aspect ratio before re-posting it on IGTV? Leave a comment and let us know.

You may also like: YouTube to WAV File: 4 Best Free Convert Solutions >>

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Publishing video content on social media platforms like Instagram or IGTV can help influencers and brands reach new customers. The only trouble is that both Instagram and IGTV have very precise video upload requirements, so each video you want to share on your IGTV channel must be saved in MP4 file format and in a 9:16 aspect ratio.

YouTube videos, on the other hand, are mostly horizontally oriented. If you attempt to upload a YouTube video to IGTV and wondering how to achieve it, just keep reading. Because in this article, we are going to show you how you can convert a horizontal YouTube video into IGTV vertical one in 3 different ways.

• Part 1: Re-post YouTube Video to IGTV with Filmora
• Part 2: Use YouTube to IGTV Online Converter
• Part 3: Convert YouTube Video to IGTV with FXP

---

Part 1: Convert YouTube Videos to IGTV Vertical Videos with Filmora

If you don’t already have the original file of the video you’d like to upload to your IGTV channel, you can download a video from YouTube , but keep in mind that you can’t use any content without permission from its owner.

Once you have the file, you can create a new project in Filmora and then after the project loads you should click on the File menu and select the Project Settings option. Pick one of the 9:16 video resolution options provided by the editor and click OK to confirm the changes.

Click on the Import button to add a YouTube video to your project and then place it on the timeline. Your video will be displayed in the Preview Panel, and you’ll be able to see that the video is positioned at the center of the panel and that its top and bottom are black.

Go to the Effects tab and click on the Background Blur submenu if you want to blur the empty areas of the frame. Add the Basic Blur effect to the timeline and drag one of its sides to position it over the entire video.

In case you are working with a video that already has a 16:9 aspect ratio, you can create a project that has the same aspect ratio, and then just use the Rotate slider in the Transform menu, to change turn a landscape video into a portrait video. The scaling tool is helpful to enlarge the frames in a vertical aspect ratio.

Filmora lets you create vertical videos in just a few quick steps, which makes it a perfect choice for influencers and marketers who want to share video content on YouTube and IGTV.

Latest News: In Filmora V10.5 and later versions, there is a new feature called Auto-Reframe. This feature allows users to convert one video for different social media platforms based on the aspect ratio changing, and its features of detecting the moving object. Click the Analyze button, and Filmora will convert this 16:9 YouTube video to vertical 9:16 IGTV video automatically. And I can adjust frames to follow Yasmine’s movement to fine-tune the result.

You can watch the video below to find out more information about the Auto-Reframe tool.

Part 2: Use Kapwing to Convert YouTube to IGTV Online

YouTubers who already have lots of videos on their channel can use online video editing platforms, like Kapwing to edit the content they want to post on IGTV. This online video editor offers a number of video editing tools that let you polish your videos before posting them on social media.

Click on the Resize tool and simply copy and paste the URL of a YouTube into the appropriate bar and the platform will automatically import a video and display it on the screen once the content is finally fetched.

Pick the Story (Snap/Insta) or IGTV 9:16 option and then proceed to choose the background color for your IGTV video, increase or decrease the zoom level or change the position of the video. Click on the Create button when ready and wait for Kapwing to process your video. All videos you create with the free version of this online video editor are going to be watermarked and you have to pay a six-dollar fee for each watermark-free video you edit with Kapwing or you can opt for a $20 monthly subscription fee that enables you to export an unlimited amount of videos without watermarks each month.

A growing number of IGTV users choose to rotate their videos, instead of resizing them, so if you already have a YouTube video with a 16:9 aspect ratio you can just rotate it and get a video with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Click on the Rotate option and then rotate it 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise and click on the Create button. If you opt for this method of creating a vertical video for IGTV, your video will remain the same size, but the viewers will have to hold their phones horizontally in order to view it properly.

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Part 3: Changing the Aspect Ratio of a YouTube Video with Final Cut Pro

Editing videos with professional video editing software products like Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro requires a certain amount of skill. There is more than just one way to change the aspect ratio of a video in Final Cut Pro, but probably the best one is to set the project resolution to 2160X3840 or any other lower resolution that matches the 9:16 aspect ratio. During the video editing process, you will have to resize all of the footage you want to include in the final version of the video. Planning your shots and composing them differently than you would compose horizontally oriented shots can potentially save you a little time on resizing and repositioning the video clips you’re working with.

If you’ve already exported a video and uploaded it to your YouTube channel, you can open that video in Final Cut Pro and just rotate it using the Transform tools. However, the viewers will have to hold their phones in a horizontal position while watching the video if you choose this method of creating a 9:16 aspect ratio in Final Cut Pro.

Conclusion

Posting YouTube videos on your IGTV channel is still a somewhat complicated process because you can’t share posts directly from one platform to the other. Moreover, you can’t upload videos that last more than ten minutes to IGTV, unless you have a verified account. Even so, the IGTV platform can help you extend the reach of your videos and increase the revenue you’re generating from the content you’re sharing on social media. Do you know another way of changing a YouTube video’s aspect ratio before re-posting it on IGTV? Leave a comment and let us know.

You may also like: YouTube to WAV File: 4 Best Free Convert Solutions >>

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Comprehensive Tutorial on Youtube Annotation

How to Use YouTube Cards and Annotations?

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read: