Users on desktop had to put up with annotations which constantly encouraged them to subscribe, watch more videos or click to know more. They have to manually disable them but those on the mobile enjoyed the freedom as there were no annotations.
YouTube has now got rid of annotations to pave way for a cleaner design. They have instead replaced them with the new 'Cards' system. Many video bloggers opined that the annotations in bright colored boxes spoiled the look of their video and people ignored it readily.
With the introduction of Cards, the developers believe that creators will now have a better way to encourage visitors to watch more videos or subscribe. Besides, it will also show up in mobile devices so as to reach a larger group of audience.
Content creators can start using this feature right away whenever they upload a new video, The Verge confirmed. The cards look and act similar to what users see in Google Now services. They are non-intrusive, has neat overlay transitions and Youtube says, 'they are as beautiful as your videos.'
The sample image and video given below will help get an idea of how cards work on YouTube. For now, old videos will still be using the annotations system but most content creators are expected to switch over, as the newer design is much better to look at.
Cards can be added to the start, the middle or the end of the video, as the creator decides. The advantage cards offer is that they don't pop-up which might annoy some users but rather displays information only when you click on the info icon. The design takes a large portion of the video when displayed and will also automatically appear when you hover your pointer over the video, YouTube confirmed in their official blog.
Similar to annotations, users can turn the cards off completely for now. It will slowly replace annotations and be the new way to promote products, request donations or guide visitors to more videos on the blog.