YouTube gives you the opportunity to introduce your Community to people at different levels of familiarity with your content.
Someone discovering you through a Short may need a quick introduction. A subscriber watching a 30-minute video may already know and trust you enough to join a conversation with very little convincing.
Build your Community invitations around those different experiences.
1. CHANNEL DESCRIPTION + LINKS
Your YouTube channel profile is an evergreen opportunity to promote your Community.
Include a short explanation of what your Community offers and add it to your channel's available profile links.
EXAMPLE
"Love gardening? Join our Community to swap growing tips, ask questions, share your garden progress, and learn alongside other plant lovers."
Keep the link title specific:
"Join Our Gardening Community"
rather than:
"Click Here"
2. LONG-FORM VIDEOS
Long-form videos create natural opportunities to mention your Community and encourage viewers to join you there without requiring a dedicated announcement video.
Choose moments where the invitation feels connected to what you're already discussing.
| PLACEMENT | DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| ON-SCREEN | Include a short Community invitation when you reference a resource, discussion, or question that continues beyond the video. Keep promotional overlays on screen for only a short while. Make the information easy to understand without distracting from the video. | "Share your experience in our Community → Link in description" |
| VERBAL CALL OUTS | A brief, conversational mention often feels more natural than a formal promotional break. | "There are about a hundred different ways to approach this project, and I'd actually love to see what you've tried. Come share your experience in the Community. The link is in the description." |
| VIDEO DESCRIPTIONS | Include a direct Community link in your description with a short explanation of why someone might want to follow it. Place the link where interested viewers can find it without searching through a long list of unrelated resources. | "💬 Join the conversation: We're sharing our favorite beginner gardening tools and answering your questions in the Community → [LINK]" |
| PINNED COMMENTS | Pinned comments can reinforce the invitation for viewers who scroll down to read or participate in the discussion. | "What's the biggest challenge you're having with your garden this season? I've started a thread in our Community where we can all swap ideas and help each other out 🌱 Come join the discussion: [LINK]" |
| PRO TIP: You don't need to use all four placements in every video. Choose the ones that feel appropriate to the content and your audience. One well-timed invitation can be more effective than several repetitive ones. |
3. YOUTUBE SHORTS
YouTube Shorts are useful for generating interest, but the pathway to an external Community link works differently from long-form video.
Because standard URLs in Shorts descriptions and comments aren't clickable, avoid telling viewers to find your Community through a link in the Shorts description.
Instead, direct them toward your channel profile links or another relevant clickable destination.
EXAMPLE
"I asked our Community what their biggest gardening regret was, and honestly, I feel SO much better about my mistakes now 😂
Want to add yours? You can find the Community link on my channel."
| PRO TIP: If you're using a Short to introduce your Community, make sure your channel profile is set up to support the invitation before posting. |
4. YOUTUBE POSTS
YouTube Posts let you keep the conversation going between videos.
They can be useful for asking questions, sharing updates, and inviting viewers into discussions that deserve more space.
TRY THESE FORMATS
| POLL | Ask viewers what they want to see next, then invite them into a related Community discussion. |
| AFTER-VIDEO FOLLOW-UP | Reference a question or debate that started in your latest video's comments. |
| COMMUNITY RECAP | Highlight an interesting answer or takeaway from a recent discussion. |
EXAMPLE
"You all had some VERY strong opinions about my latest kitchen organization video.
So let's settle something:
Which is better: open shelving or closed cabinets?
We're sharing photos and talking through the pros and cons in the Community too.
Join here: [Your Community Link]!"