YouTube End Screens: How to Set Them Up, What to Include, and Why Most Channels Waste Them

End screens are the last 5 to 20 seconds of your YouTube video, and they're the single most wasted piece of real estate on most business channels. I can say this with confidence because when we run channel audits at Humble&Brag, we consistently find that clients either aren't using end screens at all, or they're using them with generic "thanks for watching" overlays that generate near-zero clicks.

This matters because end screens are the primary mechanism for keeping viewers on your channel after a video ends. When a viewer finishes your video and clicks on your end screen card to watch another one, YouTube counts that as a session continuation, one of the strongest positive signals the algorithm uses to decide whether to recommend your content to more people. A channel that consistently drives end screen clicks builds compounding session time, which translates directly to broader algorithmic distribution.

What End Screens Are and How They Work

End screens are interactive elements that appear during the final 5 to 20 seconds of a YouTube video. They can contain up to four elements: links to other videos or playlists, a subscribe button, a channel link, or a link to an approved external website (available only to channels in the YouTube Partner Programme).

You add end screens in YouTube Studio after uploading a video. Go to Content, select the video, click Editor, then End Screen. You can either build a custom layout or import an end screen from a previous video.

The critical technical constraint: end screen elements can only appear in the final 5 to 20 seconds of the video. This means you need to plan your video's closing section to accommodate the end screen overlay. If your video cuts to black or ends abruptly, there's no visual space for the end screen elements to appear naturally.

The Strategic Mistake: Generic End Screens

The most common end screen configuration is two video cards and a subscribe button overlaid on a static background, accompanied by the presenter saying something like "If you enjoyed this video, check out this one next."

This approach fails because it gives the viewer no specific reason to click. Compare it to the CTA formula from our scriptwriting framework: link back to something specific in the current video, open a new curiosity gap, then promise a specific transformation from the next video. The end screen should be the visual manifestation of that verbal CTA.

George Blackman's research on end screen optimisation found that channels implementing a Link-Curiosity-Promise CTA formula saw end screen click rates jump from roughly 3 per cent to over 15 per cent on some videos. The difference wasn't the visual design of the end screen. It was the script that accompanied it.

What to Include in Your End Screen

For business channels, the most effective end screen configuration is two elements: one video card pointing to the most relevant next video, and one subscribe button. Adding more elements (a second video, a playlist, a channel link) splits attention and typically reduces clicks on the primary card.

The "Best for Viewer" video card is YouTube's default recommendation. It uses the algorithm to select which of your videos the current viewer is most likely to watch next. This is the right choice when you don't have an obvious sequel or companion video, because the algorithm knows the viewer's history better than you do.

A specific video card is the right choice when you have a clear next step for the viewer: a Part 2, a deeper dive on a topic mentioned in the current video, or the next video in a series. This is where the scripted CTA matters most, because you're directing the viewer to a specific video and your words need to sell that click.

The subscribe button should always be present. Some creators omit it because they assume viewers who've watched to the end are already subscribed. The data doesn't support this: a significant portion of viewers who watch 90 per cent or more of a video are not yet subscribed, and the end screen subscribe button captures a meaningful number of conversions that a verbal CTA alone doesn't.

Designing for End Screens

Your video's final section needs to be designed with end screens in mind. This means leaving visual space in the frame for the end screen cards (typically the right side and bottom-right of the frame), avoiding important visual information in the areas where cards will overlay, and planning a closing segment of at least 15 seconds where the presenter delivers the CTA while the end screen elements are visible.

Many business channels use a dedicated end screen template: a branded background or lower third that appears in the final 15 to 20 seconds of every video, providing a consistent visual frame for the end screen elements. This works well because it creates a recognisable pattern: regular viewers learn that when the end screen background appears, there's a recommended next video to click on.

The end screen template should match your channel's visual branding. Use your brand colours and keep the design clean. The end screen is not the place for busy graphics; the video cards themselves need to be the visual focal point. If you want to create a consistent end screen look, design a simple background in Canva or your preferred design tool, export it as a video clip, and append it to every video during editing.

How End Screens Connect to Session Time

Session time, the total time a viewer spends watching videos on YouTube in a single sitting, is one of the algorithm's key satisfaction signals. When a viewer clicks your end screen card and watches another of your videos, that entire watch contributes to your channel's session time metrics.

This is why end screens are strategically important beyond just generating clicks. A channel that consistently converts end screen viewers into second-video viewers builds a compounding loop: more session time leads to more algorithmic distribution, which leads to more viewers, which leads to more session time. We covered how session time fits into the broader traffic source architecture in our guide on how YouTube distributes content.

The benchmark for end screen click rate varies by niche, but a healthy target for business channels is 5 to 8 per cent. Below 3 per cent indicates that either the end screen elements aren't visible enough, the verbal CTA isn't compelling, or the suggested video doesn't match what the current viewer wants next.

Common End Screen Mistakes

No end screen at all. Roughly a third of the business channels we audit have no end screens on their videos, forfeiting the easiest session-time win available.

End screens on videos under 30 seconds. YouTube doesn't allow end screens on videos shorter than 25 seconds. Shorts and very short videos can't use them.

Too many elements. Four end screen elements create visual clutter and split attention. Two elements (one video, one subscribe) is the most effective configuration for most business channels.

Generic verbal CTA. "Check out this video next" without a specific reason to click converts poorly. Use the Link-Curiosity-Promise formula from the script template every time.

Misaligned end screen timing. If the end screen appears while the presenter is still delivering important content, viewers focus on the content and miss the cards. The end screen should appear during the dedicated CTA section, after the video's main value has been delivered.

Never updating end screens. Your oldest videos may have end screens pointing to outdated content. A periodic audit of end screens on your top-performing videos, updating the linked video to something more current or more relevant, can meaningfully improve session flow across your library. This is one of the items on our channel audit checklist.

Adding End Screens to Your Existing Library

If you have an existing library without end screens, prioritise adding them to your highest-view videos first. Go to YouTube Studio, sort your videos by views, and add end screens to the top 20. For each video, choose either "Best for Viewer" (if no obvious sequel exists) or a specific companion video. This takes roughly two minutes per video and can generate meaningful additional session time from traffic you've already earned.

If you want a professional assessment of your end screen performance alongside CTR, retention, and content strategy, a channel audit covers the full scope.