YouTube End Screens & Cards: A Growth Guide
End screens and cards turn passive viewers into subscribers and repeat watchers. Here's how to use them effectively to grow your YouTube channel.
Utkarsh Agrawal
9/29/20267 min read
Most creators treat end screens as an afterthought — a quick card slapped on the last 10 seconds because YouTube keeps asking you to add one. That's leaving real growth on the table.
YouTube end screens and cards are interactive elements that let you convert the viewers you already have — people who watched your video, trusted your content, and are now your most likely subscribers and repeat viewers. Used well, they're one of the highest-leverage tools available to any creator, regardless of channel size.
This guide covers what end screens and cards actually do, how to set them up correctly, and the best practices that turn passive viewers into channel regulars.
What Are YouTube End Screens?
YouTube end screens are interactive elements that appear in the last 5–20 seconds of a video. They allow you to promote:
Another video or playlist on your channel
A subscribe button
An external website (if your channel is eligible)
Another YouTube channel
End screens only appear during the playback window — they don't show up in embedded players on some platforms, and they won't display if a viewer has already navigated away. That's why the video itself needs to give people a reason to stay until the end.
What Are YouTube Cards?
YouTube cards are small, clickable notifications that can appear at any point during a video — not just at the end. You can use them to link to:
Another video or playlist
A poll
A channel
An external website (for eligible channels)
Cards appear as a small icon in the top-right corner of the video. The viewer clicks to expand the card and see the link. Because they can be placed mid-video, they're particularly useful for directing viewers to related content at the exact moment it becomes relevant.
Why End Screens and Cards Matter for Growth
End screens and cards feed two signals that the YouTube algorithm tracks closely: session time and engagement.
When a viewer finishes your video and immediately clicks to watch another one on your channel, YouTube counts that as a strong positive signal. Your content kept the session alive rather than ending it — which indicates your channel is genuinely valuable to that viewer. Understanding how the YouTube algorithm works clarifies why session continuation is one of its most important signals.
Cards serve a slightly different function: they help retain viewers who might otherwise leave mid-video by giving them relevant content to navigate to, rather than exiting to their home feed. A viewer who clicks a card and watches another video is far more valuable to your channel than one who drops off.
How to Add End Screens in YouTube Studio (Step by Step)
Go to YouTube Studio and select the video you want to edit
Click Editor in the left sidebar
Select the End screen tab at the top
Choose a template or build your end screen manually by clicking + Element
Available elements: Video, Playlist, Subscribe, Channel, Link (if eligible)
Drag each element to position it — YouTube provides a preview of how it looks on desktop and mobile
Set the timing: end screens can appear for the last 5 to 20 seconds of your video
Click Save
Key rules YouTube enforces:
End screens can only appear in the last 20 seconds of a video
Your video must be at least 25 seconds long to add end screens
You can add up to 4 end screen elements
At least one element must be a video, playlist, or subscribe button
How to Add Cards in YouTube Studio (Step by Step)
Go to YouTube Studio and select your video
Click Editor, then the Cards tab
Click + Card and choose the type (Video, Playlist, Channel, Poll, Link)
Set the timestamp — where in the video the card notification appears
Add the card details (which video or playlist to link, etc.)
Preview the placement on the timeline
Click Save
Cards work best when they're contextually relevant. If you mention another video at the 4-minute mark, place the card there — not randomly.
End Screen Best Practices
Feature Your Best or Most Relevant Video
YouTube gives you the option to let YouTube automatically choose which video to feature ("Best for viewer") or to specify a video yourself. For most channels, specifying a related video works better because it keeps viewers in a topic they've already shown interest in.
If a viewer just watched your video on YouTube SEO basics, an end screen pointing to your YouTube keyword research video is likely to convert better than YouTube's algorithmic choice.
For channels working to increase YouTube watch time, end screens are a direct lever — every viewer who keeps watching is adding minutes to your total.
Use a Playlist Instead of a Single Video
When you link a playlist instead of a single video, YouTube automatically queues up the next video in the playlist after the one the viewer chooses. This creates a continuous viewing session, compounding your session-time signal with every additional video watched.
Always Include a Subscribe Button
The subscribe button end screen element is one of the highest-converting placements you have. At the moment a viewer finishes a video they enjoyed, they're at peak readiness to subscribe. Put the subscribe button somewhere prominent — don't hide it in a corner.
Tease What's Coming Before the End Screen Appears
Verbal call-to-actions in the last 30–60 seconds of your video significantly increase end screen click rates. Tell viewers what to expect from the video you're linking: "If you found this useful, that video explains the next step — I'll link it in the end screen."
A strong YouTube thumbnail design on the linked video also helps — a visually compelling thumbnail in the end screen gets more clicks than a generic one.
Card Best Practices
Place Cards When You Reference the Topic
The highest-converting cards are placed at the exact moment you say something like "I did a full breakdown of this in another video." Put the card there — not at the beginning of the video (where viewers will dismiss it) and not at random.
Don't Overload Cards
You can add up to 5 cards per video, but that doesn't mean you should. Too many card notifications interrupt the viewing experience. One or two well-placed cards outperform five scattered ones.
Use Polls for Audience Research
Poll cards are often overlooked, but they're one of the fastest ways to get direct feedback from your audience. A poll asking "Which topic should I cover next?" tells you what to make, and the interaction itself signals engagement to YouTube.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Hiding end screen elements in corners If viewers can't clearly see your subscribe button or video recommendation, they won't click it. Use prominent placements, especially in the centre or lower third of the screen.
Not filming an end screen segment Many creators finish talking and then just let the video fade out. Film a deliberate 15–20 second end screen segment where you directly address the viewer, summarise the value they got, and point them to what's next. A talking CTA dramatically increases end screen engagement.
Pointing to unrelated content End screens and cards should feel like a natural next step, not random links. A viewer watching a video about YouTube analytics doesn't necessarily want to be sent to a completely unrelated video — they want to keep going deeper on the same topic. Build your end screen strategy alongside your video chapters and content structure for a coherent experience.
Ignoring mobile viewers A large portion of YouTube views come from mobile, where end screen real estate is limited. Check how your end screen looks on the mobile preview in YouTube Studio — elements that look good on desktop can overlap or get cut off on mobile.
End Screen Ideas That Work
Here are 7 proven end screen configurations to consider for different channel types:
Subscribe + Best for Viewer — Simple and effective for growing channels
Subscribe + Most Recent Video — Keeps viewers current with your upload schedule
Subscribe + Related Playlist — Best for channels with strong topic clusters
Two videos (A/B test) — Helps you learn which topics drive the most re-engagement
Subscribe + External Link — For creators driving traffic to a website, newsletter, or service
Playlist + Subscribe — Excellent for long-form educational channels
Featured Video + Channel — If you want to promote a collab partner or sister channel
Track which end screen configurations perform best using YouTube Studio analytics — the Cards report shows click-through rates for each element.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should end screens be?
Most creators use 15–20 seconds for end screens. Long enough to be clickable, short enough not to feel like padding. The sweet spot is when viewers have clearly reached the end of your content but are still engaged.
Do end screen clicks affect my YouTube ranking?
Not directly — end screen clicks aren't a standalone ranking factor. But the session time they generate (viewers watching more videos) positively signals engagement, which does feed ranking and recommendation.
Can I add end screens to older videos?
Yes. You can go back and add or update end screens on any published video through YouTube Studio. It's worth doing for your high-performing older videos.
What's the difference between an end screen video element and a card?
Both link to videos, but end screens appear visually as thumbnail previews in the final seconds of the video. Cards appear as small notification icons that viewers can click to expand at any point you set. Use both — they serve different moments in the viewer's journey.
Why aren't my end screens showing up?
The most common reasons: the video is under 25 seconds, the end screen was placed less than 5 seconds from the end, or the viewer is watching in a context where end screens don't display (some embedded players). Check the YouTube Studio editor to confirm your settings are saved correctly.
Should I use "Best for viewer" or pick my own video?
For new channels, "Best for viewer" is a reasonable starting point. As you build more content, manually selecting the most topically relevant video typically outperforms YouTube's automatic selection.
Turn Viewers Into Channel Regulars
End screens and cards are not an advanced tactic — they're a basic one that most creators underuse. Getting them right doesn't require a big budget or a large channel. It requires understanding what a viewer is ready to do at the end of a video they enjoyed, and making it one click easier for them to do it.
If you want to grow faster while you're building these fundamentals, YTVerse works with creators and brands on YouTube promotion and channel growth strategy — helping you reach the right audience and convert them into a loyal base. Reach out to see how professional promotion can work alongside the organic tactics covered here.
