YouTube - Link problem?

by NMP
17 replies
Hey

Is it just me or is it everyone who can't no longer see clickable links
on YouTube UNLESS you expand the resource box. Freaking irritating.

It show the html code until you expand resource..grrr
#link #problem #youtube
  • Profile picture of the author mikemac1
    Your description has to be 1 line and your link will still show, if your description is 2 lines or more you'll see the html code, you just need to adjust...

    BTW, here's an example...just use some short text and then enter your URL...

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    • Profile picture of the author Thomas
      Originally Posted by michael-mac View Post

      Your description has to be 1 line and your link will still show, if your description is 2 lines or more you'll see the html code, you just need to adjust...

      BTW, here's an example...just use some short text and then enter your URL...

      I found the same thing (by deleting everything in the description except the URL).

      Either way, you're lacking a more detailed description. I don't know if there is much SEO value in the description on YouTube (I'd imagine there probably is) but, even if there isn't, from the users point-of-view, surely a more detailed description is better than a one-liner, or none at all?

      And, given that Google (who own YouTube) is so into "user experience", it's a strange change for them to make (unless it really is a bug, in which case they've definitely fallen behind on site maintenance).

      Tommy.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    Any thoughts on whether it's a bug that they plan on fixing or do all descriptions need to be changed? It doesn't make sense to me that they'd choose to display the html.
    Signature
    "Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast."
    Tom Peters

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  • Profile picture of the author mikemac1
    @AmyBrown - at first, I thought it was a bug, but it's been 3-4 days now.

    By now, YouTube/Google would have it fixed, so I'm starting to think this might be permanent.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    Many video sharing sites will ban your account if the first thing in it is a link - I think they've realised than lazy people will abuse their systems and are all looking at ways to cut down on that.

    I think it's a good thing.
    Signature

    nothing to see here.

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    • Profile picture of the author NMP
      Yes and No. If I see a video and found info interesting. I want to
      find a link without have to open a resource box. Is like have a home
      page link on a web page. Easy access.

      I do not see how you spam starting with a link. If they made it not
      possible in title, fine. But different minds will never agree lol ;-)

      Daniel
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    • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      Many video sharing sites will ban your account if the first thing in it is a link - I think they've realised than lazy people will abuse their systems and are all looking at ways to cut down on that.

      I think it's a good thing.
      My issue has nothing to do with laziness or abuse. I have a client with many instructional videos, some with 100K+ views. Many show up in Google results and prior to taking the time and potentially affecting their rankings I'd like to know if this is a permanent change.

      I guess you've changed your mind since your wrote this on your blog under 7 Essential Youtube tips?

      1 - Ensuring that you include the full url that you want people to be able to go to in the description section (so that it appears as a clickable link next to the video.
      The current bug/implementation is ugly and it makes no sense to enable a clickable link if you have a short description, as shown in the screenshot above, vs having an informative description.
      Signature
      "Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast."
      Tom Peters

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      • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
        Originally Posted by AmyBrown View Post

        My issue has nothing to do with laziness or abuse. I have a client with many instructional videos, some with 100K+ views. Many show up in Google results and prior to taking the time and potentially affecting their rankings I'd like to know if this is a permanent change.

        I guess you've changed your mind since your wrote this on your blog under 7 Essential Youtube tips?



        The current bug/implementation is ugly and it makes no sense to enable a clickable link if you have a short description, as shown in the screenshot above, vs having an informative description.
        I haven't changed my view at all and I'm not saying that your use is a problem - sorry my comment seems to have hit a nerve, it wasn't aimed at you.

        I'm just stating that some video sharing sites hate links because many people spam their sites and using links seems to be one way they've started filtering for this stuff.

        It makes complete sense for most people to include a link and I do it myself.

        Surely you don't think there aren't people spamming video sharing sites with crap videos just to get links and traffic? I've seen a lot of them.

        I don't know why you took my comments as a personal attack on you.

        I'll just shut my mouth in future so as not to accidentally upset you.
        Signature

        nothing to see here.

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        • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
          Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post


          I'll just shut my mouth in future so as not to accidentally upset you.
          If everyone did that it would make for a quiet forum indeed.

          It's personal for me because I'm faced with changing hundreds of video descriptions this weekend, for free, because I'm not charging my clients for following my advice.
          Signature
          "Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast."
          Tom Peters

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  • Profile picture of the author PascalSundhar
    Yes, i seen on many videos as like html code.
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  • Profile picture of the author LeonT
    yeah I have noticed this as well... still waiting to see if it will be fixed or not..
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Holmes
    If you look at having a description as helping seo and alot of those who know seo use spam sites for marketing - perhaps its a correlation youtube have noticed.

    They have apparently shut down alot of accounts recently that promote offers.

    Maybe they see it as you can either

    1.Promote with a link and get fewer views or

    2.Have a description but not have the marketing aspect(prominent link for higher ctr) as it was previously.

    Just a thought.
    Signature
    "Live like you'll die tomorrow, Learn like you'll live forever" - M. Ghandi
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  • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
    Hey Guys,

    This is a easy fix, have been doing it to hundreds of videos last week.

    Your link will be clickable if your description in less then 120 characters.

    Cheers,
    Mukul
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  • Profile picture of the author Marty S
    Originally Posted by NMP View Post

    Hey

    Is it just me or is it everyone who can't no longer see clickable links
    on YouTube UNLESS you expand the resource box. Freaking irritating.

    It show the html code until you expand resource..grrr
    This is actually a known issue at Youtube and they will take their own sweet time in correcting it. For the time being, I wouldn't change anything, unless your description was inadequate in the first place.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas
    This issue seems to have been resolved now.
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