How to Add Timestamps on YouTube Videos4 min read

How to timestamp youtube videos

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much more valuable is video? Compared to a picture video is more appealing, comprehensive, engaging, and reach a broad audience. That explains why more and more marketers today are shifting to video marketing.

With YouTube, the second largest search engine, and visited site after Google offering a reliable platform to upload video, video marketing has continued to grow, and there is no sign of slowing soon. YouTube’s various video strategies for improving the quality of video viewership and ranking have also fuelled the current growth of video marketing.

Today we are going to focus on timestamp. Providing a timestamp on a video helps viewers go directly to the point where you want them to watch. Doing this eliminates the need for your viewers to watch the entire video. Keep in mind viewing the whole video sometimes can be exhausting.  

Creating and adding a timestamp link makes it easier for your viewers to watch the only part you want them to watch. You can add the link manually or automatically.

Crop the video

It is possible to crop your video when uploading on your YouTube to a point you wish using YouTube in-built tools. This method is quite involving and difficult. However, you can use YouTube’s timestamping tools.

How to add a timestamp to YouTube video URL

timestamp youtube

  • Open the video on your browser and locate the video URL on the address bar.
  • Edit to add the timestamp: The time is denoted by t= followed by the time (in seconds) you want the video to play from. An example is, t= 1m30s. If the video URL contains a question mark at the end, add an ampersand (&) before the time stamp. An example is &t=1m30s.

Including &t=1m05s means the video will play from 1 minute and 45 seconds.

When adding timestamps, always use whole numbers without initial zeroes. For example, use 5, not 05.

Below is, is a link you can click. It starts at 1:05

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxwjmPX-SFQ&t=1m05s 

Three ways to create timestamps at the current time

 

types of youtube ads

Adding timestamp using YouTube’s share feature from the browser

You can do this using the share function on YouTube to add a timestamp while using the browser.

youtube timestamp

  • Just open and load the video until you get to that point you wish to share from and stop at that particular moment.
  • Below the URL on the share link section, there is a small box indicated as “Start at.” The timestamp is automatically generated.
  • Then copy and share the updated URL. Anyone who hits this shortened URL will start watching from the point timestamp has been added.

Note that the time t= is preceded by a question mark and not the ampersand (&) in the shortened URL.

Timestamp YouTube comments on a mobile app

  • Login in into your YouTube app on your phone
  • Find a video you want to timestamp. It can be your video or from other creators.
  • Play the video and stop at that point you wish to begin timestamp it.
  • Check at the bottom right corner for the time. The format should be; Hours: Minutes: Seconds.
  • Add the time displayed. Revisit the first method if you don’t remember how to add time.

Timestamp comments at an exact time by modifying URL

How to Add Timestamps on YouTube Videos 1

  • Start by login into your YouTube account and choose the video you wish to edit.
  • Start playing the video and stop at that particular point you want to timestamp.
  • Right click on the video, you will see “Copy URL at the current time”. The format should be; Hours: Minutes: Seconds. See the example below

Current timestamp: Format should resemble this example. 4:14 (414). Here is a good example:

https://youtu.be/vFNTI-SvYDc?t=310

From the video above, it was paused at three minutes and ten seconds.

How do add a timestamp to the comment

Include a description in the comment box and comments heading underneath and add the timestamp as you see it in the video. A link will be served with the video showing from that point.

Note:

Make sure to copy the current timestamp as it appears. Not doing so results in broken links, and the video might not play.

Activity

Try adding a timestamp at any point on your video and see the results. Did you manage to timestamp your video? What method did you use to get results? We would be happy to hear from you after completing his activity.

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