The first two lines matter most
Only the start of the description shows under the video and in search results, so put the most important sentence there. Say what the viewer gets, in plain words, using the phrase people would search for.
- “Five budget dinners under $5 each, ready in 20 minutes, with the full shopping list below.”
Then explain the video
Two or three short paragraphs on what the video covers, written for people, not for an algorithm. Mention the main topic and related words naturally; stuffing keywords looks like spam and doesn't help.
Add chapters
Write timestamps as a list starting at 0:00 (“0:00 Intro”, “1:12 The shopping list”…). YouTube turns them into chapters, which help viewers jump to what they want and can show up in search.
Links and calls to action
- The one link you most want people to click, near the top.
- Related videos or a playlist to keep watching.
- Your other channels, and any links you mention in the video.
- If you use affiliate links or have a sponsor, say so clearly.
A template you can reuse
- One or two sentences: what the viewer gets.
- The main link, if you have one.
- A short paragraph about the video.
- Chapters.
- Related videos and playlists.
- Your channels and a line about you.
To start from a draft, describe your video in the free description generator: it writes the opening lines, chapters to time, hashtags and search tags.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a YouTube description be?
Long enough to explain the video and add chapters and links; a few short paragraphs is plenty. YouTube allows up to 5,000 characters.
Do tags still matter?
Very little. The title, the description and the video itself matter much more.
Should Shorts have a description?
Yes, a short one. One sentence about the video and a relevant hashtag or two is enough.