Perfecting Your Video’s Narrative: Integrating Timestamps Smartly

How to Add Timestamps YouTube Video?

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has more than 2 billion logged-in monthly users as of now. Every year, this number keeps increasing more and more since now this platform is available in 80 different languages. Be it marketers or corporate creators, everybody is moving towards the platform to present their content to the audience. Thanks to the prominence of this platform amongst the users, it can attract an enormous amount of traffic from all over the globe.

Video marketers, in these times, are trying to make use of this popularity for promoting their brands and products. YouTube Timestamp is also one such tool of this platform that helps you gain recognition and attention from your viewers.

In this article, we will be helping you learn about what Timestamp is, how to add Timestamps to your YouTube videos, and much more.

• Part 1: YouTube Timestamp Introduction
• Part 2: Adding Timestamps to YouTube Video on Desktop
• Part 3: Adding Timestamps to YouTube Videos on Mobile
• part 4: Benefits of Adding Timestamps to YouTube Videos
• Part 5: Tips for Adding Timestamps to YouTube Videos

Part 1: What is a YouTube Timestamp?

A YouTube Timestamp is one of the ‘key moments’ features of Google. It is the best method to link your user to a specific moment of your video. It is very often noticed that people keep skipping the content, as they cannot find what they have been looking for.

In such cases, you can prefer adding the YouTube video Timestamps to improve the retention of the viewers for a longer time. What is more interesting about it is that you can also provide a reference in minutes and seconds of the video.

Part 2: How to Add Timestamps to YouTube Video on Desktop?

A very few YouTube videos at present have Timestamps in them. It usually is due to the reason that majority of people are not aware of it. Or, in some other cases, they are still wondering, ‘how to add Timestamps to YouTube video.’

In detail, let us tell you how you can add these timestamps to your videos on Desktop.

1. Log in to your YouTube and move to the ‘Description’ section on the video.
2. For linking a specific part to timestamp, begin by typing the time in the format minutes:seconds.

1. Then add your keyword to the specific video segment and click on ‘Save.’
2. Reload the published video and then check the ‘Description’ section once again and update it accordingly.

That is it, and you are done with adding Timestamps to a YouTube video!

Note: you need to add 0:00 at the beginning of the timestamps so that they can show up. And you may need to add 3 or more timestamps, and each should last 10 seconds or longer.

Part 3: How to Add Timestamps to YouTube Videos on Mobile?

So, when it is about adding the timestamps on mobile, things are a bit different for sure! However, we have done a thorough research and managed to get a step-by-step tutorial to add these timestamps to YouTube videos on the mobile app.

1. Log in to the YouTube Studio app on your mobile.
2. Click on the ‘Menu’ icon, which is present in the upper left corner of the screen.
3. Select the video and press on the video where you want to add timestamps.
4. Click on the pencil icon, which is present on the topmost right corner of the screen and then add timestamps in the description!

Format - The time is indicated by t=, which is followed by the number of seconds you want the video to start playing from. t= 2m46s is an example of a Timestamp. If the URL of the video contains a question mark (?) at the end, then, in that case, use the ampersand (&) before the time stamp. Example - &t=2m46ss!

Note - Make sure the initial timestamp is “0:00 Start” to activate the YouTube Chapters function. To use YouTube Chapters, you need to add at least three chapters to a video, with each chapter lasting at least ten seconds.

Part 4: Why Should You Add Timestamps to YouTube Videos?

A few reasons why YouTube Timestamps are a must for you to try are mentioned below. Make sure that you go through them!

• Increased SEO Opportunities

The use of YouTube Timestamps can be regarded as a very useful SEO video hack. The ranking of YouTube videos is completely based on the watch time and retention of the audience. Hence, when a user clicks on the Timestamp, YouTube will log this as two views. The initial click counts as the first view. Next will be the second view, which is the Timestamped moment of the video. This 2-on-1 benefit helps in increasing the video ranking.

Now, it is time for all the YouTube creators to switch to this feature for higher rankings. This will take off in 2021, particularly amongst the mobile phone users, since now even Google supports Timestamp hyperlinks. Timestamps will become increasingly important for YouTubers in the coming year.

• User Experience Enhanced

Jumbling for a specific part of a video can be annoying for the user, and they might end up closing it. Anyone would not certainly want to watch the entire 15 minutes of video for nugget-sized information. Hence, using Timestamps is indeed a benefit for you. With this feature, you can now overcome this issue and get a huge victory of an increase in the count of viewers.

• Perk for the Mobile Users

Google has started rewarding the Timestamps for the YouTube videos. It appears to be paying attention to the Timestamps on the videos and then linking to each chapter or header in the YouTube description.

Part 5: Should I Add Timestamps to All YouTube Videos?

Almost every video put up on the internet is designed so as to get optimized as per the SEO trends. Google has mentioned it clearly that “how-to videos which have multiple steps, should have Timestamps .” However, the truth is that every video which is long and has multiple pointers or steps in it should have the YouTube Timestamps in it.

From product reviews to the help tutorials, can reap benefits from this feature of YouTube. This is something you should think about before you start adding chapters to your video.

Conclusion

One of the most effective methods to boost visibility about your brand or product is to create entertaining content online. Using Timestamps in your videos, you may enhance the ranking of your video, enhance the viewer experience, and develop long-term partnerships with a larger audience. You can certainly try experimenting with YouTube at any point in your video and see what happens.

Comment below with your opinions on the results of this new feature and how you feel it impacts your business.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Overcoming Obscured Views During YouTube Playback

There might be some instances where when you try to play a clip on one of the most popular streaming video sites, you are displayed with a YouTube black screen. There could be several reasons behind this.

That said, the following sections discuss some of the common causes of YouTube video black screen, and explain how you can fix the issue easily with merely a few simple mouse clicks. Here, you will also learn how to resolve the problem if it occurs on your smartphone.

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Part 1: What Causes a YouTube Black Screen Error?

As mentioned earlier, although there could be any reason for videos black on YouTube, some of the most common ones are listed below:

Obsolete Web Browser

Because the websites and online portals are regularly updated by the developers to keep them secure from intruders and attackers, the web browsers must also be updated accordingly to keep up the pace. If your instance of the web browser is outdated, you may experience a YouTube TV black screen.

Incompatible Browser Extensions

This mostly happens while using Google Chrome. Because Chrome Web Store is populated with a plethora of extensions, it is likely that any of those might become outdated (or get updated), thus becoming incompatible with the current version of the web browser.

Slow Internet Connection

This issue could be from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side. At your part, the maximum you can do is, try switching to a wired network, or if you are using Wi-Fi, consider taking your PC or laptop closer to the wireless router.

Stale DNS Cache

Every time you visit a website, its DNS (Domain Name System) record is automatically stored in the DNS cache. This helps in the address resolution process (fetching the URL) the next time you open the site. If the DNS information gets stale in the DNS cache, the browser may fail to locate the website, a YouTube video in this case, and you will be displayed with the black screen.

Outdated Display Driver

As it is with Windows itself, even the graphic card driver must be updated regularly to maintain your PC’s health. If an updated version of the display driver is not installed on your Windows computer, you may experience YouTube black screen.

Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Video Black Screen [*Quick Way]

Depending on the root cause of the issue, the solutions to fix the YouTube video black screen issue may differ. Nevertheless, some of the most effective remedies are discussed below in detail:

1. Web Browser Solution(s)

Solution 1: Update Your Web Browser

When you experience YouTube video black screen, try updating your web browser to its latest version. Assuming that you’re using Google Chrome, the update process is given below:

Launch Google Chrome, click the Customize and control Google Chrome icon from the top-right corner, and then select Update Google Chrome from the menu that appears.

Note: If the Update Google Chrome option isn’t available, it simply means that you are already using the latest version of the browser

Solution 2: Restart the Web Browser

If the video isn’t visible even after updating Google Chrome, or if you’re already using the most recent version but the issue is still there, you can close the web browser, and relaunch it to see if that helps.

Solution 3: Use a Different Browser

If Google Chrome itself is the culprit, the video should be visible on a different browser. You may consider using Mozilla Firefox or the Windows’ default app, Microsoft Edge.

Copy the URL of the faulty video from Google Chrome’s address bar, and then launch a different web browser, and paste the copied URL in the new browser’s address bar. Press Enter and see if the video plays correctly.

Solution 4: Clean the Web Browser

Sometimes even the web browser history and caches can also prevent a YouTube video from being displayed. Therefore, it would be a good idea to clear the browser data, and see if it helps. The process is given below:

After launching the web browser (Google Chrome is used here for example), go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, and then go to More tools, and then select Clear browsing data.

Switch between the Basic and Advanced tabs on the Clear browsing data box to choose the records that you want to delete, and then choose your preferred duration of the records from the Time range drop-down list.

Click Clear data from the bottom-right corner to clear browsing caches.

Solution 5: Disable/Remove the Extensions

If one or more browser extensions are incompatible, even then you may experience YouTube black screen. In such a case, you can disable those extensions, or permanently remove them to resolve the issue. You can learn the process of doing so by following the instructions that are given below:

Launch Google Chrome and go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, go to More tools, then select Extensions from the submenu that appears.

Turn off the switch for each of the installed extensions to check if the issue is fixed.

Note: If this solution works, you can try enabling the extensions one at a time, and check turning on which one causes YouTube video black screen. Once the culprit extension is found, you can click Remove to get rid of it altogether.

Solution 6: Reinstall the Browser

If the video is visible on a different web browser, probably the default one that you are using got corrupted. A quick resolution would be to remove its instance from your PC, and install a fresh copy. To do so:

• Type Control Panel in the Cortana search box, and then click Control Panel from the results list.

• On the Control Panel window, click Uninstall a program from under the Programs

• Click to select the browser from the list of installed apps (Google Chrome here) and select Uninstall from above the list.

• Follow the on-screen instructions from there to remove the web browser from your PC. Next, use Microsoft Edge (or any other browser) to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome and see if the issue is fixed

2. ISP or Internet Speed Solution(s)

If you are experiencing a slow Internet connection, the issue might be either from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side, or on your part. In any case, you can try the following solutions to fix the issue:

Solution 1: Get Your PC/Laptop Closer to the Router

If you are using a Wi-Fi network, consider bringing your device a bit closer to the wireless router and see if the issue is fixed. You may also want to recheck and ensure that there are no highly magnetic devices (a speaker or something similar) placed near the router.

Solution 2: Switch to a Wired Network

If the problem persists, try connecting your laptop/desktop PC to your router with a LAN cable, and then try reopening the YouTube video to see if it plays correctly this time.

PC/Windows Solution(s)

At times, your computer could be the main culprit, and trying some basic troubleshooting steps might resolve the issue. Some of the most effective solutions are listed below:

Solution 1: Clear DNS Cache

Clearing the DNS cache ensures that your PC is now ready to accept and save new DNS records in the cache. The process of clearing the existing cache data is listed below:

Type CMD in the Cortana search box, and click Run as administrator from the right menu of the results list.

Click Yes on the User Account Control confirmation box, and in the Command Prompt window, type IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS and press Enter

Try opening the YouTube video again and see if the issue is fixed

Solution 2: Update the Graphic Card Driver

Anything that you see on your computer screen is because of the graphics card. Since a driver is needed to interact with the device, an old one might prevent the videos from getting displayed. If the graphics card is the culprit, the chances are that you won’t be able to see any video at all, be it from YouTube or offline. Therefore, checking if you are using the latest version of the graphic card driver wouldn’t harm you. The process is given below:

Right-click Start and go to Device Manager from the context menu

Expand the Display adapters tree on the Device Manager snap-in, and right-click the graphics card from the list and select Update driver from the context menu.

Click Search automatically for drivers from the next screen that appears and follow the on-screen instructions from there to update the graphic card driver.

Note: If your PC has multiple graphic cards installed in it, you will have to follow this procedure for each of them individually.

Part 3: How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Mobile?

If you wish to watch online videos on your smartphone, but experience YouTube video black screen, the process of fixing the issue on the phones is comparatively simple. The steps that are given below explain the procedure:

How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Android

Clear the Cache

Go to Settings and then tap Apps from the Settings Go to YouTube and then scroll down to Storage.

Tap it and then select Clear data and Clear cache. Relaunch YouTube and see if the issue is fixed.

How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen On iOS

Delete and Reinstall the App

Long-tap the YouTube app on your iOS device, and then tap Remove App, and then select Delete App.

Go to App Store and download and install a fresh copy of YouTube, and see if the problem is resolved.

Conclusion

There could be several reasons for YouTube black screen, and depending on the root cause of the issue, the troubleshooting methods may vary. While some inconsistencies can be fixed from within the web browser itself, at times you may need to tweak your operating system to get an accurate solution. Likewise, while using an Android smartphone, you can clear YouTube data and cache; and remove and reinstall the app altogether when on an iOS device.