The difference
| Feature | When it appears | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| Cards | Any point during the video, as a small teaser | Linking a directly relevant video at the moment it becomes relevant |
| End screens | Final 5–20 seconds | Directing the next watch and the subscribe action |
End screen rules
- 1Reserve the last 15–20 seconds and design for it — do not bolt an end screen onto a hard cut.
- 2Keep talking over it. Silence during an end screen is where viewers leave.
- 3Use two elements maximum: one video and one subscribe button. Four choices is no choice.
- 4Prefer a specific video over 'best for viewer' when you have an obvious follow-on.
- 5Do not let the end screen cover anything important in the frame.
Card rules
- One or two per video, placed at the exact moment you reference something
- Never in the first 30 seconds — you are inviting people to leave before the hook lands
- Use them for genuine follow-ups, not random back catalogue
- Check the card click-through rate in Analytics and remove anything below 1%
Measuring whether they work
In Studio Analytics, the Engagement tab shows end screen and card click-through rates. A healthy end screen element click-through sits in the low single digits. What matters more is the effect on session length — whether viewers who click stay on YouTube watching your content rather than someone else's.