diff --git a/lib/markdown.ts b/lib/markdown.ts
index 9599e09..992a0f1 100644
--- a/lib/markdown.ts
+++ b/lib/markdown.ts
@@ -58,8 +58,23 @@ md.renderer.rules.link_open = function(tokens, index, options, env, self) {
 	if (href != null) {
 		try {
 			const parsed = new URL(href);
+			let hostname = parsed.hostname;
+
+			// hide wwww from beginning of domain
+			if (hostname.startsWith("www.")) {
+				hostname = hostname.substr(4);
+			}
+
+			// if the path is /, omit it
 			const formattedPathname = parsed.pathname === "/" ? "" : parsed.pathname;
-			let formatted = `${parsed.hostname}${formattedPathname}`;
+
+			let formatted = `${hostname}${formattedPathname}`;
+
+			if (hostname.endsWith("youtube.com") && formattedPathname == "/watch") {
+				// otherwise yt video links end up as `youtube.com/watch` which looks weird
+				formatted += parsed.search;
+			}
+
 			if (formatted.length > 40) {
 				formatted = formatted.substr(0, 40) + "...";
 			}