8 Handy Youtube Hacks for Watchers and Creators

What’s more, if you’re a content marketer, Youtube is a great place to pull quotes, create GIFs, or learn a new skill in graphic design or video editing (how meta..). Whether you’re using the platform to watch or create Youtube videos, check out the below tips to see how you can make the most out of it! 

Watchers

Save videos to watch later

The most basic of all Youtube hacks is knowing how to save videos, so you have a constant stream to stuff to watch at your disposal. Click the ‘+’ button underneath the play button > select ‘Watch Later’. You can then access this list on the left sidebar by clicking the clock icon that says ‘Watch Later’. 

Share a certain point in a video

Don’t make your friends suffer through the first 10 minutes of boring video just to watch the clincher at the end - no one has time for that! Share a specific point in the video by clicking ‘Share’ > input the time of when you want to clip to start > select the checkbox > copy the link and share. Or you can right click on the video screen at the point you want it to play > select ‘Copy video URL at current time’. 

Read the transcript 

Youtube automatically generates the transcript of every video that’s uploaded. If you’re interested to read it, then click ‘more’ [with eclipses] > Transcript. Most content creators do not revise their transcript, so it may not be an exact play-by-play, but you’ll get the idea. To improve the SEO on your video, you can go ahead and edit your own transcript by clicking ‘Subtitles/CC’ on your video > select language > add subtitles based on the options shown. 

Surpass country restrictions

You see a video you really want to watch, but after you click through, you find out that it’s blocked in your country. Has this ever happened to you? Well, a little adjustment to the URL will do the trick! Change standard Youtube links [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxx] by moving the video code (i.e. xxx) to the back of the URL [http://www.youtube.com/v/xxx] and voila! 

Creators

Add an End Screen

Having an end screen allows your viewers to see what other content you have on your channel, making it an important step for optimising your content and maximising viewership. To do so, simply go to your Video Manager > Edit > End screen & Annotations > select one of the three different ways to present your end screen (i.e. Adding an element, Importing from the video, Using a Youtube Template).

Add a Card

Cards are the sticky-note-lookalike pop ups you seen on videos from time to time that provide clarification or links. It’s a great way to keep viewers engaged at a specific point in your video or to direct them to your other content. Get started by going to your Video Manager > Edit > Cards > Add Card > select your card from the list of options (i.e. Video or playlist, Channel, Donation, Poll, Link). 

Create Playlists

If you’re a content marketer that uses Youtube frequently to upload content, then playlists are absolutely essential for your channel. Using playlists allows your viewers to easily find the category of content they’re looking for, and allows for other people to find your videos on the platform. To create a playlist, go to Video Manager > Playlist > New Playlists > Choose a name (make sure it’s public) > Create. 

Turn a video into a GIF 

If you’ve ever watched a video and thought that a clip of it would make for a great GIF, then this hack is for you. Go to giphy.com > Create (top right corner of the screen) > paste the Youtube URL > select the start time and duration > add a caption to meme it up - and you’re done!