Guidelines

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Guidelines

Users are encouraged to downvote and avoid making segments with the following issues:

  • Doesn't fit the category it's in
    • If the timing is correct, you can click ✏️ and select "Change Category". This needs to be done in the notice that appears after skipping, not the popup.
  • Includes information relevant to the main content of the video [1]
  • The whole video is about (or closely related to) the thing you're making a segment on
    • If all mentions cannot be cleanly cut or could show bias, don't include the sponsor disclosure and instead submit a Full Video Label for that category.
    • Don't make segments covering the entire video
  • The transition is poorly timed or not seamless
    • Include segues[2] when possible and exclude any additional or irrelevant content not necessary for a seamless skip
    • Seek frame-by-frame with , and . Segments should start before[3] the visual change, or a little earlier if needed for audio, and end on the first frame after the segment
    • Segments at the start should start at 00:00.0 and segments at the end should go to the very end of the video [4]
  • Segment that adds onto an existing bad segment. Instead, submit a new segment covering the entire section.
  • Skips visuals that does not cover the entire screen (overlays or banners) See Mute Segment

If you have any questions about specifics, feel free to ask in Discord or Matrix

For more specifics on how to make high quality submissions, see Advice for submitting.

Category Breakdown

A more visual representation in the form of a flow chart can be found in this article.

Part of a video promoting a product or service not directly related to the creator. The creator will receive payment or compensation in the form of money or free products.

If the entire video is about the product or service, use a Full Video Label.

Interaction Reminder (Subscribe)

Explicit reminders to like, subscribe or interact with them on any paid or free platform(s) (e.g. click on a video). If about something specific it should be Unpaid/Self Promotion instead.

Can be bundled with Self Promotion into Endcards/Credits[5]

Unpaid/Self Promotion

Self Promotion

Promoting a product or service that is directly related to the creator themselves. This usually includes merchandise or promotion of monetized platforms.

Unpaid Promotion

The creator will not receive any payment in exchange for this promotion. This includes charity drives or free shout outs for products or other people they like.

Can be bundled into Endcards/Credits[5]

Intermission/Intro Animation

Segments typically found at the start of a video that include an animation, still frame or clip which are also seen in other videos by the same creator.

This can include livestream pauses with no content (looping animations or chat windows) and Copyright/ Fair Use disclaimers.

Do not include disclaimers to protect viewers, preparation or cleanup clips and as a rule of thumb, speech should usually not be included.

Do not include skits, time-lapses, slow-motion clips. (Possibly Filler Tangent/ Jokes)

Do not use this to skip past content to get to the main point of the video. (See Highlight)

Highlight

Used to get to the point or highlight of a video.

Only submit the highlight with the highest priority. There can only be one highlight per video.

Use cases (from highest to lowest priority):

  1. Point/ most important part of the video.
  2. Part of the video referred to by the title.
  3. Part of the video referred to by the thumbnail.
  4. Part of the video referenced by a preview/ teaser.

Endcards/Credits (Outro)

Typically near or at the end of the video when the credits pop up and/or endcards are shown. This should not be based solely on the YouTube annotations.

Interaction Reminder (Subscribe) or Self Promotion can be included[5]

Preview/Recap/Hook

Collection of clips that show what is coming up in in this video or other videos in a series where all information is repeated later in the video.

Do not include clips that only appear in the video or clips from a recapped video that is not directly linked to the current video.

Filler Tangent/Jokes

Filler Tangent/ Jokes is only for tangential scenes added only for filler or humor that are not required to understand the main content of the video.

This can also include: Timelapses/ B-Roll, Fake Sponsors and slow-motion clips that do not provide any context or are used as replays or B-roll.

Music: Non-Music Section

Only to be used on videos which feature music as the primary content.

Segments should only include music not present in the official or Spotify music release.

Non-Music exists independently of other categories, so it is okay to overlap it with them.

Make sure to only include complete silence. Boost your audio as much as you can to avoid prematurely including any music.

Exclusive Access (Full Video Label Only)

When the creator showcases a product, service or location that they've received free or subsidised access to in the video that cannot be completely removed by cuts.

Category Types

Mute Segment

Mute segments are for segments that visually contain important information but have audio underneath that belongs in one of the categories.

If a segment can be skipped, it should be skipped instead.

Mute segments can also be supplements for when visual transitions are not smooth.

Full Video Labels

  • Sponsor
  • Exclusive Access
  • Unpaid/ Self Promo

Footnotes

  1. This does not apply to Filler Tangent. See the wiki page for details
  2. Sections made specifically to smoothly move into a sponsor or other categories
  3. Test with preview, it's best to start it as early as possible that doesn't include content to account for any lag
  4. Make sure start segments start at exactly 0:0.0 . This can be done with the Home Key. Segments going until the end of the video should not end before the actual end. This can be done with the End key and on Vanced, the time might have to be rounded up to the next second
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 If it is impossible to cleanly cut or overlap the segments, Interactions and Self Promotion can be included in Endcards if they also occur during the outro.