Like a great novel, did you know that the best online videos are also broken down by chapters?

From YouTube to Vimeo, adding chapters to your videos can be a great way to give your videos more structure, as well as provide points for viewers to quickly navigate back to sections most important to them.

But how do these chapters actually work for these online video formats? And how can you add them to your YouTube and Vimeo videos yourself?

Let’s explore everything you need to know about adding chapters to your content.

What are YouTube chapters? 

YouTube chapters, also simply called “video chapters” by YouTube, are markers which you can add to your YouTube videos which add information and allow users to easily rewatch different parts of the videos.

How to add chapters to YouTube videos in 5 steps 

Adding chapters to your YouTube videos is a fairly easy process. Here are the steps that you’ll need to follow.

(1) First, sign in to YouTube Studio.

(2) Select the “Content” tab.

YouTube Studio's content feature

(3) Click on the video that you’d like to edit.

(4) In the “Description” box, add a list of timestamps and titles. (It’s also important to keep in mind that the first timestamp should start at “00:00” and that videos should have at least three timestamps with chapters of at least 10 seconds.)

(5) Click “Save,” and you’re done!

What about YouTube’s automatic chaptering? 

Rolled out in 2021, YouTube has been experimenting with automatic chaptering features which may prove to be a helpful way for creators to add chapters to their videos. However, this feature is only available to select YouTube users at this point.

What are Vimeo chapters? 

Available to Vimeo Pro members and higher, you can also add chapters to your Vimeo videos as well. Chapters are great for long-form content like training sessions, lessons, recitals or anything else and will appear during playback on all embedded and showcase videos.

You’ll also be able to see which chapters get the highest engagement and track your engagement rates chapter by chapter.

How to add chapters to Vimeo videos in 5 steps 

Adding chapters to your Vimeo videos is a simple process as well. Here are the steps that you’ll need to follow:

(1) Head to the Interaction tools tab of your video’s settings.

Under the Chapters section click “+ New”.

(2) Under the Chapters section click “+ New”.

(3) Enter a title and timestamp for when and where you want your new chapter to be placed.

Enter a title and timestamp for when and where you want your new chapter to be placed.

(4) Add as many chapters to your video as you’d like.

(5) Click “Save,” and you’re done!

Keep in mind that, unlike YouTube, you can add up to one chapter per second of your video, and you can also edit and remove chapters whenever you want. Pretty sweet, huh?

How do I know if chapters are right for my video? 

Now that we’ve covered how to add chapters to your videos, let’s go over some reasons why you might need these markers for your content.

The biggest reason many creators use chapters is to break up long form content into much more manageable sections. This is the ideal approach for uploading longer lectures, demonstrations, recitals, sports events, etc…

This not only helps you keep your content organized for yourself, but also so that your audience can quickly find sections with information relevant to them. The chapters are great too as they can easily revisit sections time and time again — giving you more views and exposure.

Overall, chapters can be a quick and easy way to help make your longform videos feel punchier, shorter, and more accessible. All great reasons why you should experiment with these functions for your videos new and old.

FAQ

How do I add chapters to my video on YouTube? 
  1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
  2. Select the Content tab.
  3. Click on the video that you’d like to edit.
  4. In the “Description” box, add a list of timestamps and titles.
  5. Click Save — and you’re done!
How do I add chapters to video on Vimeo?
  1. Head to the Interaction tools tab of your video’s settings.
  2. Under the Chapters section click “+ New”.
  3. Enter a title and timestamp for when and where you want your new chapter to be placed.
  4. Add as many chapters to your video as you’d like.
  5. Click Save — and you’re done!
Why aren’t my YouTube chapters working? 

Try deleting all of your chapters and restarting the process from the beginning in YouTube Studio.

Try more easy Vimeo tools.