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256 Part IV Promotion and Monetization

Understanding Call-to-Action Overlays

What exactly is a Call-to-Action Overlay? Put simply, it’s a small band that is super-
imposed across the bottom of a video, like the one shown in Figure 23.1 from char-
ity:water (www.youtube.com/user/charitywater/). It’s relatively small, relatively
unobtrusive, but still noticeable—and it’s clickable. That’s right, viewers can click a
Call-to-Action Overlay to be taken to the video producer’s own website. It’s the only
way to link from a YouTube video to an outside website.

Figure 23.1 A Call-to-Action Overly on a YouTube video.

Note

A Call-to-Action Overlay can also be turned off with a click. When viewer
clicks the “X” at the top right of the overlay, the overlay disappears.

Each Call-to-Action Overlay includes a headline, two lines of descriptive text, and a
destination URL—typically the home page on the host’s website. An overlay can
also include a small image, if the host desires. The overlay itself is clickable; clicking
the overlay sends the viewer to a URL of the host’s choice. (The click-to URL does-
n’t have to be the same destination URL displayed in the overlay.)

Know, however, that not just anyone can add a Call-to-Action Overlay to their
YouTube videos. YouTube only enables these overlays when you advertise a video as
part of its Promoted Videos program. That’s right, you have to pay (via advertising)
to gain the capability of linking from your video directly to your own website. If a
video is not promoted, you can’t add a Call-to-Action Overlay.