YouTube has launched a new End Screens feature for content creators that enables users to promote actions such as visiting channels, subscribing and watching further clips on the popular video platform. The mobile-friendly addition is designed to keep viewers more engaged with the content that they consume online.
In a blog post detailing the new feature, YouTube said that publishers, brands and other creators can now choose to use large thumbnail overlays during the last five to 20 seconds of a clip in order to prompt viewers to take further action. This means that users won’t have to use other desktop-only tools, such as Annotations, to add clickable links.
End Screens is optimised for mobile and is a new way for YouTube to increase the amount of time that users spend watching videos on their smartphones in the mobile app. For creators, it can be used as a key resource for promoting videos, playlists and channels, plus other content that is not based on YouTube, including products, websites and crowdfunding campaigns.
Mobile-friendly content
YouTube’s push for more content consumption on mobile is not surprising, as a study commissioned by Google earlier this year found that millennials are more open to binge-watching clips compared to older viewers. More than a third of young people claim that they watch a number of videos back-to-back on a daily basis.
YouTube has been testing End Screens with creators in recent months and has used the feedback that it received to improve several aspects of the tool before rolling it out to all users on the platform. Creators will be able to access metrics for their End Screens performance by navigating to the YouTube Analytics section in Creator Studio.
Sponsored content
Facebook also announced on Wednesday that it will now officially allow popular users with Verified Profiles, such as digital influencers, musicians and athletes, to share their branded content on the platform. Facebook defines sponsored content as posts containing either photos, videos, images or texts featuring a third party or brand. It says that the latest rollout will provide new ways for people to monetise their content.
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