Enhancing Content with YouTube Tags & Notes

How to Use YouTube Cards and Annotations?

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube Annotations and Cards are both tools for linking viewers to your other videos or to off-YouTube webpages. Two of the major differences between them are:

Annotations are not clickable on mobile devices.

You cannot choose the size or positioning of Cards.

This article will teach you about both Cards and Annotations and discuss the best uses for each of them.

Part 1: Annotations

Annotations are messages that float overtop of your videos in the YouTube player. Usually, annotations are clickable and take users to other content created by you.

Section 1: Types of Annotations

There are five types of YouTube annotations:

Notes are colored boxes placed over the top of your videos.

Speech Bubbles look like dialogue boxes in a comic strip. They have tails that you can adjust so it looks like one of the people in your video is saying what is written in the annotation.

Spotlights have a subtle border and are completely clear inside. Your text only appears when a viewer’s cursor hovers over top of these annotations.

Labels are like spotlights except that viewers do not have to hover over them for your text to be visible.

Any of these annotations can be used to link viewers to other videos, or as subscribe links. You can also add a simple Title to your video through the Annotations menu.

Section 2: How to Use Annotations

*Note: the above video mentions Pause annotations, which are no longer available.

Here are two of the best uses for annotations:

Clickable End Cards / Outros

One of the best ways you can use spotlight annotations is to create clickable end cards for your videos.

When your video finishes playing the YouTube player will display a selection of suggested videos that might direct viewers away from your channel. You can keep more of these viewers watching your content by creating your own ‘suggested videos’ card and putting it at the end of your videos.

Put thumbnails of two or three of your other videos on your end card, or use ‘picture-in-picture’ to actually imbed footage from them. Then, after you upload your video, go in and place clickable spotlight annotations over top of your video thumbnails.

This is one use for annotations that cannot be duplicated with cards.

Promoting Your Videos

You should not wait until the end of your video to start linking viewers to other content. Many viewers will click away before they see your end card because your video is not exactly what they were looking for. By placing note or speech bubble annotations occasionally throughout your videos you can catch some of these people before they click off of your channel.

This works especially well if you link to videos on similar subjects to the one you are annotating.

Instead of just linking to another video of yours, try to link to that video on a playlist. Once a viewer is on a playlist your videos will auto-play after each other, which is good for both your view count and watch time.

You can also use the newer YouTube Cards for this, but Annotations might still be a better choice because viewers only need to click once vs. twice for Cards.

Try both and see which performs best for your channel. It might be in your best interest to keep on using both as they target different audiences – Cards are clickable on mobile devices, for example, but Annotations are not.

Part 2: YouTube Cards

YouTube Cards are newer than annotations and a lot of people believe they will one day replace Annotations. While there are benefits to Cards – like embedding images to represent your links – you cannot choose the shape, size, or placement of them. This means they have limited uses.

When viewers click on a Card they are shown additional information and a thumbnail representing the page they will be taken to if they choose to click again. This extra step could be either help viewers decide to click your links or give them a second chance to decide they would rather not.

Section 1: When to Use Cards

A linked Annotation is simply a call to action viewers can click on. A Card is a call to action as well, but instead of taking the viewer directly to where its link leads when it is clicked a Card opens up into a larger version of itself with a thumbnail image.

Crowdfunding pages (Patreon is a great choice for video creators), charity fundraising pages, and merchandise stores are all examples of links that benefit from the format of YouTube Cards.

When you link a viewer to a non-YouTube page you break up their session time, which negatively impacts your watch time and SEO ranking. You want to make sure that the viewers you are directing away from YouTube are the ones most likely to convert after they leave. By ‘convert’ we mean to contribute to your Patreon campaign, donate to the charity you are promoting, or buy some of your merchandise.

Giving viewers more information and a thumbnail through a Card can help ensure the most interested viewers are the ones clicking your links.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Innovating Interaction: Beyond VidCon Conclaves

Beyond VidCon - A Guide to the Most Important YouTube Events

Richard Bennett

Dec 30, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Want to meet your favorite creators? Or, do you want to become a better creator yourself? There are huge conventions you can go to where you can both indulge in fandom and work on your skills. Here are the 7 largest and most well-known:

1. VidCon (US/Europe/Australia)
2. PlayList Live (US)
3. Beautycon (US/UK)
4. YouTube Fanfest (Various international locations)
5. RTX (US/UK/Australia)
6. Amplify Live (Australia)
7. Summer in the City (UK)

The Most Important YouTube Events

Want to be a youtube creator too? Go and get Wondershare Filmora, the video editing software for all creators.

1. VidCon

VidCon US: June (Anaheim, California)

VidCon Europe (Amsterdam): March/April

VidCon Australia: August/September

In 2017 over 30,000 YouTube enthusiasts – from fans to A-list creators – attended VidCon US, and that was thousands of more people than attended in 2016. It’s hard to imagine that this event – the biggest convention for YouTube and online video – will do anything but grow over the next few years.

VidCon was founded by the Vlogbrothers in 2010 as a place for internet friends to meet in real life.

Passes:

There are three different types of passes for VidCon – the Community Track, the Creator Track, and the Industry Track.

The Community Track is for anyone who loves YouTube and wants a chance to see their favorite creators and meet other fans. Pricing ranges from $100 to $180, depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Creator Track gets you to access to all the same events as the Community badges (except for the Meet & Greet Lottery*), plus even more panels and workshops that will help you become a better creator. Pricing ranges from $150 to $250 depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Industry Track is for anyone working in online video or video-adjacent industries, like advertising, branding, or talent management. There are panels on online marketing and working with influencers. Pricing ranges from $550 to $850, depending on when you buy your ticket.

*The Meet and Greet Lottery is a chance for anyone attending with a Community or Industry pass to meet their favorite creator. You rank the 15 creators you’d most like to meet according to how much you want to meet them. A computerized system will determine who gets into which Meet & Greet.

You have a two-week window (usually the first half of May) to submit your choices.

2. PlayList Live

Orlando, Florida: April/May

Tri-State (Secaucus, New Jersey): September

Washington DC: September

Playlist Live is a YouTube event for creators and their supporters that has a particular focus on music. Where VidCon is advertised using images of sunshine, crowded convention halls, and speakers, Playlist Live is advertised with images of city skylines, concerts, and fireworks.

Playlist Live prides itself on having ‘non-stop interactive activities.’ These include chances to meet your favorite creators on the Saturday and Sunday of the event. Which meetups you get to attend are determined by first-come-first-serve online signup.

Passes:

Pricing may vary depending on which event you are attending and how early you purchase your ticket. The following ranges are an estimate. Not all pass types are available for all events.

The Standard Pass ($75 - $130) is the basic pass for fans of the online video who want to meet their favorite creators, play games, and have a great time.

The Standard Pass + Merch ($100-$155) gets you into the same events as the standard pass plus a t-shirt and a wristband.

The Standard Deluxe ($120 - $205) comes with a hoodie, sunglasses, and a commemorative ticket.

The Parent Pass/Parent + Merch/Parent Deluxe ($75-$200) is for parents who want to chaperone their kids around Playlist Live and includes access to everything the Standard Pass can access.

The Insight Pass ($150-$205) is for anyone who wants to learn more about being a digital creator. You get Standard access as well as workshops and panels for successful creators and industry professionals designed to help you on your path.

The Insight + Merch/Insight Deluxe Passes ($175-$280) you get the same access as an Insight Pass plus goodies like shirts, wristbands, commemorative tickets, and sunglasses.

The Premium Pass ($250-$404) grants you standard access plus early access for meetup registration and a special VIP meetup.

There is also business Passes with Merch and Deluxe (Business Deluxe can cost up to $330) options for people working in marketing, publicity, production, etc. These passes include access to an extra day of business and industry-specific programming.

3. Beautycon Festivals

Los Angeles: July

New York: April

London, UK: November

Beautycon is an event meant to highlight innovators in the fields of Beauty, Makeup, and Lifestyle. They bring together online creators, fans, celebrities, and brands for two-day festivals full of fun, panel discussions, shopping, and free samples.

In 2017, 30,000 people attended Beautycon festivals internationally.

Passes:

Two-Day General Admission ($69) gets you in for the whole weekend, and you’ll also get a fabric wristband and other goodies.

You can also get a One-Day General Admission to pass for $49.

The Two-Day Hauler pass ($199) gets you in the doors 2 hours before the General Admission passes, plus a VIP swag bag.

General Admission and Hauler passes do not include access to programmed meetups.

Two-Day All Access passes ($999) include early entry as well as reserved seating in the front row at the Min Stage, photo opportunities in the Halo Room, a tour of the Creator Gifting Suite, custom merch, credit at the Beautycon Shop online, plus everything from the General and Hauler packs.

The final type of pass, the Two-Day Beauty Insider ($1999) pass, has everything the All-Access pass has plus a 2-night stay at a hotel downtown (for the LA festival).

4. YouTube FanFest

These events are customized to the wherever festival is visiting, so you’re always sure to see the big and rising YouTube stars from your region. Generally, these events include performances and activities as well as a Meet & Greet.

There is not a steady annual schedule for FanFests, but it has visited these cities in the past: Manila, Mumbai, Seoul, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Tokyo, Jeddah, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC.

5. RTX

Austin, Texas: August

London: September

Sydney, Australia: February

Brought to you by the creators behind Rooster Teeth, RTX is a celebration of internet culture and gaming. It includes exhibitors, live events, panels, and activities targeting gamers. Partners include Twitch and multiple gaming companies.

Passes:

It costs $50 for a Friday or Sunday pass, and $55 for just Saturday. You’ll get an attendee bag and lanyard with your pass.

The Weekend pass costs $110, and you get access to all 3 days plus the bag/lanyard and 1 autograph code.

A Weekend Plus ($335) pass gets you everything the Weekend pass gets you plus 2 autograph codes, early access to the Expo hall on Friday, lounge access, and reserved seating at the stage.

The Platinum pass is the most expensive at $729, and it includes everything the Weekend Plus pass does plus a priority line for panels, priority seating, and an exclusive party.

6. Amplify Live

Sydney, Australia: April

Melbourne, Australia: April

These events showcase the biggest social medial talent and musical acts in Australia and New Zealand. In 2017 the headliners of the Cool for Summer tour were Lindsey Stirling, Dan & Phil, and Nash Grier.

Tickets for the Cool for Summer tour cost $65 or $75 AUD depending on how early you buy them.

For VIP access, you can buy a Deluxe pass for $125-$150 AUD.

Meet and Greet tickets must be purchased separately from your event ticket.

Silver Meet and Greet, $80 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ featuring non-headliner talent.

Gold Meet and Greet, $189 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ plus a guaranteed meeting with one of the headliners (you choose which when you purchase).

Platinum Meet & Greet, $450 AUD: meet all the headliners and get access to an exclusive VIP area, merch pack, and special entry.

7. Summer in the City

London, UK: August

This is the largest online video festival in the UK. It features discussion panels, workshops, and live performances targeted at creators, fans of online video, and industry professionals. YouTubers might hang out on the show floor meeting fans, and there are also Meet and Greet sessions for top creators. All ticket holders can submit online ballots for a chance at Meet and Greet access.

Summer in the City even has its own awards show, SitC, to honor the best in online content. Previous winners include Dodie, Tomska, Jack & Dean, and Nathan Zed.

There is one day of Summer in the City called ‘Creator Day’ (generally on Friday), which features educational workshops for creators and industry professionals.

Passes:

If you buy your tickets during early bird pricing, the prices will look like this:

Saturday OR Sunday: £30.00

Saturday AND Sunday: £45.00

Creator Day: £30.00

Creator Day + Weekend: £60.00

Industry Ticket: £100.00

Have you ever attended an offline YouTube event? Which one, and how did you like it?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Dec 30, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Want to meet your favorite creators? Or, do you want to become a better creator yourself? There are huge conventions you can go to where you can both indulge in fandom and work on your skills. Here are the 7 largest and most well-known:

1. VidCon (US/Europe/Australia)
2. PlayList Live (US)
3. Beautycon (US/UK)
4. YouTube Fanfest (Various international locations)
5. RTX (US/UK/Australia)
6. Amplify Live (Australia)
7. Summer in the City (UK)

The Most Important YouTube Events

Want to be a youtube creator too? Go and get Wondershare Filmora, the video editing software for all creators.

1. VidCon

VidCon US: June (Anaheim, California)

VidCon Europe (Amsterdam): March/April

VidCon Australia: August/September

In 2017 over 30,000 YouTube enthusiasts – from fans to A-list creators – attended VidCon US, and that was thousands of more people than attended in 2016. It’s hard to imagine that this event – the biggest convention for YouTube and online video – will do anything but grow over the next few years.

VidCon was founded by the Vlogbrothers in 2010 as a place for internet friends to meet in real life.

Passes:

There are three different types of passes for VidCon – the Community Track, the Creator Track, and the Industry Track.

The Community Track is for anyone who loves YouTube and wants a chance to see their favorite creators and meet other fans. Pricing ranges from $100 to $180, depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Creator Track gets you to access to all the same events as the Community badges (except for the Meet & Greet Lottery*), plus even more panels and workshops that will help you become a better creator. Pricing ranges from $150 to $250 depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Industry Track is for anyone working in online video or video-adjacent industries, like advertising, branding, or talent management. There are panels on online marketing and working with influencers. Pricing ranges from $550 to $850, depending on when you buy your ticket.

*The Meet and Greet Lottery is a chance for anyone attending with a Community or Industry pass to meet their favorite creator. You rank the 15 creators you’d most like to meet according to how much you want to meet them. A computerized system will determine who gets into which Meet & Greet.

You have a two-week window (usually the first half of May) to submit your choices.

2. PlayList Live

Orlando, Florida: April/May

Tri-State (Secaucus, New Jersey): September

Washington DC: September

Playlist Live is a YouTube event for creators and their supporters that has a particular focus on music. Where VidCon is advertised using images of sunshine, crowded convention halls, and speakers, Playlist Live is advertised with images of city skylines, concerts, and fireworks.

Playlist Live prides itself on having ‘non-stop interactive activities.’ These include chances to meet your favorite creators on the Saturday and Sunday of the event. Which meetups you get to attend are determined by first-come-first-serve online signup.

Passes:

Pricing may vary depending on which event you are attending and how early you purchase your ticket. The following ranges are an estimate. Not all pass types are available for all events.

The Standard Pass ($75 - $130) is the basic pass for fans of the online video who want to meet their favorite creators, play games, and have a great time.

The Standard Pass + Merch ($100-$155) gets you into the same events as the standard pass plus a t-shirt and a wristband.

The Standard Deluxe ($120 - $205) comes with a hoodie, sunglasses, and a commemorative ticket.

The Parent Pass/Parent + Merch/Parent Deluxe ($75-$200) is for parents who want to chaperone their kids around Playlist Live and includes access to everything the Standard Pass can access.

The Insight Pass ($150-$205) is for anyone who wants to learn more about being a digital creator. You get Standard access as well as workshops and panels for successful creators and industry professionals designed to help you on your path.

The Insight + Merch/Insight Deluxe Passes ($175-$280) you get the same access as an Insight Pass plus goodies like shirts, wristbands, commemorative tickets, and sunglasses.

The Premium Pass ($250-$404) grants you standard access plus early access for meetup registration and a special VIP meetup.

There is also business Passes with Merch and Deluxe (Business Deluxe can cost up to $330) options for people working in marketing, publicity, production, etc. These passes include access to an extra day of business and industry-specific programming.

3. Beautycon Festivals

Los Angeles: July

New York: April

London, UK: November

Beautycon is an event meant to highlight innovators in the fields of Beauty, Makeup, and Lifestyle. They bring together online creators, fans, celebrities, and brands for two-day festivals full of fun, panel discussions, shopping, and free samples.

In 2017, 30,000 people attended Beautycon festivals internationally.

Passes:

Two-Day General Admission ($69) gets you in for the whole weekend, and you’ll also get a fabric wristband and other goodies.

You can also get a One-Day General Admission to pass for $49.

The Two-Day Hauler pass ($199) gets you in the doors 2 hours before the General Admission passes, plus a VIP swag bag.

General Admission and Hauler passes do not include access to programmed meetups.

Two-Day All Access passes ($999) include early entry as well as reserved seating in the front row at the Min Stage, photo opportunities in the Halo Room, a tour of the Creator Gifting Suite, custom merch, credit at the Beautycon Shop online, plus everything from the General and Hauler packs.

The final type of pass, the Two-Day Beauty Insider ($1999) pass, has everything the All-Access pass has plus a 2-night stay at a hotel downtown (for the LA festival).

4. YouTube FanFest

These events are customized to the wherever festival is visiting, so you’re always sure to see the big and rising YouTube stars from your region. Generally, these events include performances and activities as well as a Meet & Greet.

There is not a steady annual schedule for FanFests, but it has visited these cities in the past: Manila, Mumbai, Seoul, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Tokyo, Jeddah, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC.

5. RTX

Austin, Texas: August

London: September

Sydney, Australia: February

Brought to you by the creators behind Rooster Teeth, RTX is a celebration of internet culture and gaming. It includes exhibitors, live events, panels, and activities targeting gamers. Partners include Twitch and multiple gaming companies.

Passes:

It costs $50 for a Friday or Sunday pass, and $55 for just Saturday. You’ll get an attendee bag and lanyard with your pass.

The Weekend pass costs $110, and you get access to all 3 days plus the bag/lanyard and 1 autograph code.

A Weekend Plus ($335) pass gets you everything the Weekend pass gets you plus 2 autograph codes, early access to the Expo hall on Friday, lounge access, and reserved seating at the stage.

The Platinum pass is the most expensive at $729, and it includes everything the Weekend Plus pass does plus a priority line for panels, priority seating, and an exclusive party.

6. Amplify Live

Sydney, Australia: April

Melbourne, Australia: April

These events showcase the biggest social medial talent and musical acts in Australia and New Zealand. In 2017 the headliners of the Cool for Summer tour were Lindsey Stirling, Dan & Phil, and Nash Grier.

Tickets for the Cool for Summer tour cost $65 or $75 AUD depending on how early you buy them.

For VIP access, you can buy a Deluxe pass for $125-$150 AUD.

Meet and Greet tickets must be purchased separately from your event ticket.

Silver Meet and Greet, $80 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ featuring non-headliner talent.

Gold Meet and Greet, $189 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ plus a guaranteed meeting with one of the headliners (you choose which when you purchase).

Platinum Meet & Greet, $450 AUD: meet all the headliners and get access to an exclusive VIP area, merch pack, and special entry.

7. Summer in the City

London, UK: August

This is the largest online video festival in the UK. It features discussion panels, workshops, and live performances targeted at creators, fans of online video, and industry professionals. YouTubers might hang out on the show floor meeting fans, and there are also Meet and Greet sessions for top creators. All ticket holders can submit online ballots for a chance at Meet and Greet access.

Summer in the City even has its own awards show, SitC, to honor the best in online content. Previous winners include Dodie, Tomska, Jack & Dean, and Nathan Zed.

There is one day of Summer in the City called ‘Creator Day’ (generally on Friday), which features educational workshops for creators and industry professionals.

Passes:

If you buy your tickets during early bird pricing, the prices will look like this:

Saturday OR Sunday: £30.00

Saturday AND Sunday: £45.00

Creator Day: £30.00

Creator Day + Weekend: £60.00

Industry Ticket: £100.00

Have you ever attended an offline YouTube event? Which one, and how did you like it?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Dec 30, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Want to meet your favorite creators? Or, do you want to become a better creator yourself? There are huge conventions you can go to where you can both indulge in fandom and work on your skills. Here are the 7 largest and most well-known:

1. VidCon (US/Europe/Australia)
2. PlayList Live (US)
3. Beautycon (US/UK)
4. YouTube Fanfest (Various international locations)
5. RTX (US/UK/Australia)
6. Amplify Live (Australia)
7. Summer in the City (UK)

The Most Important YouTube Events

Want to be a youtube creator too? Go and get Wondershare Filmora, the video editing software for all creators.

1. VidCon

VidCon US: June (Anaheim, California)

VidCon Europe (Amsterdam): March/April

VidCon Australia: August/September

In 2017 over 30,000 YouTube enthusiasts – from fans to A-list creators – attended VidCon US, and that was thousands of more people than attended in 2016. It’s hard to imagine that this event – the biggest convention for YouTube and online video – will do anything but grow over the next few years.

VidCon was founded by the Vlogbrothers in 2010 as a place for internet friends to meet in real life.

Passes:

There are three different types of passes for VidCon – the Community Track, the Creator Track, and the Industry Track.

The Community Track is for anyone who loves YouTube and wants a chance to see their favorite creators and meet other fans. Pricing ranges from $100 to $180, depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Creator Track gets you to access to all the same events as the Community badges (except for the Meet & Greet Lottery*), plus even more panels and workshops that will help you become a better creator. Pricing ranges from $150 to $250 depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Industry Track is for anyone working in online video or video-adjacent industries, like advertising, branding, or talent management. There are panels on online marketing and working with influencers. Pricing ranges from $550 to $850, depending on when you buy your ticket.

*The Meet and Greet Lottery is a chance for anyone attending with a Community or Industry pass to meet their favorite creator. You rank the 15 creators you’d most like to meet according to how much you want to meet them. A computerized system will determine who gets into which Meet & Greet.

You have a two-week window (usually the first half of May) to submit your choices.

2. PlayList Live

Orlando, Florida: April/May

Tri-State (Secaucus, New Jersey): September

Washington DC: September

Playlist Live is a YouTube event for creators and their supporters that has a particular focus on music. Where VidCon is advertised using images of sunshine, crowded convention halls, and speakers, Playlist Live is advertised with images of city skylines, concerts, and fireworks.

Playlist Live prides itself on having ‘non-stop interactive activities.’ These include chances to meet your favorite creators on the Saturday and Sunday of the event. Which meetups you get to attend are determined by first-come-first-serve online signup.

Passes:

Pricing may vary depending on which event you are attending and how early you purchase your ticket. The following ranges are an estimate. Not all pass types are available for all events.

The Standard Pass ($75 - $130) is the basic pass for fans of the online video who want to meet their favorite creators, play games, and have a great time.

The Standard Pass + Merch ($100-$155) gets you into the same events as the standard pass plus a t-shirt and a wristband.

The Standard Deluxe ($120 - $205) comes with a hoodie, sunglasses, and a commemorative ticket.

The Parent Pass/Parent + Merch/Parent Deluxe ($75-$200) is for parents who want to chaperone their kids around Playlist Live and includes access to everything the Standard Pass can access.

The Insight Pass ($150-$205) is for anyone who wants to learn more about being a digital creator. You get Standard access as well as workshops and panels for successful creators and industry professionals designed to help you on your path.

The Insight + Merch/Insight Deluxe Passes ($175-$280) you get the same access as an Insight Pass plus goodies like shirts, wristbands, commemorative tickets, and sunglasses.

The Premium Pass ($250-$404) grants you standard access plus early access for meetup registration and a special VIP meetup.

There is also business Passes with Merch and Deluxe (Business Deluxe can cost up to $330) options for people working in marketing, publicity, production, etc. These passes include access to an extra day of business and industry-specific programming.

3. Beautycon Festivals

Los Angeles: July

New York: April

London, UK: November

Beautycon is an event meant to highlight innovators in the fields of Beauty, Makeup, and Lifestyle. They bring together online creators, fans, celebrities, and brands for two-day festivals full of fun, panel discussions, shopping, and free samples.

In 2017, 30,000 people attended Beautycon festivals internationally.

Passes:

Two-Day General Admission ($69) gets you in for the whole weekend, and you’ll also get a fabric wristband and other goodies.

You can also get a One-Day General Admission to pass for $49.

The Two-Day Hauler pass ($199) gets you in the doors 2 hours before the General Admission passes, plus a VIP swag bag.

General Admission and Hauler passes do not include access to programmed meetups.

Two-Day All Access passes ($999) include early entry as well as reserved seating in the front row at the Min Stage, photo opportunities in the Halo Room, a tour of the Creator Gifting Suite, custom merch, credit at the Beautycon Shop online, plus everything from the General and Hauler packs.

The final type of pass, the Two-Day Beauty Insider ($1999) pass, has everything the All-Access pass has plus a 2-night stay at a hotel downtown (for the LA festival).

4. YouTube FanFest

These events are customized to the wherever festival is visiting, so you’re always sure to see the big and rising YouTube stars from your region. Generally, these events include performances and activities as well as a Meet & Greet.

There is not a steady annual schedule for FanFests, but it has visited these cities in the past: Manila, Mumbai, Seoul, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Tokyo, Jeddah, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC.

5. RTX

Austin, Texas: August

London: September

Sydney, Australia: February

Brought to you by the creators behind Rooster Teeth, RTX is a celebration of internet culture and gaming. It includes exhibitors, live events, panels, and activities targeting gamers. Partners include Twitch and multiple gaming companies.

Passes:

It costs $50 for a Friday or Sunday pass, and $55 for just Saturday. You’ll get an attendee bag and lanyard with your pass.

The Weekend pass costs $110, and you get access to all 3 days plus the bag/lanyard and 1 autograph code.

A Weekend Plus ($335) pass gets you everything the Weekend pass gets you plus 2 autograph codes, early access to the Expo hall on Friday, lounge access, and reserved seating at the stage.

The Platinum pass is the most expensive at $729, and it includes everything the Weekend Plus pass does plus a priority line for panels, priority seating, and an exclusive party.

6. Amplify Live

Sydney, Australia: April

Melbourne, Australia: April

These events showcase the biggest social medial talent and musical acts in Australia and New Zealand. In 2017 the headliners of the Cool for Summer tour were Lindsey Stirling, Dan & Phil, and Nash Grier.

Tickets for the Cool for Summer tour cost $65 or $75 AUD depending on how early you buy them.

For VIP access, you can buy a Deluxe pass for $125-$150 AUD.

Meet and Greet tickets must be purchased separately from your event ticket.

Silver Meet and Greet, $80 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ featuring non-headliner talent.

Gold Meet and Greet, $189 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ plus a guaranteed meeting with one of the headliners (you choose which when you purchase).

Platinum Meet & Greet, $450 AUD: meet all the headliners and get access to an exclusive VIP area, merch pack, and special entry.

7. Summer in the City

London, UK: August

This is the largest online video festival in the UK. It features discussion panels, workshops, and live performances targeted at creators, fans of online video, and industry professionals. YouTubers might hang out on the show floor meeting fans, and there are also Meet and Greet sessions for top creators. All ticket holders can submit online ballots for a chance at Meet and Greet access.

Summer in the City even has its own awards show, SitC, to honor the best in online content. Previous winners include Dodie, Tomska, Jack & Dean, and Nathan Zed.

There is one day of Summer in the City called ‘Creator Day’ (generally on Friday), which features educational workshops for creators and industry professionals.

Passes:

If you buy your tickets during early bird pricing, the prices will look like this:

Saturday OR Sunday: £30.00

Saturday AND Sunday: £45.00

Creator Day: £30.00

Creator Day + Weekend: £60.00

Industry Ticket: £100.00

Have you ever attended an offline YouTube event? Which one, and how did you like it?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Dec 30, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Want to meet your favorite creators? Or, do you want to become a better creator yourself? There are huge conventions you can go to where you can both indulge in fandom and work on your skills. Here are the 7 largest and most well-known:

1. VidCon (US/Europe/Australia)
2. PlayList Live (US)
3. Beautycon (US/UK)
4. YouTube Fanfest (Various international locations)
5. RTX (US/UK/Australia)
6. Amplify Live (Australia)
7. Summer in the City (UK)

The Most Important YouTube Events

Want to be a youtube creator too? Go and get Wondershare Filmora, the video editing software for all creators.

1. VidCon

VidCon US: June (Anaheim, California)

VidCon Europe (Amsterdam): March/April

VidCon Australia: August/September

In 2017 over 30,000 YouTube enthusiasts – from fans to A-list creators – attended VidCon US, and that was thousands of more people than attended in 2016. It’s hard to imagine that this event – the biggest convention for YouTube and online video – will do anything but grow over the next few years.

VidCon was founded by the Vlogbrothers in 2010 as a place for internet friends to meet in real life.

Passes:

There are three different types of passes for VidCon – the Community Track, the Creator Track, and the Industry Track.

The Community Track is for anyone who loves YouTube and wants a chance to see their favorite creators and meet other fans. Pricing ranges from $100 to $180, depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Creator Track gets you to access to all the same events as the Community badges (except for the Meet & Greet Lottery*), plus even more panels and workshops that will help you become a better creator. Pricing ranges from $150 to $250 depending on how early you buy your ticket.

The Industry Track is for anyone working in online video or video-adjacent industries, like advertising, branding, or talent management. There are panels on online marketing and working with influencers. Pricing ranges from $550 to $850, depending on when you buy your ticket.

*The Meet and Greet Lottery is a chance for anyone attending with a Community or Industry pass to meet their favorite creator. You rank the 15 creators you’d most like to meet according to how much you want to meet them. A computerized system will determine who gets into which Meet & Greet.

You have a two-week window (usually the first half of May) to submit your choices.

2. PlayList Live

Orlando, Florida: April/May

Tri-State (Secaucus, New Jersey): September

Washington DC: September

Playlist Live is a YouTube event for creators and their supporters that has a particular focus on music. Where VidCon is advertised using images of sunshine, crowded convention halls, and speakers, Playlist Live is advertised with images of city skylines, concerts, and fireworks.

Playlist Live prides itself on having ‘non-stop interactive activities.’ These include chances to meet your favorite creators on the Saturday and Sunday of the event. Which meetups you get to attend are determined by first-come-first-serve online signup.

Passes:

Pricing may vary depending on which event you are attending and how early you purchase your ticket. The following ranges are an estimate. Not all pass types are available for all events.

The Standard Pass ($75 - $130) is the basic pass for fans of the online video who want to meet their favorite creators, play games, and have a great time.

The Standard Pass + Merch ($100-$155) gets you into the same events as the standard pass plus a t-shirt and a wristband.

The Standard Deluxe ($120 - $205) comes with a hoodie, sunglasses, and a commemorative ticket.

The Parent Pass/Parent + Merch/Parent Deluxe ($75-$200) is for parents who want to chaperone their kids around Playlist Live and includes access to everything the Standard Pass can access.

The Insight Pass ($150-$205) is for anyone who wants to learn more about being a digital creator. You get Standard access as well as workshops and panels for successful creators and industry professionals designed to help you on your path.

The Insight + Merch/Insight Deluxe Passes ($175-$280) you get the same access as an Insight Pass plus goodies like shirts, wristbands, commemorative tickets, and sunglasses.

The Premium Pass ($250-$404) grants you standard access plus early access for meetup registration and a special VIP meetup.

There is also business Passes with Merch and Deluxe (Business Deluxe can cost up to $330) options for people working in marketing, publicity, production, etc. These passes include access to an extra day of business and industry-specific programming.

3. Beautycon Festivals

Los Angeles: July

New York: April

London, UK: November

Beautycon is an event meant to highlight innovators in the fields of Beauty, Makeup, and Lifestyle. They bring together online creators, fans, celebrities, and brands for two-day festivals full of fun, panel discussions, shopping, and free samples.

In 2017, 30,000 people attended Beautycon festivals internationally.

Passes:

Two-Day General Admission ($69) gets you in for the whole weekend, and you’ll also get a fabric wristband and other goodies.

You can also get a One-Day General Admission to pass for $49.

The Two-Day Hauler pass ($199) gets you in the doors 2 hours before the General Admission passes, plus a VIP swag bag.

General Admission and Hauler passes do not include access to programmed meetups.

Two-Day All Access passes ($999) include early entry as well as reserved seating in the front row at the Min Stage, photo opportunities in the Halo Room, a tour of the Creator Gifting Suite, custom merch, credit at the Beautycon Shop online, plus everything from the General and Hauler packs.

The final type of pass, the Two-Day Beauty Insider ($1999) pass, has everything the All-Access pass has plus a 2-night stay at a hotel downtown (for the LA festival).

4. YouTube FanFest

These events are customized to the wherever festival is visiting, so you’re always sure to see the big and rising YouTube stars from your region. Generally, these events include performances and activities as well as a Meet & Greet.

There is not a steady annual schedule for FanFests, but it has visited these cities in the past: Manila, Mumbai, Seoul, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Tokyo, Jeddah, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC.

5. RTX

Austin, Texas: August

London: September

Sydney, Australia: February

Brought to you by the creators behind Rooster Teeth, RTX is a celebration of internet culture and gaming. It includes exhibitors, live events, panels, and activities targeting gamers. Partners include Twitch and multiple gaming companies.

Passes:

It costs $50 for a Friday or Sunday pass, and $55 for just Saturday. You’ll get an attendee bag and lanyard with your pass.

The Weekend pass costs $110, and you get access to all 3 days plus the bag/lanyard and 1 autograph code.

A Weekend Plus ($335) pass gets you everything the Weekend pass gets you plus 2 autograph codes, early access to the Expo hall on Friday, lounge access, and reserved seating at the stage.

The Platinum pass is the most expensive at $729, and it includes everything the Weekend Plus pass does plus a priority line for panels, priority seating, and an exclusive party.

6. Amplify Live

Sydney, Australia: April

Melbourne, Australia: April

These events showcase the biggest social medial talent and musical acts in Australia and New Zealand. In 2017 the headliners of the Cool for Summer tour were Lindsey Stirling, Dan & Phil, and Nash Grier.

Tickets for the Cool for Summer tour cost $65 or $75 AUD depending on how early you buy them.

For VIP access, you can buy a Deluxe pass for $125-$150 AUD.

Meet and Greet tickets must be purchased separately from your event ticket.

Silver Meet and Greet, $80 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ featuring non-headliner talent.

Gold Meet and Greet, $189 AUD: access to the ‘Cool for Summer Celebrity Zone’ plus a guaranteed meeting with one of the headliners (you choose which when you purchase).

Platinum Meet & Greet, $450 AUD: meet all the headliners and get access to an exclusive VIP area, merch pack, and special entry.

7. Summer in the City

London, UK: August

This is the largest online video festival in the UK. It features discussion panels, workshops, and live performances targeted at creators, fans of online video, and industry professionals. YouTubers might hang out on the show floor meeting fans, and there are also Meet and Greet sessions for top creators. All ticket holders can submit online ballots for a chance at Meet and Greet access.

Summer in the City even has its own awards show, SitC, to honor the best in online content. Previous winners include Dodie, Tomska, Jack & Dean, and Nathan Zed.

There is one day of Summer in the City called ‘Creator Day’ (generally on Friday), which features educational workshops for creators and industry professionals.

Passes:

If you buy your tickets during early bird pricing, the prices will look like this:

Saturday OR Sunday: £30.00

Saturday AND Sunday: £45.00

Creator Day: £30.00

Creator Day + Weekend: £60.00

Industry Ticket: £100.00

Have you ever attended an offline YouTube event? Which one, and how did you like it?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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