> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.hypebot.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Case Study: Decrease YouTube Video Annotations For Increased Viewing Time and Clickthroughs - URL: https://www.hypebot.com/case-study-decrease-youtube-video-annotations-for-increased-viewing-time-and-clickthroughs/ - Published: 2014-05-22T13:59:26.000Z - Updated: 2014-05-22T13:59:26.000Z - Description: Annotations on YouTube videos are potentially a powerful marketing and sales tool but too much can undermine viewer interest with noise. Matt Gielen, Director of Programming and Audience Development at. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2014/05/case-study-decrease-youtube-video-annot - Author: admin - Tags: Music Marketing, Music Tech, YouTube & Video, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:38 [![Playbook-promo-large-annotations](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201a73dc91f92970d-200wi "Playbook-promo-large-annotations")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201a73dc91f92970d-popup?ref=hypebot.com) Annotations on YouTube videos are potentially a powerful marketing and sales tool but too much can undermine viewer interest with noise. Matt Gielen, Director of Programming and Audience Development at Frederator, noticed just how annoying Vimeo's music video annotations were and realized he needed to take a look at how his team was using annotations at Cartoon Hangover. The results didn't surprise me but they may just surprise you. As part of his duties for [Frederator](http://frederator.com/?ref=hypebot.com) Matt Gielen leads the programming team that's building [Cartoon Hangover](https://www.youtube.com/user/CartoonHangover?ref=hypebot.com), a YouTube channel with well over a million subscribers. Gielen [says](http://www.tubefilter.com/2014/05/21/youtube-annotations-how-to-hurting/?ref=hypebot.com) he was watching the "\[truly\] epic" music video, "[Turn Down For What](http://youtu.be/HMUDVMiITOU?ref=hypebot.com)," and became "more and more irritated" at the intrusive "[InVideo Programming](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2790636?hl=en&ref=hypebot.com)" annotations encouraging him to go watch a different video long before this one was over. This experience apparently caused him to reevaluate Cartoon Hangover's use of annotations. **Before Removing In Video Annotations** [![image from onlinemphdegree.net](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201a73dc91fb6970d-150wi "image from onlinemphdegree.net")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201a73dc91fb6970d-popup?ref=hypebot.com) First the team checked current stats on annotations and found that annotations shown during the video had a clickthrough rate below 1% and "very high close rates." But annotations shown in end cards, an extra bit of video at the end for extra things, has a strong clickthrough rate and very low close rates. So they pulled all the annotations that would normally appear during the video and shut off InVideo Programming. **After Removing In Video Annotations** The results were dramatic. Clickthrough rates "skyrocketed" while close rates "plummet\[ed\]." Gielen concluded: "By reducing our use of annotations, we actually increased our click-through rate on annotations across all episodes by over 27%. In addition, chances are removing the annotations that appeared during the video caused far less people to turn off annotations all together, which probably had a hand in increasing our click-through rate on the end cards." You can look more closely at [Gielen's case study](http://www.tubefilter.com/2014/05/21/youtube-annotations-how-to-hurting/?ref=hypebot.com) or head over to YouTube for more about [annotations](https://www.youtube.com/yt/playbook/annotations.html?ref=hypebot.com). **More:** - [Make More Music Money With YouTube in 2014](https://www.hypebot.com/make-more-music-money-with-youtube-in-2014/) - [Best Of 2013: How To Get More Views On YouTube](http://hypebot.com/hypebot/2013/12/best-of-2013-how-to-get-more-views-on-youtube.html?ref=hypebot.com) *Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith ([@fluxresearch](https://twitter.com/fluxresearch?ref=hypebot.com)) posts music crowdfunding news [@CrowdfundingM](https://twitter.com/CrowdfundingM?ref=hypebot.com). To suggest topics about music tech, DIY music biz or music marketing for Hypebot, contact:* clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com .Related articles [![](http://i.zemanta.com/191071778_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/youtube-adds-marketing-features-offers-live-streaming-other-options-to-more-channels/)[YouTube Adds D2F Marketing, Live Streams and Other Options To Most Channels](https://www.hypebot.com/youtube-adds-marketing-features-offers-live-streaming-other-options-to-more-channels/) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/110095127_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/facebook-finally-cracks-down-on-fake-likes-is-twitter-next/)[Facebook Finally Cracks Down On Fake Likes, Is Twitter Next?](https://www.hypebot.com/facebook-finally-cracks-down-on-fake-likes-is-twitter-next/) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/255127001_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/how-flight-drummers-got-500000-youtube-views-in-10-months/)[How Flight Drummers Got 500,000 YouTube Views In 10 Months](https://www.hypebot.com/how-flight-drummers-got-500000-youtube-views-in-10-months/) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/271213119_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2014/05/-devon-harris-launches-adventr-with-john-legends-help.html)[DeVon Harris Launches Adventr Interactive Video Creator With John Legend's Help](https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2014/05/-devon-harris-launches-adventr-with-john-legends-help.html) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/191379469_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/9-tips-for-monetizing-your-youtube-channel-via-music-crowdfunding/)[9 Tips For Monetizing Your YouTube Channel With Music Crowdfunding](https://www.hypebot.com/9-tips-for-monetizing-your-youtube-channel-via-music-crowdfunding/) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/272984045_80_80.jpg)](http://www.tubefilter.com/2014/05/21/youtube-annotations-how-to-hurting/?ref=hypebot.com)[Are Your YouTube Annotations Hurting You?](http://www.tubefilter.com/2014/05/21/youtube-annotations-how-to-hurting/?ref=hypebot.com)