5. Encourage viewers to use and interact with your timestamps
Timestamps work best when viewers actually use them. Mention them in your video and ask viewers to share their favorite moments in the comments. You can also engage them by asking questions like:
- “Were you expecting this to happen at 05:13?”
- “What did you think about this part of the video at 08:05?”
Pinning a comment with timestamps makes it even easier for people to jump to key parts of your content.
If someone comments on a specific timestamp, reply and keep the conversation going. If a certain moment gets a lot of attention, think about covering it in more detail in a future video. The more interaction your timestamps get, the better YouTube understands that your content is useful, which can help it show up more in search and recommendations.
What common mistakes to avoid when you add timestamps on YouTube?
Here are some mistakes to avoid when adding time stamps to your YouTube video:
- Not adding at least three timestamps
- Incorrect timestamp formatting
- Forgetting to click save after editing
- Not testing the YouTube timestamp link
- Relying too much on automatic timestamps
- Using third-party tools without verification
- Not adding timestamps in comments
- Forgetting to include a first timestamp at 00:00
- Not using the video details page for editing
1. Not adding at least three timestamps
To properly include YouTube timestamps, you need to add at least three timestamps to YouTube videos for them to be recognized as video chapters.
If you only include one or two, YouTube won’t generate automatic chapters, and your video won’t have a structured navigation bar. To make sure timestamps provide additional context, create timestamps that highlight key moments, making it easier for viewers to jump to the part of the video they’re most interested in.
2. Incorrect timestamp formatting
One of the most common mistakes when you add timestamps to YouTube videos is formatting them incorrectly in the video description. Timestamps need to be written in the “00:00 Topic” format, with each timestamp on a new line.
If you forget to add a space between the time and text or place multiple timestamps in a single line, YouTube won’t recognize them as clickable timestamps. Always double-check your YouTube video description to ensure they appear as clickable links.
3. Forgetting to click save after editing
After adding timestamps to YouTube videos on the video details page, some creators forget to click Save, which means their updates don’t apply.
Whether you’re updating timestamps manually or using YouTube Studio to edit video details, always make sure your changes are saved before exiting. If your timestamps aren’t showing up, try refreshing the page or checking your YouTube video link to see if the updates are reflected.
4. Not testing the YouTube timestamp link
Before publishing, always test the YouTube timestamp link to make sure it takes viewers directly to the specified timestamp. Sometimes, an incorrect format or missing a zero can result in the video starting at the wrong place.
You can check this by opening the video in a new tab, copying the YouTube video URL from your browser’s address bar, and pasting it into another window to confirm that each timestamp works as expected.
5. Relying too much on automatic timestamps
YouTube sometimes generates automatic timestamps based on its AI detection of video chapters, but this feature doesn’t always work accurately.
If you rely solely on automatic timestamps, you may find that the suggested timestamps don’t match the key moments in your video. It’s always better to add timestamps manually in the video description to ensure they highlight the most relevant parts of the video’s content.
6. Using third-party tools without verification
Some third-party tools claim to help add timestamps to YouTube videos automatically, but not all videos are compatible with these tools.
If you use one, double-check that the generated timestamps align with your video’s structure. Also, avoid relying on external tools for clickable timestamps in your YouTube descriptions unless you verify their accuracy manually.
7. Not adding timestamps in comments
Another way to increase viewer engagement is by adding timestamps in the comments. If your video takes viewers directly to specific timestamps through pinned comments, they’re more likely to interact with your content.
Use YouTube’s share feature to generate a YouTube timestamp link and include it in a pinned comment. This helps internet users quickly jump to key moments while encouraging engagement.
8. Forgetting to include a first timestamp at 00:00
If you want to implement YouTube timestamps properly, always start with the first timestamp at 00:00 followed by a brief summary of the video’s content.
This helps YouTube recognize your timestamps as video chapters and makes it easier for viewers to understand what the video is about. Some creators forget this step, which can result in timestamps not being generated automatically.
9. Not using the video details page for editing
When adding timestamps manually, always edit them in the video details page in YouTube Studio.
Avoid editing directly from the browser’s address bar or copying a YouTube video URL without the specified timestamp, as this won’t save properly. Instead, go to YouTube Studio, find the uploaded video, and add timestamps in the description box for better viewer engagement.
