"[New] Fiscally Flourishing Through Film  Reviewing Retail Relics"

"[New] Fiscally Flourishing Through Film Reviewing Retail Relics"

Thomas Lv13

Fiscally Flourishing Through Film: Reviewing Retail Relics

How to Get Paid to Review Products on YouTube

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

You can get paid to review products on YouTube, and that’s just one of the benefits. Here are a few more:

  • You get to help your viewers by providing them with both factual information, and the opinion of someone they trust (you!).
  • Your reviews can help people save money! By watching your videos, viewers will be able to make informed buying decisions.
  • Your reviews can help YOU save money! Once you build up a following of loyal subscribers, brands will start sending you free products to review.

How to Make Money on YouTube Doing Product Reviews

First, you need to find a product that you want to review. The product should be related to a topic you know a lot about. This will make your review more credible. It is easier to grow your channel if you focus on a niche (i.e. camera equipment or makeup) you are particularly knowledgeable about.

One of the main ways you can make money doing reviews is through affiliate links. When you join the affiliate program of an online store they will allow you to create special links, called affiliate links, to products listed there. You post these affiliate links in the descriptions of your video reviews and, if viewers choose to click on those links and buy the products, you will earn a sales commission. Here are some stores with great affiliate programs:

1. JVZoo

You can find high end products for about $5 to $10. Budgeting will be important if you plan on purchasing products to review instead of only reviewing products you already own (you should try to review items you already have as much as possible).

2. Click Bank

You can find a wide range of interesting products here, and you can earn as much as 75% on sales commissions if you provide your viewers with an affiliate link.

3. Warrior Plus

This is a highly renowned affiliate program. It very similar to JVZoo.

4. Amazon

It doesn’t get any better than Amazon. You can find just about anything.

Part 2: Getting Products for Free

Once you’ve built up authority as a reviewer, brands will start giving you free stuff to review. Until then, you can buy the products yourself or review products which you already own. It will be a lot cheaper to review things you already have, or which you were already planning to buy, than to buy products for the purpose of reviewing them. Your reviews will also be more detailed and useful when they are on products you are especially familiar with.

Once you start building a following, brands will come to you and it will be your choice whether you want to review the things they send you. Until then, try to promote/review products you already have opinions on.

Part 3: Filming the Video

Be completely honest. People are going to know when you are trying to sell something. Fake reviewers are all over the place, and they are easily spotted.

That does not mean you shouldn’t make money through affiliate links, or accept free products to review. So long as you are honest in your opinions, and open with your viewers about any relationships you have with brands, you are not ‘selling out’.

Bottom Line

It takes time to earn any money reviewing products on YouTube. However, once you are an established authority in your niche, brands might start coming to you on their own.

If you were going to be paid to review products on YouTube, what kinds of products would they be? And if you want to make the reviewing video better, you should use a video editing software like Filmora .

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

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

You can get paid to review products on YouTube, and that’s just one of the benefits. Here are a few more:

  • You get to help your viewers by providing them with both factual information, and the opinion of someone they trust (you!).
  • Your reviews can help people save money! By watching your videos, viewers will be able to make informed buying decisions.
  • Your reviews can help YOU save money! Once you build up a following of loyal subscribers, brands will start sending you free products to review.

How to Make Money on YouTube Doing Product Reviews

First, you need to find a product that you want to review. The product should be related to a topic you know a lot about. This will make your review more credible. It is easier to grow your channel if you focus on a niche (i.e. camera equipment or makeup) you are particularly knowledgeable about.

One of the main ways you can make money doing reviews is through affiliate links. When you join the affiliate program of an online store they will allow you to create special links, called affiliate links, to products listed there. You post these affiliate links in the descriptions of your video reviews and, if viewers choose to click on those links and buy the products, you will earn a sales commission. Here are some stores with great affiliate programs:

1. JVZoo

You can find high end products for about $5 to $10. Budgeting will be important if you plan on purchasing products to review instead of only reviewing products you already own (you should try to review items you already have as much as possible).

2. Click Bank

You can find a wide range of interesting products here, and you can earn as much as 75% on sales commissions if you provide your viewers with an affiliate link.

3. Warrior Plus

This is a highly renowned affiliate program. It very similar to JVZoo.

4. Amazon

It doesn’t get any better than Amazon. You can find just about anything.

Part 2: Getting Products for Free

Once you’ve built up authority as a reviewer, brands will start giving you free stuff to review. Until then, you can buy the products yourself or review products which you already own. It will be a lot cheaper to review things you already have, or which you were already planning to buy, than to buy products for the purpose of reviewing them. Your reviews will also be more detailed and useful when they are on products you are especially familiar with.

Once you start building a following, brands will come to you and it will be your choice whether you want to review the things they send you. Until then, try to promote/review products you already have opinions on.

Part 3: Filming the Video

Be completely honest. People are going to know when you are trying to sell something. Fake reviewers are all over the place, and they are easily spotted.

That does not mean you shouldn’t make money through affiliate links, or accept free products to review. So long as you are honest in your opinions, and open with your viewers about any relationships you have with brands, you are not ‘selling out’.

Bottom Line

It takes time to earn any money reviewing products on YouTube. However, once you are an established authority in your niche, brands might start coming to you on their own.

If you were going to be paid to review products on YouTube, what kinds of products would they be? And if you want to make the reviewing video better, you should use a video editing software like Filmora .

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

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

You can get paid to review products on YouTube, and that’s just one of the benefits. Here are a few more:

  • You get to help your viewers by providing them with both factual information, and the opinion of someone they trust (you!).
  • Your reviews can help people save money! By watching your videos, viewers will be able to make informed buying decisions.
  • Your reviews can help YOU save money! Once you build up a following of loyal subscribers, brands will start sending you free products to review.

How to Make Money on YouTube Doing Product Reviews

First, you need to find a product that you want to review. The product should be related to a topic you know a lot about. This will make your review more credible. It is easier to grow your channel if you focus on a niche (i.e. camera equipment or makeup) you are particularly knowledgeable about.

One of the main ways you can make money doing reviews is through affiliate links. When you join the affiliate program of an online store they will allow you to create special links, called affiliate links, to products listed there. You post these affiliate links in the descriptions of your video reviews and, if viewers choose to click on those links and buy the products, you will earn a sales commission. Here are some stores with great affiliate programs:

1. JVZoo

You can find high end products for about $5 to $10. Budgeting will be important if you plan on purchasing products to review instead of only reviewing products you already own (you should try to review items you already have as much as possible).

2. Click Bank

You can find a wide range of interesting products here, and you can earn as much as 75% on sales commissions if you provide your viewers with an affiliate link.

3. Warrior Plus

This is a highly renowned affiliate program. It very similar to JVZoo.

4. Amazon

It doesn’t get any better than Amazon. You can find just about anything.

Part 2: Getting Products for Free

Once you’ve built up authority as a reviewer, brands will start giving you free stuff to review. Until then, you can buy the products yourself or review products which you already own. It will be a lot cheaper to review things you already have, or which you were already planning to buy, than to buy products for the purpose of reviewing them. Your reviews will also be more detailed and useful when they are on products you are especially familiar with.

Once you start building a following, brands will come to you and it will be your choice whether you want to review the things they send you. Until then, try to promote/review products you already have opinions on.

Part 3: Filming the Video

Be completely honest. People are going to know when you are trying to sell something. Fake reviewers are all over the place, and they are easily spotted.

That does not mean you shouldn’t make money through affiliate links, or accept free products to review. So long as you are honest in your opinions, and open with your viewers about any relationships you have with brands, you are not ‘selling out’.

Bottom Line

It takes time to earn any money reviewing products on YouTube. However, once you are an established authority in your niche, brands might start coming to you on their own.

If you were going to be paid to review products on YouTube, what kinds of products would they be? And if you want to make the reviewing video better, you should use a video editing software like Filmora .

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

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

You can get paid to review products on YouTube, and that’s just one of the benefits. Here are a few more:

  • You get to help your viewers by providing them with both factual information, and the opinion of someone they trust (you!).
  • Your reviews can help people save money! By watching your videos, viewers will be able to make informed buying decisions.
  • Your reviews can help YOU save money! Once you build up a following of loyal subscribers, brands will start sending you free products to review.

How to Make Money on YouTube Doing Product Reviews

First, you need to find a product that you want to review. The product should be related to a topic you know a lot about. This will make your review more credible. It is easier to grow your channel if you focus on a niche (i.e. camera equipment or makeup) you are particularly knowledgeable about.

One of the main ways you can make money doing reviews is through affiliate links. When you join the affiliate program of an online store they will allow you to create special links, called affiliate links, to products listed there. You post these affiliate links in the descriptions of your video reviews and, if viewers choose to click on those links and buy the products, you will earn a sales commission. Here are some stores with great affiliate programs:

1. JVZoo

You can find high end products for about $5 to $10. Budgeting will be important if you plan on purchasing products to review instead of only reviewing products you already own (you should try to review items you already have as much as possible).

2. Click Bank

You can find a wide range of interesting products here, and you can earn as much as 75% on sales commissions if you provide your viewers with an affiliate link.

3. Warrior Plus

This is a highly renowned affiliate program. It very similar to JVZoo.

4. Amazon

It doesn’t get any better than Amazon. You can find just about anything.

Part 2: Getting Products for Free

Once you’ve built up authority as a reviewer, brands will start giving you free stuff to review. Until then, you can buy the products yourself or review products which you already own. It will be a lot cheaper to review things you already have, or which you were already planning to buy, than to buy products for the purpose of reviewing them. Your reviews will also be more detailed and useful when they are on products you are especially familiar with.

Once you start building a following, brands will come to you and it will be your choice whether you want to review the things they send you. Until then, try to promote/review products you already have opinions on.

Part 3: Filming the Video

Be completely honest. People are going to know when you are trying to sell something. Fake reviewers are all over the place, and they are easily spotted.

That does not mean you shouldn’t make money through affiliate links, or accept free products to review. So long as you are honest in your opinions, and open with your viewers about any relationships you have with brands, you are not ‘selling out’.

Bottom Line

It takes time to earn any money reviewing products on YouTube. However, once you are an established authority in your niche, brands might start coming to you on their own.

If you were going to be paid to review products on YouTube, what kinds of products would they be? And if you want to make the reviewing video better, you should use a video editing software like Filmora .

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

A Comprehensible Breakdown for YouTube Annotation and Card Implementation

How to Add YouTube Annotations and Cards?

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Update: YouTube has replaced annotation with end screen. You can find the latest informaiton about YouTube screen and YouTube cards here.

YouTube Cards and Annotations are very useful if you want to encourage your viewrs to take an action, like Subscribe, go to another video or associated website, etc. Today, we’re going to show you the differences between cards and annotations, and how to add them in YouTube videos.


Do you want to make your YouTube video more attractive? Wondershare Filmora is a such video editing software designed for YouTube creator. It not only allows you cut, trim, crop, zoom, reverse, rotate the video clips, but also makes the advanced features like green screen, PIP, tilt-shift and mosaic easy like a piece of cake. With Wondershare Filmora, you can ignite your YouTube videos with over 300 effects like Fashion, Beauty, Block Buster, Travel, etc.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


The main difference between annotation and cards is their outlook. Cards are more graphical whereas annotations are text based. The cards slide in once you click the small “i” button on the video where as the annotation is there based on the timings set by the user. Moreover the main differences between the two are:

1. YouTube Cards are small and unobtrusive, unless a viewer chooses to click on them, which is why they are the better option when you are trying to get views on other videos. Irritating a few people with a big annotation might be worth it if you also draw other people’s attention to your cause or website, but it is not a good way to endear yourself to people you are trying to get views and subscriptions from. When a card is clicked a thumbnail will appear with a link to your additional content. YouTube Cards are often better than annotations for adding links to your videos because they look much tidier. Also, unlike annotations, cards will be visible to people watching your videos on their mobile devices.

2. You cannot use Cards just to insert notes into your videos, though, and you cannot adjust their size like you can with annotations. So, if you do need a link to be large and extremely noticeable, annotations might still be your best option. Cards and annotations can even be used in combination sometimes.

How to add YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are similar to annotations but more interactive. They allow the owner of the video to add images and other links. A small box appears, clicking on which will activate the cards.

  • Click on the “Video Manager” tab

  • Click “Edit” tab under the video screen shot you want to add the card on
  • Click on the “Cards” tab

  • On the right panel click on “Add Card” drop down menu and select the type of card you want to add
  • Click on the create button which will open the corresponding video
  • Once you finish the subsequent information required click create card
  • Select the timeline for the playhead to appear which leads to the card slide

  • Apply changes and exit

How to add YouTube annotations

YouTube Annotation is addition of a text layer, link or hotspots over your video. They add interactive boxes which link to other websites or videos (any link you want).

  • Click on the video manager tab
  • Click edit tab under the video screen shot you want to add the annotation on
  • Click on the “End screen & Annotation” tab

  • On the right panel click on “+ Add Element” and select the kind of annotation you want to add
  • Adjust the position of Annotation, you can drag the rectangle to locate it at any position of the video, move the slide to set the start and end time of the annotation

  • Apply changes

The types of YouTube annotations:

1. Speech Bubbles

Speech Bubbles: look like the dialogue box in a comic strip. There is a tail which you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation. Speech bubbles are great for adding in funny comments.

2. Notes

Notes: come in a limited selection of colors and can be adjusted to take up a maximum of 30% of your player screen. Sometimes you need a huge annotation to get an important point across, but using huge note annotations too often – especially near the beginnings of your videos – will annoy viewers. If you need a large note annotation make sure to place it later in your video, when a viewer will already be invested in what they are watching and less likely to click away.

3. Titles

Titles: are large pieces of text that go either at the beginning of your video or in-between different topics within your video. YouTube’s titles are not very nice to look at, but they are a decent option if you do not have access to video editing software.

4. Spotlights

Spotlights: have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a user hovers over the spotlight. Spotlights are great for turning elements within your video into links.

5. Labels

Labels: are completely transparent, like spotlights, but the user does not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

6. Pauses

Pauses: are no longer available to add to your videos, although Pause Annotations added before they were removed still work. Pause Annotations used to stop your video for a set period of time when your annotation appeared.

If somebody watches your video and gets to the end then that means they enjoyed it and will probably be open to checking out more of your content. Rather than hoping that your other videos show up in the ‘Suggested Videos’ YouTube will show after yours has finished playing you should always include an outro, or ending card, after your video to recommend your own work. Annotations are used in a lot of successful YouTuber’s ending cards.

One form this takes is small Note annotations in the bottom corners of the screen, one linking to your previous video and one to the next. Sometimes your viewers might not necessarily get the most enjoyment out of your videos by watching them in order, though. Sometimes you want to link viewers to the videos that are most related to the one they just watched.

The best outros also include a subscribe button, which can be created using annotations. These annotations work best when combined with a verbal call to action. Make sure your outro lasts long enough for people to make the decision to subscribe or click another video.

No matter what kind of annotations you are using, you should never use more than two of them at a time anywhere except for your outro. You should also never place annotations at the very top of your screen, or in the middle at the bottom. If your video is embedding on a separate website then the player will cover annotations at the top of the screen, and ads might cover annotations placed in the bottom-middle of the screen. Keep in mind when using annotations that they will not be visible to users watching your videos on mobile devices. If mobile traffic is very important to you then consider using YouTube Cards.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Update: YouTube has replaced annotation with end screen. You can find the latest informaiton about YouTube screen and YouTube cards here.

YouTube Cards and Annotations are very useful if you want to encourage your viewrs to take an action, like Subscribe, go to another video or associated website, etc. Today, we’re going to show you the differences between cards and annotations, and how to add them in YouTube videos.


Do you want to make your YouTube video more attractive? Wondershare Filmora is a such video editing software designed for YouTube creator. It not only allows you cut, trim, crop, zoom, reverse, rotate the video clips, but also makes the advanced features like green screen, PIP, tilt-shift and mosaic easy like a piece of cake. With Wondershare Filmora, you can ignite your YouTube videos with over 300 effects like Fashion, Beauty, Block Buster, Travel, etc.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


The main difference between annotation and cards is their outlook. Cards are more graphical whereas annotations are text based. The cards slide in once you click the small “i” button on the video where as the annotation is there based on the timings set by the user. Moreover the main differences between the two are:

1. YouTube Cards are small and unobtrusive, unless a viewer chooses to click on them, which is why they are the better option when you are trying to get views on other videos. Irritating a few people with a big annotation might be worth it if you also draw other people’s attention to your cause or website, but it is not a good way to endear yourself to people you are trying to get views and subscriptions from. When a card is clicked a thumbnail will appear with a link to your additional content. YouTube Cards are often better than annotations for adding links to your videos because they look much tidier. Also, unlike annotations, cards will be visible to people watching your videos on their mobile devices.

2. You cannot use Cards just to insert notes into your videos, though, and you cannot adjust their size like you can with annotations. So, if you do need a link to be large and extremely noticeable, annotations might still be your best option. Cards and annotations can even be used in combination sometimes.

How to add YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are similar to annotations but more interactive. They allow the owner of the video to add images and other links. A small box appears, clicking on which will activate the cards.

  • Click on the “Video Manager” tab

  • Click “Edit” tab under the video screen shot you want to add the card on
  • Click on the “Cards” tab

  • On the right panel click on “Add Card” drop down menu and select the type of card you want to add
  • Click on the create button which will open the corresponding video
  • Once you finish the subsequent information required click create card
  • Select the timeline for the playhead to appear which leads to the card slide

  • Apply changes and exit

How to add YouTube annotations

YouTube Annotation is addition of a text layer, link or hotspots over your video. They add interactive boxes which link to other websites or videos (any link you want).

  • Click on the video manager tab
  • Click edit tab under the video screen shot you want to add the annotation on
  • Click on the “End screen & Annotation” tab

  • On the right panel click on “+ Add Element” and select the kind of annotation you want to add
  • Adjust the position of Annotation, you can drag the rectangle to locate it at any position of the video, move the slide to set the start and end time of the annotation

  • Apply changes

The types of YouTube annotations:

1. Speech Bubbles

Speech Bubbles: look like the dialogue box in a comic strip. There is a tail which you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation. Speech bubbles are great for adding in funny comments.

2. Notes

Notes: come in a limited selection of colors and can be adjusted to take up a maximum of 30% of your player screen. Sometimes you need a huge annotation to get an important point across, but using huge note annotations too often – especially near the beginnings of your videos – will annoy viewers. If you need a large note annotation make sure to place it later in your video, when a viewer will already be invested in what they are watching and less likely to click away.

3. Titles

Titles: are large pieces of text that go either at the beginning of your video or in-between different topics within your video. YouTube’s titles are not very nice to look at, but they are a decent option if you do not have access to video editing software.

4. Spotlights

Spotlights: have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a user hovers over the spotlight. Spotlights are great for turning elements within your video into links.

5. Labels

Labels: are completely transparent, like spotlights, but the user does not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

6. Pauses

Pauses: are no longer available to add to your videos, although Pause Annotations added before they were removed still work. Pause Annotations used to stop your video for a set period of time when your annotation appeared.

If somebody watches your video and gets to the end then that means they enjoyed it and will probably be open to checking out more of your content. Rather than hoping that your other videos show up in the ‘Suggested Videos’ YouTube will show after yours has finished playing you should always include an outro, or ending card, after your video to recommend your own work. Annotations are used in a lot of successful YouTuber’s ending cards.

One form this takes is small Note annotations in the bottom corners of the screen, one linking to your previous video and one to the next. Sometimes your viewers might not necessarily get the most enjoyment out of your videos by watching them in order, though. Sometimes you want to link viewers to the videos that are most related to the one they just watched.

The best outros also include a subscribe button, which can be created using annotations. These annotations work best when combined with a verbal call to action. Make sure your outro lasts long enough for people to make the decision to subscribe or click another video.

No matter what kind of annotations you are using, you should never use more than two of them at a time anywhere except for your outro. You should also never place annotations at the very top of your screen, or in the middle at the bottom. If your video is embedding on a separate website then the player will cover annotations at the top of the screen, and ads might cover annotations placed in the bottom-middle of the screen. Keep in mind when using annotations that they will not be visible to users watching your videos on mobile devices. If mobile traffic is very important to you then consider using YouTube Cards.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Update: YouTube has replaced annotation with end screen. You can find the latest informaiton about YouTube screen and YouTube cards here.

YouTube Cards and Annotations are very useful if you want to encourage your viewrs to take an action, like Subscribe, go to another video or associated website, etc. Today, we’re going to show you the differences between cards and annotations, and how to add them in YouTube videos.


Do you want to make your YouTube video more attractive? Wondershare Filmora is a such video editing software designed for YouTube creator. It not only allows you cut, trim, crop, zoom, reverse, rotate the video clips, but also makes the advanced features like green screen, PIP, tilt-shift and mosaic easy like a piece of cake. With Wondershare Filmora, you can ignite your YouTube videos with over 300 effects like Fashion, Beauty, Block Buster, Travel, etc.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


The main difference between annotation and cards is their outlook. Cards are more graphical whereas annotations are text based. The cards slide in once you click the small “i” button on the video where as the annotation is there based on the timings set by the user. Moreover the main differences between the two are:

1. YouTube Cards are small and unobtrusive, unless a viewer chooses to click on them, which is why they are the better option when you are trying to get views on other videos. Irritating a few people with a big annotation might be worth it if you also draw other people’s attention to your cause or website, but it is not a good way to endear yourself to people you are trying to get views and subscriptions from. When a card is clicked a thumbnail will appear with a link to your additional content. YouTube Cards are often better than annotations for adding links to your videos because they look much tidier. Also, unlike annotations, cards will be visible to people watching your videos on their mobile devices.

2. You cannot use Cards just to insert notes into your videos, though, and you cannot adjust their size like you can with annotations. So, if you do need a link to be large and extremely noticeable, annotations might still be your best option. Cards and annotations can even be used in combination sometimes.

How to add YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are similar to annotations but more interactive. They allow the owner of the video to add images and other links. A small box appears, clicking on which will activate the cards.

  • Click on the “Video Manager” tab

  • Click “Edit” tab under the video screen shot you want to add the card on
  • Click on the “Cards” tab

  • On the right panel click on “Add Card” drop down menu and select the type of card you want to add
  • Click on the create button which will open the corresponding video
  • Once you finish the subsequent information required click create card
  • Select the timeline for the playhead to appear which leads to the card slide

  • Apply changes and exit

How to add YouTube annotations

YouTube Annotation is addition of a text layer, link or hotspots over your video. They add interactive boxes which link to other websites or videos (any link you want).

  • Click on the video manager tab
  • Click edit tab under the video screen shot you want to add the annotation on
  • Click on the “End screen & Annotation” tab

  • On the right panel click on “+ Add Element” and select the kind of annotation you want to add
  • Adjust the position of Annotation, you can drag the rectangle to locate it at any position of the video, move the slide to set the start and end time of the annotation

  • Apply changes

The types of YouTube annotations:

1. Speech Bubbles

Speech Bubbles: look like the dialogue box in a comic strip. There is a tail which you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation. Speech bubbles are great for adding in funny comments.

2. Notes

Notes: come in a limited selection of colors and can be adjusted to take up a maximum of 30% of your player screen. Sometimes you need a huge annotation to get an important point across, but using huge note annotations too often – especially near the beginnings of your videos – will annoy viewers. If you need a large note annotation make sure to place it later in your video, when a viewer will already be invested in what they are watching and less likely to click away.

3. Titles

Titles: are large pieces of text that go either at the beginning of your video or in-between different topics within your video. YouTube’s titles are not very nice to look at, but they are a decent option if you do not have access to video editing software.

4. Spotlights

Spotlights: have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a user hovers over the spotlight. Spotlights are great for turning elements within your video into links.

5. Labels

Labels: are completely transparent, like spotlights, but the user does not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

6. Pauses

Pauses: are no longer available to add to your videos, although Pause Annotations added before they were removed still work. Pause Annotations used to stop your video for a set period of time when your annotation appeared.

If somebody watches your video and gets to the end then that means they enjoyed it and will probably be open to checking out more of your content. Rather than hoping that your other videos show up in the ‘Suggested Videos’ YouTube will show after yours has finished playing you should always include an outro, or ending card, after your video to recommend your own work. Annotations are used in a lot of successful YouTuber’s ending cards.

One form this takes is small Note annotations in the bottom corners of the screen, one linking to your previous video and one to the next. Sometimes your viewers might not necessarily get the most enjoyment out of your videos by watching them in order, though. Sometimes you want to link viewers to the videos that are most related to the one they just watched.

The best outros also include a subscribe button, which can be created using annotations. These annotations work best when combined with a verbal call to action. Make sure your outro lasts long enough for people to make the decision to subscribe or click another video.

No matter what kind of annotations you are using, you should never use more than two of them at a time anywhere except for your outro. You should also never place annotations at the very top of your screen, or in the middle at the bottom. If your video is embedding on a separate website then the player will cover annotations at the top of the screen, and ads might cover annotations placed in the bottom-middle of the screen. Keep in mind when using annotations that they will not be visible to users watching your videos on mobile devices. If mobile traffic is very important to you then consider using YouTube Cards.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Update: YouTube has replaced annotation with end screen. You can find the latest informaiton about YouTube screen and YouTube cards here.

YouTube Cards and Annotations are very useful if you want to encourage your viewrs to take an action, like Subscribe, go to another video or associated website, etc. Today, we’re going to show you the differences between cards and annotations, and how to add them in YouTube videos.


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The main difference between annotation and cards is their outlook. Cards are more graphical whereas annotations are text based. The cards slide in once you click the small “i” button on the video where as the annotation is there based on the timings set by the user. Moreover the main differences between the two are:

1. YouTube Cards are small and unobtrusive, unless a viewer chooses to click on them, which is why they are the better option when you are trying to get views on other videos. Irritating a few people with a big annotation might be worth it if you also draw other people’s attention to your cause or website, but it is not a good way to endear yourself to people you are trying to get views and subscriptions from. When a card is clicked a thumbnail will appear with a link to your additional content. YouTube Cards are often better than annotations for adding links to your videos because they look much tidier. Also, unlike annotations, cards will be visible to people watching your videos on their mobile devices.

2. You cannot use Cards just to insert notes into your videos, though, and you cannot adjust their size like you can with annotations. So, if you do need a link to be large and extremely noticeable, annotations might still be your best option. Cards and annotations can even be used in combination sometimes.

How to add YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are similar to annotations but more interactive. They allow the owner of the video to add images and other links. A small box appears, clicking on which will activate the cards.

  • Click on the “Video Manager” tab

  • Click “Edit” tab under the video screen shot you want to add the card on
  • Click on the “Cards” tab

  • On the right panel click on “Add Card” drop down menu and select the type of card you want to add
  • Click on the create button which will open the corresponding video
  • Once you finish the subsequent information required click create card
  • Select the timeline for the playhead to appear which leads to the card slide

  • Apply changes and exit

How to add YouTube annotations

YouTube Annotation is addition of a text layer, link or hotspots over your video. They add interactive boxes which link to other websites or videos (any link you want).

  • Click on the video manager tab
  • Click edit tab under the video screen shot you want to add the annotation on
  • Click on the “End screen & Annotation” tab

  • On the right panel click on “+ Add Element” and select the kind of annotation you want to add
  • Adjust the position of Annotation, you can drag the rectangle to locate it at any position of the video, move the slide to set the start and end time of the annotation

  • Apply changes

The types of YouTube annotations:

1. Speech Bubbles

Speech Bubbles: look like the dialogue box in a comic strip. There is a tail which you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation. Speech bubbles are great for adding in funny comments.

2. Notes

Notes: come in a limited selection of colors and can be adjusted to take up a maximum of 30% of your player screen. Sometimes you need a huge annotation to get an important point across, but using huge note annotations too often – especially near the beginnings of your videos – will annoy viewers. If you need a large note annotation make sure to place it later in your video, when a viewer will already be invested in what they are watching and less likely to click away.

3. Titles

Titles: are large pieces of text that go either at the beginning of your video or in-between different topics within your video. YouTube’s titles are not very nice to look at, but they are a decent option if you do not have access to video editing software.

4. Spotlights

Spotlights: have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a user hovers over the spotlight. Spotlights are great for turning elements within your video into links.

5. Labels

Labels: are completely transparent, like spotlights, but the user does not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

6. Pauses

Pauses: are no longer available to add to your videos, although Pause Annotations added before they were removed still work. Pause Annotations used to stop your video for a set period of time when your annotation appeared.

If somebody watches your video and gets to the end then that means they enjoyed it and will probably be open to checking out more of your content. Rather than hoping that your other videos show up in the ‘Suggested Videos’ YouTube will show after yours has finished playing you should always include an outro, or ending card, after your video to recommend your own work. Annotations are used in a lot of successful YouTuber’s ending cards.

One form this takes is small Note annotations in the bottom corners of the screen, one linking to your previous video and one to the next. Sometimes your viewers might not necessarily get the most enjoyment out of your videos by watching them in order, though. Sometimes you want to link viewers to the videos that are most related to the one they just watched.

The best outros also include a subscribe button, which can be created using annotations. These annotations work best when combined with a verbal call to action. Make sure your outro lasts long enough for people to make the decision to subscribe or click another video.

No matter what kind of annotations you are using, you should never use more than two of them at a time anywhere except for your outro. You should also never place annotations at the very top of your screen, or in the middle at the bottom. If your video is embedding on a separate website then the player will cover annotations at the top of the screen, and ads might cover annotations placed in the bottom-middle of the screen. Keep in mind when using annotations that they will not be visible to users watching your videos on mobile devices. If mobile traffic is very important to you then consider using YouTube Cards.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

  • Title: "[New] Fiscally Flourishing Through Film Reviewing Retail Relics"
  • Author: Thomas
  • Created at : 2024-05-31 12:38:46
  • Updated at : 2024-06-01 12:38:46
  • Link: https://youtube-help.techidaily.com/new-fiscally-flourishing-through-film-reviewing-retail-relics/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.