YouTube is adding restrictions on which accounts are able to add external links at the end of their videos.
External links are added to videos in the form of end cards, and now there are requirements that every account needs to meet in order to be able to use end cards.
Here are the new requirements for using end cards:
- You must join the YouTube Partner Program
- Your channel must have 10,000 total public views or more
These requirements are being put in place to prevent abuse of end cards. By having to join the YouTube Partner Program, the company will be able to individually evaluate every account before granting them approval.
Adding an end card to a video, which is a screen that directs the viewer toward clicking a link, is an effective way to drive traffic to a website.
YouTubers tend to use end cards to point viewers towards things like crowd funding campaigns, Patreon, and merchandise stores.
End cards can be used for just about anything though. You can direct viewers to your website, a landing page, a product page, or anything else that will help you reach your marketing goals.
The next time you go to add an end card to one of your videos, you may see a notice saying “you’ll need to enable your channel for monetization.”
All that means is you need to join the YouTube Partner Program. It doesn’t mean you need to monetize your channel with ads. You can continue to use end cards without any other form of monetization
