YouTube Question Trying to add a text intro with clickable links on the front page

[splinke]

I posted this question in the official YouTube Help Community but received zero replies.

I have created a very utilitarian (arguably boring) YouTube channel that provides access to audio and video of public (government) meetings for an advisory commission on which I serve:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF5UulxGA8E4burWqIm23mQ

I would like to put a brief description with a few clickable links under the "banner" at the top of the main/home page and above the playlists of meeting videos below. For example, I would like to include the text that is currently in the "Description" area under the "About" tab of my channel.

However, I have run into several seemingly ridiculous limitations that I am hoping are just my own errors:

1. I want the text and links to show up on the front page--not require somebody to click on the About tab, which few people will ever do.

2. Even if people click on the About tab, for some reason, I am unable to make the links in the Description clickable. I would have to refer in the Descriptions section to the clickable links at the bottom under the Links section.

3. What makes #2 even more ridiculous is that links in the Descriptions of individual videos are directly clickable, but they don't seem to work in the Description under the About tab.

4. I thought maybe I could make a dummy video to put as the top "section" of the channel and then associate the text/links with that video, but it seems that I can't include an individual video as a section--only a playlist of videos?

5. Then, I saw that there are individual-type videos at the top of some channels, which are presumably "trailers" or "featured videos" under "video spotlight". However, it seems that those videos disappear when users either subscribe to the channel or watch the video one time, and I want the text description/links to be permanent/persistent for anybody who access the channel.

Could somebody please explain how I am missing something painfully obvious to simply put a bit of text with some clickable links that stay at the top of the front page of my channel for all users all the time?

 

[jordan raven]

if it's external links, have you considered adding the info to the channel banner links itself?
even on big channels, I've not seen the front page have clickable links beside the banner area.

for playlists, I think your only option is the have a featured playlists carousel on your front page.

 

[splinke]

if it's external links, have you considered adding the info to the channel banner links itself?
even on big channels, I've not seen the front page have clickable links beside the banner area.

for playlists, I think your only option is the have a featured playlists carousel on your front page.

Thanks for your reply.

Here is an example of what I would like to appear between the top banner and the playlists of videos on the home page of my channel:

• The playlists below provide audio and video from meetings of the Carlsbad Traffic and Mobility Commission, an advisory body to the Carlsbad City Council, including indexed meeting audio from March 2019 through February 2020 and meeting video from March 2020 through September 2021.
• Starting with our September 2021 meeting, indexed videos are available HERE on the City of Carlsbad's website.
• Development documents and Commissioner Linke's review comments on mobility impacts/mitigation are available HERE.
• City of Carlsbad home page for the Traffic and Mobility Commission

I have "embedded" the three links above into the top banner, but only one of them shows any text describing the link. The other two are just icons. And it is not obvious what any of them are for without the additional context written above.

I am not sure what you mean by the featured playlist carousel. Would that allow me to permanently include the above text on the home page for all users, regardless of whether they have subscribed or watched the videos in the featured playlist?

 

[jordan raven]

yeah in the customize channel section you can add a featured video for returning subs and also featured carousels for playlists, they are permanent, check it out.