One of the frustrating things about online video is that if a video is really long, you’re forced to wait for it to load completely before you can jump to different points in the video. Today we’re going to show you a shortcut using a YouTube timecode to jump viewers to a specific point in a YouTube video.
This way, instead of having to fast-forward through the video, viewers can jump straight to the part they want to watch on YouTube.
Use cases for a YouTube timecode
YouTube timecodes can used in a number of different ways.
Here are some of our favorite ways to use timecodes on YouTube:
- Break a long event video using a YouTube timecode
- Break long videos using timecodes for sharing on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter
- Include videos using YouTube timecodes in an email signature
- Instead of sending viewers to watch a video again, use a YouTube timecode to jump them to the part that answers their question
- Create a blog post and include a YouTube video that jumps to a specific timecode that relates to the blog post
To learn how to add a YouTube timecode to your videos, follow the instructions listed below.
How to jump to a specific place in a video using a YouTube timecode
- Get your YouTube video link
- Add the following to the end of your link. “&t=VALUE”
- Replace “value” with the number of seconds you want to jump a video to
- Your YouTube timecode video URL should look something like this. “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmGOp52s1Ps&t=20“
Note: In the value field, you specify how many seconds you want to jump to in a video.
If you want to jump to 60 seconds, you would enter &t=60.
If you want to jump to 1 minute, 20 seconds into your video, you would enter &t=80
YouTube Timecode wrap-up
Timecodes are a convenient way to help viewers out. For example, if you receive a comment on your YouTube channel from a viewer asking how to do something that you showed in your video. Instead of directing them back to the same video, you can use a YouTube timecode to jump them right to the part that answers their question.
By using YouTube timecodes, this can be a great way to help answer someones question. You can also learn about your own videos in the process. Are they too long, could you break them into shorter videos to increase video conversions?
Remember, with YouTube timecodes, you are not just limited to adding these to your own videos. You can add a YouTube timecode to any YouTube video.
How do you plan to use YouTube timecodes? For a little practice, leave a comment below with a link to a YouTube video that includes a YouTube timecode.