How to Use YouTube Cards to Reach Your Marketing Goals

Spin Creative • March 9, 2023

YouTube is not only a popular social video platform, but it’s also a great marketing tool for brands, regardless of what product or service you provide. 

YouTube video cards used as a marketing tool

The platform even comes with some handy built-in tools that can elevate your subscriber count, keep your audience engaged, send viewers to your online storefront and so much more—and one of these is YouTube cards.


Wondering how you can use YouTube cards to reach you marketing goals? Read on to discover everything you need to know about this valuable, easy-to-use tool.


What are YouTube Cards?


YouTube cards are also called “info cards.” They’re interactive panels that appear in the upper right corner of a video frame, usually as a response to what’s happening in the video.


When a video includes a YouTube card, a small white circle with an “i” in the center appears, usually alongside a clickable call to action, or CTA. If the viewer clicks on the CTA, the entire card content is displayed. You can include information like links to other videos, links to a storefront, suggested playlists and much more. 


Brands should think of YouTube cards as a visual CTA. You can use them to accomplish a wide range of goals, like getting viewers to check out your website, watch another video or take a different action. There are four types of YouTube cards:


·      Video cards. Ideal for promoting another YouTube video to your viewers.


·      Playlist cards. Like video cards, playlist cards recommend content to your viewers. In this case, it’s another playlist, ideal for introducing viewers to collections of similar videos.


·      Link cards. Link cards direct viewers to a website outside YouTube. They’re perhaps the most beneficial card type because they help brands leverage their audience for conversions.


·      Channel cards. If you want to point viewers to another YouTube channel, use a channel card. It’s a great way to get followers to subscribe to another channel you manage.


How to use YouTube cards effectively


Need help turning YouTube videos into helpful marketing tools? Here’s how to use YouTube cards to do just that:


·      Retain your audience. YouTube cards are a handy tool to keep your audience watching your YouTube content. Use video cards to guide viewers to your next video, and so on. By strategically placing your cards and linking videos that are relevant, you’ll have the best chance of retaining your audience.


·      Build brand awareness. If you have a wide variety of videos on your YouTube channel, organize them into playlists and use playlist cards to boost brand awareness. Try to create playlists that align with your target audience’s interests, so your brand becomes the go-to resource for specific topics.


·      Capture leads. Use link cards to collect leads through YouTube. Place them strategically in your video, so they seem more like a suggestion and less like a sales pitch.


·      Boost your subscriber count. You can use channel cards to improve your subscriber count, rather than repeatedly telling your viewers to hit the “subscribe” button. Include a channel card with an enticing CTA to get your audience to subscribe.


Accomplish your goals on YouTube with YouTube cards—and great content


YouTube cards are powerful yet simple video marketing tools, but before they can be effective, you need great content. Say hello to Spin Creative. Whether your brand-new to video or a seasoned pro, we’re a video marketing and branding partner who can help you create content that connects with your audience.



About Us
Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.

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