how to write a youtube channel description

The description gives viewers an overview of the topics covered in the video and invites them to sign up for products and services through affiliated links.

It also includes links to the creator's Instagram, Facebook group, and website so viewers can connect with the creator through different social platforms.

I love that the creator has created a sense of community and togetherness. If you include your social media links in your YouTube video description, subscribers will follow you on multiple platforms to remain engaged with your content.

The content creator invites them to return for new videos and share their experiences on social media.

8. “FINALLY be consistent on social media” by Jade Beason

Don't forget to share this post!

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Use these templates to help your YouTube videos get discovered and point to the right next steps.

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• Create a YouTube Channel

Channel Description

Written by Brian Dean

What Is a Channel Description?

A YouTube channel description (also known as a “YouTube About Page”) is a brief overview of your channel that appears on your channel page and in search results. It’s a great opportunity to tell potential viewers what your channel is about and why they should subscribe.

Why Is Your Channel Description Important?

Your Channel Description is a way for visitors to learn more about you and the type of videos you create. And a well-written Channel Description can also convert visitors into subscribers . Also, using keywords in your Channel Description can help your channel’s YouTube SEO .

Best Practices

Start strong.

The first 100-150 characters of your channel description is super important.

First off, YouTube shows that 100-150 character snippet next to your channel in the search results:

Also, this is the first part of your description that people will read. So you want to communicate your channel’s positioning right off the bat.

For example Unbox Therapy includes their tagline (“Where products get naked”) along with a brief description of what’s unique about their channel:

Keep Your Viewer in Mind

Many YouTubers make their Channel Description about them . For example, their description might sound something like: “My channel is all about my favorite TV shows. I tell you what I think of each and every episode”.

For some personal brands with a large following, this approach makes sense.

However, for most channels, it’s important to demonstrate the benefit someone will get from watching your videos.

For example, the first sentence of the Vox YouTube channel description clearly communicates what watching their videos will do for you.

Use Keywords

A well-optimized channel can rank in YouTube search. For example, when you search for “bodybuilding” in YouTube, the BodyBuilding.com channel is the #1 result:

YouTube uses several different ranking factors to rank videos and channels. But when it comes to ranking your channel in YouTube, YouTube puts a lot of weight on the terms you use in your Channel Description.

So think of terms that people would type into YouTube to find your channel. Then, sprinkle those into your Channel Description.

For example, The Backlinko YouTube Channel uses several different terms that people might use to find channels related to SEO and content marketing.

That said, you want to avoid “keyword stuffing”. This can make your description sound robotic and unnatural (keyword stuffing also looks spammy to YouTube and Google).

Instead, write a compelling description that would entice someone to subscribe. Then, include a handful of keywords where it makes sense.

Schedule (Optional)

Your description is the perfect place to highlight your upload schedule.

For example, Clevver Style provides a detailed schedule in their Channel Description:

Call To Action

Don’t be afraid to end your description with a clear call-to-action to subscribe. This encourages people to subscribe while they have your channel page open.

For example, Jared Polin caps off his Channel Description by asking you to subscribe to his channel:

Tips for Writing a Great YouTube Channel Description

Here are some tips for writing a great YouTube channel description:

• Keep it short and sweet:  Aim for a description that is no more than 150 characters long.
• Use keywords:  Incorporate relevant keywords into your description so that your channel can be found in search results.
• Be personal:  Let your personality shine through in your description.
• Use strong verbs:  Use strong verbs to make your description more engaging.
• Proofread carefully:  Make sure your description is free of errors.

Examples of Good YouTube Channel Descriptions

Here are some examples of good YouTube channel descriptions:

• Mark Rober:  “Mark Rober combines science and engineering to create amazing DIY projects that will blow your mind.”
• Crash Course: “At Crash Course, we believe that high-quality educational videos should be available to everyone for free!”
• The B1M: “We love construction and we want the whole world to love it too!”
• Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell: “Animation videos explaining things with optimistic nihilism since 12,013.”
• Smarter Every Day: “I explore the world using science. That’s pretty much all there is to it. Watch 2 videos. If you learn something AWESOME, please subscribe if you feel like I earned it. “

Video SEO Guide (Channel Authority): A chapter from The Definitive Guide to Video SEO that shows you how to create an attractive and SEO-optimized channel page.

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Write the perfect YouTube description (templates & examples)

YouTube descriptions are not mandatory. Many YouTubers actually leave them blank.

That said, there’s incredible power in them.

Use them correctly and you will increase your video views, get more followers and make way more money (if you monetize your channel.)

Today I’ll briefly describe some core principles that you should keep in mind when writing them and give you some examples/ YouTube description templates that will get you started.

Tell Viewers About You with Channel Descriptions

Your YouTube channel description should tell viewers everything they need to know about you, your channel, and your videos, without giving too much away.

It should make them want to subscribe and watch some of your videos to get to know you better. It is also a good place to answer questions they may have about your channel and content.

Here is how to write the perfect YouTube channel description:

• Describe your channel. This might be the most obvious thing to do, but it’s where most people get hung up. The goal of this description is to tell your viewers what will happen if they subscribe and watch your videos. What kind of content will they see? How frequently will they see it? Will they learn anything? Make sure they know the benefits of subscribing such as your amazing sense of humor or your easy-to-understand tutorials.
• Include links to your website, social media, and online store ( If you have one ). You want to make sure viewers know where to find you, so link to everything you want people to find. If you have a channel trailer or introductory video, this would be a good place to link to it, as well. Sellfy Tip Many successful YouTubers sell their own products by linking to them on YouTube. With our platform — Sellfy you can easily create your own store. Learn more .
• Include a call to action to whatever you want your new followers to do. Do you want them to subscribe, turn on notifications, share your content, or maybe sign up to receive newsletters? Whatever you want them to do ask them to do it! Word it in a way they won’t be able to resist and put the CTA at the end of your channel description. Write it like you are talking to a friend. You don’t want to make your channel description too formal. It should be easy to read, or even skim, with short sentences and paragraphs and maybe even bullet points if that is applicable to your content. If you are having trouble with your channel description, try actually describing it to a friend and use the same language and terminology you use to talk with them!
• Make it brief. Don’t go overboard and give them too much information. Leave them wanting to know even more beyond your channel basics because that will make them want to watch your videos or visit your website. A short channel description that gets straight to the point is best.

Channel Description Template

Now check out the channel description for Nikki Tutorials .

Nikki’s description is loaded with personality and tells subscribers when to expect new videos. Her description does a wonderful job of getting to the point but is still loaded with information.

Look at the channel description for TheSorryGirls .

Their channel description only takes up one paragraph, but readers immediately know what kind of videos will be on their channel. From there, they list everywhere else they want future subscribers to find them.

Both channel descriptions are different, yet still, have the same effect. There are several different ways to write cool YouTube channel descriptions without giving too much info. To get you started writing your perfect channel description, check out our YouTube channel description template below:

Hi! I’m [your name]. On my channel, you will find [topic]. I love [topic] and sharing my experiences with you. Subscribe to see more [topic], [topic], and [topic] on your feed! [Upload Schedule] Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: Pinterest: Blog/Website: Online Store:

Get Found in Search with Video Descriptions

When writing descriptions for your YouTube videos, there are several things you need to keep in mind. First, it is important to do keyword research so you know what your ideal audience is searching for. Placing keywords in your video description is important for getting found in search and can also help with choosing the best video tags.

Second, you have 5000 characters to work with- make the most of them! It may take several different attempts at writing video descriptions to find what works best for you and your channel, so don’t be afraid to mix it up!

Here is what you need to do to write the perfect YouTube video description:

1. Pay close attention to the first three lines.

For starters, the first three lines of your video description are what viewers will see before the “see more” break. You want to captivate their attention in these three lines so they will click the link to see more. The first line of your video description is also what appears under your video in search results, so you want to get straight to the point if you want people to click on it. Not to mention, these lines are where your keyword research will come into play. Since the first line is what appears in search results, you’ll want to place long-tail keywords and other search terms users are searching for here. Be careful not to stuff it with keywords. Still keep it conversational, but make sure it is phrased in a way people would search.

2. Be clear about what the video is about.

Much like the last tip, you want to be clear so people know to click on your video in search and click on the “see more” link. You also want to be clear so people aren’t confused by anything. After the first three lines, if you feel the need to go into more detail about the video topic, do so! It’s ok to have a long video description as long as it provides relevant and important information and is easy to read. Consider using short paragraphs, bullet points, or characters like asterisks to break up the text.

3. Add timestamps if your video is long or covers a wide range of topics.

If you have several different points in the video where you have important advice or information, link to each one in the description. While having viewers who watch the whole video is a good thing, not everyone who wants to hear what you have to say will have the time to watch the entire thing, especially if your video is over 10 minutes. Some people are looking things up with a limited amount of time to learn them, so help them out with timestamps. Your helpfulness might just be what makes them subscribe and look to your channel for more information in the future.

4. Link to anything you talk about.

Whatever you mention in your video, whether it be another YouTuber, an article, a tool, or even a product, link to it! You never know when that will help a viewer out. This is especially important if you are trying to monetize your YouTube channel through affiliate links or selling digital products in your own online store. In the example below YouTuber, Peter Mckinnon links to his own product that he’s talking about in the video.

5. Give credit where credit is due.

Did you use someone else’s music? Quote someone else’s written words? Talk about someone’s services or teachings. You may have credited them in the video, but it is also important to credit them in the video description, as well. Not only is it the right thing to do, but viewers will trust you more when they know you are respectful of other creators.

6. Don’t forget your call to action.

Most anything you create online should have a CTA to link all of your work together and grow your audience, and the same goes for your YouTube description. Whatever you want viewers to do next, ask them to do it, whether it subscribes, turn on notifications, or share your video. You could even mention an opt-in opportunity you want them to sign up for on your website.

Video Description Template

Let’s take at Chris Ramsay’s video description for his video on solving a brain teaser puzzle .

Right away, he takes the first three lines to tell you what you’ll be watching and then dives immediately into where you can buy one, similar videos of his you can watch, and where you can go for more information on him. He uses great, searchable keywords and doesn’t beat around the bush.

Now, let’s look at Zara’s description of the video on hair growth tips .

She takes the biggest section of the video description to promote her eBook and hair growth calendar. She also makes sure to include plenty of keywords and lists other products that she’s selling on her Sellfy store .

Both of these techniques work well for each YouTuber and both follow the guidelines mentioned above. As you can see, there are so many ways you could apply these writing tips and the possibilities are endless!

To get you started, here is our template for the perfect YouTube video description. This copy-paste YouTube description can easily added to your YouTube channel by going to the Creator Studio, then channel, and saving it to Upload Defaults. That way, you always have the proper YouTube description formatting ready to go!

Today, I’m going to [topic]. Watch to learn [topic] and don’t forget to turn on your notifications! ONLINE STORE: WEBSITE: FACEBOOK: TWITTER: INSTAGRAM: [LINK TO PRODUCTS USED/MENTIONED]: [give more information on video topic]

Practice Makes Perfect

Writing the perfect YouTube description isn’t always easy. But with our tips and templates, you are a few steps closer to getting it right! Just remember, practice makes perfect, even with YouTube descriptions. Don’t be afraid to try different descriptions on different videos until you see one performing better than the rest. Once you find that perfect description, trust us, you will know!

Related topics

19 Tips for Writing Effective YouTube Descriptions (2024)

• Updated April 24, 2024

There’s a lot of conflicting information floating around about the video description of your YouTube videos and what effect they might have.

Well-written and optimized descriptions may not necessarily boost your video SEO – however, they are still crucial for many reasons.

For example – a good video description may increase affiliate marketing earnings, increase watch time, or even make your video more appealing to potential viewers.

I’ve been writing YouTube descriptions for over ten years and have learned much along the way. It’s why I can generate around $20,000 each month in online income – a large percentage of that coming from my channel.

So how do you craft high-quality video descriptions? Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years.

Table of Contents

YouTube video descriptions aren’t as important as they once were

I often see a lot of outdated or flat-out incorrect advice regarding video descriptions. The YouTube algorithm evolves frequently and quickly – often more so than the information posted about it online. Information that was relevant in 2019, for example, can be woefully outdated just a few short years later.

In a nutshell – the YouTube algorithm isn’t dumb . It does not need a lengthy, keyword-stuffed description to rank your video.

Instead, it analyzes the content within the YouTube video itself. Words you speak, any text within the video, and the “context” of your channel will be used to “identify” what the video is about.

Don’t believe me? Check out the automatically generated closed captions for one of your videos. You’ll see that the captions are often very accurate.

Why would YouTube bother with your description when it can analyze every word spoken within the video?

On a personal anecdote – I’ve had videos with no description go viral. Channels with zero subscribers and zero video description content also have viral videos. The algorithm does not need its hand held any longer.

This brings me to my next point.

Writing a long and detailed video description is a waste of time

You don’t need hours of keyword research or need to type out a 1000-word essay describing your video. YouTube already knows the topic and the information contained within it.

Instead, think of the human element. If someone comes across your video and isn’t sure what it’s about – a short, concise description might help them.

By short and concise, I mean one paragraph – no more.

For example – let’s say your video title is “Best Lipstick Products for the Summer.” An appropriate video description could be, “ Several new lipstick products in varying shades have just been released for summer. I’m excited to test them out in this video, and I’ll also recommend some of my favorite lipstick brands!”

It’s short, simple, and perfectly describes the video.

Keyword-stuffing is a myth

Have you ever seen a YouTube video where the description is complete gibberish? I’m talking random keywords stuffed down the very bottom or several lengthy paragraphs written with the sole purpose of jamming in as many keywords as possible.

Yeah – don’t do that . It doesn’t work in a blog post, and it won’t work in your YouTube video descriptions.

Again, YouTube knows everything about your video already . There is no need to stuff keywords in every nook and cranny. Good descriptions for YouTube are written for the actual humans viewing the video.

Write like a human

The best YouTubers craft descriptions for human beings, not robots or algorithms. As I mentioned, imagine you’re a viewer watching your YouTube video. You want something easy to read while providing information about the video.

Don’t believe all the “YouTube SEO” gurus out there who say otherwise. In fact, YouTube may penalize descriptions packed with unnecessary SEO-optimized keywords.

Write the most important information “above the fold.”

The first 100 to 150 characters of your video description are what viewers will see first.

These characters are the text contained “above the fold,” or what is viewable when your video appears in search results and right underneath your video (above the “SHOW MORE” button).

This means it could positively impact reaching potential viewers and improve your click-through rate (CTR).

Look at the above example in YouTube search results. The first video has affiliate links immediately in the first line of the description – which a potential viewer may find unappealing. The second video has a nicely-written description; some keywords are even highlighted.

If the title and thumbnail were similar, which one would you be more likely to choose? Those first few lines can be critical.

Use chapters on every video

One of the best ways of writing effective YouTube descriptions is by using the chapters feature. Chapters allow you to place timestamps in the video description, highlighting different video sections to viewers.

This is an effective strategy for two reasons.

An impatient viewer who wants to skip to the “good” or “relevant” parts can find these via the chapters. This will boost watch time as the viewer will stay for longer, rather than simply exiting the video.

Secondly, chapters are a great way to ensure your YouTube videos rank on Google’s search results page.

When searching for this particular computer monitor on Google – you can see my YouTube channel appears with a relevant video and chapters marked.

If someone searches for “Dell U2720Q screen quality”, this could take them to my video even though they’re not searching directly on YouTube.

Use YouTube Hashtags in your video descriptions

Hashtags are another effective way to write YouTube descriptions. Hashtags are the blue links you see underneath YouTube videos.

YouTube claims that hashtags allow creators to easily connect their content with other videos that share the same hashtag on YouTube. They also allow viewers to find similar content that shares the same hashtag quickly.

If you click on a hashtag, it will take you to a page featuring related videos with that same hashtag.

In my opinion, hashtags are most beneficial when posting shorts. Using a #shorts hashtag will help viewers interested in shorts find your content.

Whether or not any of the above is beneficial for your video is hard to say. It certainly has no drawbacks, so I recommend adopting it as one of your video description best practices.

Direct viewers to your other social media channels

This is your chance to grow your other social media platforms.

I add my social media links to my video descriptions and use a call to action to motivate people to follow me.

For example, if they want to see behind-the-scenes content, they should follow me on Instagram. Or, if they want to join my technology community, I add links to relevant Discord servers.

You’ll find that people don’t mind following you on other platforms if they enjoy your video.

Place the most relevant links at the top

The content of your video description depends on your YouTube channel and the video itself. Many YouTubers include affiliate links when a particular product or service is discussed within the video.

You want these affiliate links to be one of the first things your viewers find when looking at your video’s description.

I include affiliate links to any products I feature in my video directly under a brief, one-paragraph video description.

Bonus tip: Don’t forget to include these affiliate links as a pinned comment in the comment section. Many people don’t read the description box of any video content – but they often want to read the comments.

Shout out the description in your video

Call to actions are a potent tool when done right. You could have the most valuable, perfectly-written YouTube video description on the platform – but no one will read it if you don’t tell them to.

In most of my videos, I include a verbal (and sometimes visual) call to action directing viewers to check out the description. This could involve me telling viewers to find relevant links to products or even links to more of my YouTube videos.

If you don’t want to disrupt the flow of your video, a visual call to action also works. A simple piece of text saying, “Check the video description to find the best price for this product,” works well.

I find this grabs the viewer’s attention, especially if they’re watching on mobile devices, because the description is usually hidden and easily missed.

Don’t include too many links

A good YouTube description is short, concise, and focuses on the most important factors. For many YouTubers, this involves directing viewers towards affiliate links.

A term I like to use is “link fatigue.” Imagine you like a particular product featured in the video, so you click on the description of that video to find a link to it.

Immediately you’re bombarded with 50+ links, all in seemingly random order. I don’t know about you, but I usually don’t even bother and exit the video.

It’s best to structure links in your video to maximize something – affiliate revenue, Instagram followers, or directing viewers to other videos on your channel.

In my videos, my primary goal is to maximize affiliate revenue. I only include the most relevant links and keep the list as short as possible – focusing on the links that pay out the highest amount.

For example, I don’t want links directing viewers towards a $15 mouse pad on Amazon when I could instead utilize that space to link to a much more expensive product, like a $450 computer monitor.

Don’t forget about your channel description

YouTube channel descriptions are an often overlooked aspect of your channel. When you search for a YouTube channel, the channel description appears next to the name and logo. Alternatively, you can also view it when clicking on the “About” section.

Once again, this is not necessary from a YouTube SEO point of view. A carefully crafted and keyword-laden YouTube channel description won’t boost your channel in search results. It’s simply to tell people about your channel.

I have almost no keywords in my YouTube channel description. I briefly explain what my channel is about and try to make it a little more personal rather than sterile and boring.

That’s all you need – don’t overthink it!

Use the video description templates feature

Gone are the days of writing engaging descriptions from scratch for every video. Description templates are a feature I use every single week. It’s also saved me a tonne of time.

Log in to your YouTube channel, and access your YouTube Studio. Then, navigate to Settings and then Upload Defaults. You’ll find a section where you can add a YouTube description template for your videos.

There are several different strategies you can use. Some people include social links here, while others (like me) go crazy and have a massive list of things.

If you’re the latter, this is an effective strategy because whenever you upload new videos, you can delete the sections you don’t need and write a bespoke paragraph unique to that specific video at the top of the description.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should i add subscribe links to my youtube video description.

It’s not necessary. There’s a big, red “Subscribe” button on every video. No point wasting space in your description.

Will my descriptions appear in other search engines?

Yes, they do. Most notably, when searching in the “video” tab via the Google search engine. Your video descriptions will appear in the Google search results, highlighting any relevant keywords.

Should my YouTube channel URL contain keywords?

No, it should be the name of your channel (or as close as possible, depending on availability).

Do I need important keywords in my video’s title?

It’s not necessary for the YouTube algorithm, but it may help viewers find your video and improve the click-through rate. For example, if your video is a tutorial on a particular piece of software, having the name of that software in the title will help the target audience know your video is relevant.

Is it ok to edit descriptions on my previous YouTube videos?

Yes, it is. Great YouTube descriptions can take a while to get the hang of, so feel free to go through older videos and update them. This will not “hurt” your video’s standing in the YouTube algorithm.

Should I include all my social media links?

It’s up to you. I only include my Instagram, Twitter, and Discord server. Other sites like Facebook are a waste because it’s not one of my primary social media platforms.

Liam has been creating content online since 2008, but always dreamed of making it his full-time income. After graduating with a business degree and slaving away in corporate tech jobs, he realized it was time for this dream to become reality.

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Write the perfect youtube description.

• 16 Jan 2018

Are you giving your YouTube channel its best shot?

You work hard on your content, tweaking it until it sizzles. Your titles are tantalizing yet precise. Your tags are perfectly on point. What else is there?

Descriptions. Killer channel and video descriptions are the key to getting noticed by both potential viewers and search engines.

How do we know? Because we’ve uploaded thousands of  Biteable templates  (all available for you to edit) to our  YouTube channel . And we know writing descriptions isn’t easy.

In this post, we show you what we’ve learned: how to create channel and video descriptions that attract attention.

YouTube channel descriptions

Nestled under the ‘About’ section, the YouTube channel description doesn’t always get the loving attention it deserves. It’s time to use this invaluable resource and tell visitors more about you.

Here’s a handy step-by-step to help you make a compelling channel description:

Tell the reader what your channel is all about

What will the viewer get out of following you and devouring your content? Describe the main benefits in a few words.

Keep it casual 

How would you describe your channel to a friend? Keep it conversational: whoever clicks on your ‘About’ page wants to learn a bit more about you and your content, not read an undecipherable string of keywords.

Brevity is the soul of a lot of things, descriptions included. Think of your description as the delectable appetizer that sets the tone for the main course. Too much and you’ll dull the appetite.

Link to more info

Share links to your website, your social media profiles, and additional information. You can link to your  YouTube  channel trailer or some of your best introductory content.

End on a strong CTA (call to action)

What do you want the reader to do next? Guide them to your desirable outcome. You can ask them to subscribe, turn on notifications, or point them to a great video. 

Create videos that drive action

Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.

YouTube channel description template

Let’s take a look at some potent descriptions that set the tone.

Charisma on Command’s description is brief, accurate, and lets you know what to expect, all in the small space of their channel description box. Opening with a question is a great way to make it all about the viewer. Also, by highlighting the benefits of watching the channel, they bring our attention to what we stand to gain by sticking around.

What’s the number one reason to watch your video content? Get that in the description as early as possible, then expand on the sentiment.

If you struggle with writing descriptions, look no further. Wisecrack’s tone and pop culture references are consistent with their videos. Be yourself in your channel description. Add a bit of the personality that makes viewers care enough to go to your ‘About’ page in the first place.

Don’t be afraid to include other relevant info. Wisecrack uses this opportunity to remind us about their schedule and to give us a bit more information about their individual shows. If you make a few different types of video, this is a great way to remind viewers about them.

Or, like Roberto Blake, you can help your community self-identify by asking questions. This is a great approach to inspire the people who will get the most out of your work to subscribe, while weeding out the ones who won’t gain much by watching your channel.

YouTube video descriptions

A captivating video description is clear, precise, and valuable. Here are a few things to keep in mind when crafting yours.

Make the most of the first three lines

The first few lines are crucial because they appear before the  Show More  button. It’s your chance to hook people in.

Describe what the video is about, clearly and succinctly. You can keep it super brief and add a relevant link like Keto Connect do in this example, or opt for a slightly longer description that mentions some key benefits. Consider doing some keyword research on similar uploads to your new video (related videos from other YouTubers are always a great place to start).

The first line of your description shows up in the search results, so make sure it captures what the video is all about. Think about the exact terms users would type into the search box and include the relevant  ‘long tail’ keywords .

Use timestamps for easy navigation

If your video is longer and covers a variety of topics, use timestamps to make it easy to navigate to specific points quickly.

Link to relevant resources

Do you mention specific articles, tools, or products in your video? List them in the descriptions so viewers can find them easily.

Give credit where it’s due

Did you use a piece of music or video under the fair use act? Want to give credit to a co-creator or a contributor? Mention them in the description and link to their channel or social media profiles.

YouTube video description template

What does the theory look like in practice? Let’s take a look at a couple of successful YouTube descriptions and break them down.

Zabrena uses the above the fold paragraph to tell us what the video is about and uses keywords to help both us and the algorithm understand what to expect. Below the fold, Zabrena lists and links to the products mentioned and includes other information viewers might be curious about. She also includes links to her social media channels.

Daym Drop’s description also does a fantastic job of keeping it informative and providing value. He succinctly summarizes the video, asks the reader to subscribe, and then mentions his Patreon page and the value it provides. He also includes other relevant links.

Creating a description format for your own videos can make it easier to knock these out quickly and efficiently without missing out on key components.

Follow this format for YouTube descriptions

Using this format makes it easy to create consistent video descriptions — every single time.

Write a short video description. Use relevant keywords and keep it under 3 lines so it appears above the fold.

Include links to any resources you mentioned.

Ask the viewer to subscribe.

If your video is longer or tackles several different topics, use timestamps for easy navigation.

Link to your social media channels, your website, or your Patreon page.

• Include any other information that might be useful to the reader.

All about your audience

Everything on YouTube is designed around giving the viewer the best possible experience. The algorithm is working hard to deliver the most relevant and interesting videos directly to you, so focus on crafting clear, concise, informative, and value-filled descriptions. Serve your audience and the algorithm is bound to serve you.

How to make viewers stick around

Once you’ve got your descriptions nailed, don’t forget to double back and make sure you’ve got great content, too.

While the perfect description and video title will get your audience to watch, only great content will keep them watching.

For the perfect intro, infographic, real-life footage, or animated content, try  Biteable .

Thanks to  thousands of templates , like these, your perfect video will be ready in no time.

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How to write an effective youtube description.

Your YouTube description is nearly equally important as your video itself. You know why? Because the YouTube description is the best way to boost your video's SEO and YouTube rankings. How well you craft your YouTube descriptions will determine if your videos rank on top... or not.

Your video's YouTube description has to give your audience a detailed overview of your video's content. The information you enter in the YouTube description box will help viewers understand what your video is all about when searching on Google and YouTube. Along with your video title and tags, the description plays a major role in YouTube SEO and rankings — but only if it's done right.You don't know how to write a YouTube description ? No worries! That's what we're here for. So let's get started!

How to Write a Good YouTube Description?

An effective YouTube description that gets your video more views should include:

• Relevant text featuring at least 1,000 characters
• Keywords that are searched for on Google and YouTube and fit your video
• Links to related content or affiliate links

In the video below you'll learn the basics of successful YouTube descriptions. Jan Fassbender explains there how smart YouTube descriptions can satisfy both: the YouTube algorithm AND your audience.

‍ 1. Include your most important keywords. Your description helps YouTube to understand the content (and context) of your video. Any word or keyword you include in the description can help you boost your video’s rankings in YouTube search (and Suggested Videos).YouTube strongly recommends that you optimize your video description for SEO:

"YouTube is one of the largest search engines in the world. And writing a description with keywords can help viewers find your videos more easily through search." YouTube Creator Academy

Always have a so-called focus keyword. A focus keyword is the main phrase you try to rank for. Ideally, you have this focus keyword already in mind before shooting the video. This way you can mention the focus keyword in the video's spoken text as well. Since YouTube also crawls your subtitles this might give you an additional SEO boost.In the YouTube description, you should mention the focus keyword in the first paragraph. Repeat it at least 2-3 times in the rest of the text to give search engines a clear signal what the text and your video is all about.

Use Google Trends , YouTube AutoSuggest or tubics to research these keywords. Ideally, you should go for a focus keyword that features a high search volume and low competition.You should also include 2 or 3 alternate versions of the focus keyword; for example, if your main keyword is "how to make spaghetti" , alternates might be "how to cook spaghetti" , "spaghetti recipe" , etc.Finally, include some broad so-called category keywords to offer context. For this example, your category keywords might be "cooking" or "recipes" . Keep in mind that irrelevant words in your description create poor user experiences and may violate YouTube's policies .

‍ 2. Use natural language. Give an overview of your video's content using natural language. Frame the keywords you want to include in the description text that's easy to read.It shouldn't be just a stream of keywords. Imagine you are writing it for people, not search engines.However, you should keep in mind that YouTube’s algorithm puts more weight on keywords that show up in the first 2-3 sentences of your description.

"Put the most important keywords towards the beginning of your description." YouTube Creator Academy

3. Add value. Since the first lines of your YouTube description show up on search engines they should be intriguing enough to get people interested enough to want to watch your video.If you mentioned any tools, products, services, or other resource information on your video, consider including links in your description. YouTube also recommends to include links to playlists and information on what your channel is all about. 4. Include hashtags. YouTube hashtags make it easier for your viewers to seek out related videos. YouTube allows including up to 15 hashtags in the description. The first three hashtags you've entered will be displayed above the video’s title.

5. Follow legal rules. If you used copyrighted content (music, images or videos) under the fair use act , make sure you give them credit by mentioning them in your video's description and include a link to their website.If your video includes product placement you should also consider including a disclosure of the sponsorship in the YouTube description. For example, you can include something like “This video was sponsored by [Company Name].”

Links in YouTube Descriptions

Relevant links in your YouTube description can benefit the user experience. Make sure links include the http:// or https:// prefix. This ensures that YouTube automatically makes the URL a clickable link. If you just type www.your-domain.com it won’t be a clickable link.YouTube offers various types of links to include in descriptions:

Timestamp Links

Especially for longer videos, it's often handy to link to a specific point in the video. Timestamps get entered in the format hour:minute:seconds such as 00:01:06 for 1 minute and 6 seconds into the video. When the link is clicked and the video is opened on YouTube, it will start at the specific time you've decided.

Subscribe Links

Adding a YouTube subscribe link is easy. To create it you just have to make sure that your YouTube channel has its own ID (for example, the tubics YouTube channel ID is UCoSK_V3cwHyMNBTvzwfOELQ), then replace the channel ID in the following URL with yours.http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoSK_V3cwHyMNBTvzwfOELQ?sub_confirmation=1If your channel has a custom channel URL and not a channel ID, your channel URL would have /user/ in it instead of /channel/), then format the URL slightly differently.http://www.youtube.com/user/REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_NAME?sub_confirmation=1If someone clicks on this link in your video description , they will be taken to your YouTube channel. People who are not already subscribed will see a pop-up asking them to subscribe.

Links to Social Media Channels

Since YouTube most often is not your only channel to communicate with your audience you should also link to these channels: i.e. your other social media channels or your website.

Links to Related Videos, Playlists or Blog Posts

Many channels also link to other videos for SEO reasons. YouTube's Creator Academy officially recommends linking to relevant playlists.

Affiliate Links (if applicable)

It's important to include the above-mentioned links so the viewers can click on them to find more information and/or make a purchase before or after watching your video.

Pay Attention to the SERP Snippet

The SERP snippet is a few lines of data that are displayed as text on a search engine results page such as Google and YouTube.Here are some of the YouTube best practices for how to make the most of the SERP snippet.

• Your main keyword should be in the first sentence in the visible area (not where it can only be seen after clicking the Show More link).
• Always place your call-to-action (CTA) in the first one or two sentences where it is visible before the text cuts off.
• The easiest way to make sure your SERP snippet is perfect is to use a SERP preview tool .

Tubics' YouTube SEO tool provides you with a SERP snippet preview, a real-time analysis of your description such as what is currently on there, what should be on there, and more.

How Many Characters of a YouTube Description Are Visible?

The number of characters of the YouTube description that are visible on a search results page will vary depending on the search engine you are using.Here are the current number of visible characters of a description on the search results page for:

• Google Search :  150 to 160 characters are visible, including the spaces.
• YouTube Search : 138 characters are visible on your desktop computer, including the spaces.
• YouTube Watch Page : 5,000 characters are available for the description, but only the first few lines will be visible before having to click on the Show More link where the rest of the description can be read. On smartphones not even the first few lines get displayed, only the title is shown.

How Long Should a YouTube Description Be?

YouTube gives you 5,000 characters (about 800 words) for the description; therefore, you should use every bit of it, or at least make it as long as possible. Just remember to keep the text relevant to your video.

Also, be sure to include some hashtags and don't forget to add your keywords at a rate of about 1-2% . HOT TIP: Some people add the transcript of their video for the description and a link to the original transcript if the entire transcript doesn't fit within the description box.

How Should I Design My YouTube Description?

When designing your description for the YouTube description box , you should try to find ways to make them stand out such as using ASCII characters and symbols like the arrow on both sides of a word or phrase. You can also structure paragraphs with separator lines . Anything you can do to make your text easier to read and your important information to stand out.

What Should I Avoid When Designing My YouTube Description?

YouTube is very clear about what should be avoided when scripting your description.

• Special characters like <> because YouTube doesn't want you to write HTML code in the description.
• Copyright infringement.
• Hashtags that violate the YouTube Community Guidelines
• Anything else that violates the community guidelines.

What About the YouTube Algorithms?

YouTube, just like any other search engine, uses algorithms to determine the rankings of the videos on their site. The way they do that is by looking at patterns so it's important that you use some text paragraphs across all your videos to increase the chances that one of your other videos will be suggested after the current video your viewer is watching has finished playing.

YouTube Description on Mobile

On YouTube, the description box is underneath the video and below the line where you see the title, the number of views, likes, shares, etc. On mobile devices, the description text is hidden by default. Just take this video of the Cute Life Hacks channel as best practice of how to write a YouTube description. When you compare how the description of this YouTube video gets displayed across devices you see some differences:

The full description text gets displayed both on desktop and on mobile. On desktop, you just have to click on the "Show more" link. On mobile, you just have to click on the arrow icon next to the video title.

Then, underneath the description box will be the comments about the video, if you have that feature enabled.Parts of the description get displayed in search results as well, at least on the desktop.

How to Write a YouTube Description Efficiently

After developing a few YouTube descriptions, you will see how important it is to come up with efficient ways to complete this task.Here are some ideas for making the process of writing a YouTube description more efficient .

• Use description templates (see example below).
• Use the YouTube Upload Defaults feature. This feature will save you time because you can set your default information to use for future uploads.
• Use the tubics YouTube description generator where you can have several "description templates" such as one text for every playlist.
• Optimize older videos with bulk editing in YouTube.
• Use the tubics Apply Template feature.

YouTube Description Example

Here is a YouTube description example directly from YouTube.

YouTube Keywords: How to do Keyword Research

Learn with Matthias how to do YouTube Keyword Research with tubics and get more views on YouTube. Learn more on Video SEO and sign up for free at https://www.tubics.com .Our YouTube Keyword Research tool gives you YouTube keyword suggestions based on official search data provided by YouTube, Google, Bing, and AdWords. Unleash the power of unlimited keyword suggestions and search volumes!Optimize your YouTube keywords, titles and descriptions with our real-time YouTube SEO content analysis. Our YouTube SEO keyword research tool checks if you use your focus keyword enough and in the right spots.Our free YouTube Keyword Research tool features a simple traffic light system and helps suggest a few ‘best practice’ YouTube SEO techniques. Red means your YouTube SEO is terrible, orange means it’s OK, but could be improved and green means it’s great! For this system to work, you must set a focus keyword or phrase for each video. tubics will then check your content and gives you tips on how to improve YouTube SEO results.+++Get a free YouTube SEO analysis at https://www.tubics.com Visit our Help Center at https://help.tubics.com YouTube Keyword Tool Alternatives: https://www.tubics.com/blog/youtube-k... #YoutubeKeywords #YoutubeSEO #YouTubeTagGenerator #YouTubeTagTool

YouTube Description Template

If you are going to be creating more than a few videos, you might consider designing a template for the description. This will help make sure you don't forget anything, especially if you're flying through the process because you have several videos to produce.Here is an example of a YouTube description template . Line 1: Text descriptionLine 2-3: 1st call to action_________________________Helpful text (video summary, transcript, etc.)KeywordsHashtagsRelevant links2nd call to action_________________________Social media profile listWebsite addressContact information_________________________Credits for other peoples work

Here is a summary of everything we've learned.

• The YouTube description is where you can tell people what your video is about and use specific elements to boost your YouTube SEO .
• The location of the description box which is underneath the video and the title .
• Why YouTube descriptions are important.
• How to write a YouTube description which includes relevant text and a well-crafted call to action .
• The SERP snippet is important because it is the only part of the verbiage that will be visible.
• Only 138 characters (including spaces) will be visible in a YouTube search.
• YouTube gives you 5,000 characters to write your description.
• Consider using ASCII characters and paragraph separator lines to help make your text easier to read and the important information stand out.
• The YouTube algorithm looks for patterns so you should use text paragraphs across all your videos.
• We gave you a list of things that would help you write your description more efficiently.

The description of your YouTube video should never be an afterthought. No! Designing your YouTube description should be something you carefully weave together. This way you end up with the right balance of viewer interest, properly used hashtags, keywords, and other SEO boosters.

Recommended Articles to Boost The Performance of Your Videos

• 8 YouTube Keyword Tool Alternatives in Review
• How to Use Youtube Hashtags
• What counts as a view on Youtube?
• What is a YouTube Thumbnail and How to Make Great YouTube Thumbnails?
• Youtube Lighting

The 6-Step Guide to YouTube Content Strategy

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Tips for video descriptions

YouTube is one of the largest search engines in the world. Writing descriptions with keywords can help viewers find your videos more easily through search.

Do Titles & Descriptions Still Matter? | Master Class #2 ft. Carina Fragozo

Writing your description

Descriptions tell the YouTube algorithm and your viewers what the video is about . You can think about the description as two parts - what viewers see before clicking “Show more” on desktop or “more” on mobile and what they see after. Consider using the first few lines of your description to describe your video because it’s what viewers will see first.

Viewers have to click the link to view the complete description.

The second part of the description can have other info about your channel so that viewers can learn more. You can even create a default description that fills in basic channel information in all of your videos on upload. The description allows a maximum of 5000 characters .

• Be sure that each video has a unique description ; this makes it easier to find through search, and helps it stand out from similar videos.
• Identify 1-2 main words that describe your video and feature them prominently in both your description and title.
• Use the Research tab in YouTube Analytics and Google Ads Keyword Planner to identify popular keywords and their synonyms. Including these terms can help you maximize traffic from search.

Search terms are matched with the video and the text in the description, helping viewers find your content.

Customize your description

The description field can only display text, but you can format it. You can bold, italicize, or strikethrough text.

On mobile, highlight the text you’d like to format to open the editing bar, then select a formatting option. On your computer, you can format text directly from the description box using the options at the bottom.

You can add interactive features that could help increase views, highlight collaborations, and grow your subscriber base.

• Use video chapters to help viewers skip to important parts of longer videos.
• Link out to playlists of related videos.
• Call out collaborations with credits and mention channels and people that helped you.
•  If you want to showcase important links for your audience, you can add  channel profile links.

Dive into the data

Help your video show up on YouTube search. In YouTube Analytics, check the ‘How viewers find your’ report to understand your content reach and engagement . Are some of these words missing from your description? Pretend you're searching for your video, what would you type into the search bar? Having those words in your description could help people find your content more easily.

‘How viewers find your’ reports in analytics will show the most commonly used search terms viewers use to find your content.

We recommend

• Fill out the default description text field to display extra info across all of your videos automatically.
• Check how your video description appears in YouTube search, on the video’s watch page, and on various mobile devices. Does the most important info show up as you want it to?

Next: check out upload schedule tips

Was this helpful?

YouTube Video Descriptions: How to Write Them Better In 2024

Writing a description for your YouTube video is never a bad idea. It helps people understand your content and the value it holds, which leads to a better viewing experience. You can even place keywords in your description and possibly get featured on search pages.

The only problem? Writing descriptions from scratch is time-consuming. And besides a basic summary of the video, what else goes in that big, empty box?

To answer that question, here's how to write descriptions for YouTube videos.

1. Get Ideas from a YouTube Description Generator

If you want to come up with descriptions fast and easy, try vidIQ's AI Description Generator . It allows you to type in keywords that describe your video, see a few description options, and choose the right one for your content. Best of all, you get three free descriptions each month when you sign up for a free vidIQ account.

Here's how to get (and use) the AI Description Generator:

1. Download vidIQ's free extension for Chrome , FireFox , or Microsoft Edge (Chrome extension shown below).

2. Go to YouTube and upload a video.

3. Give your video a title. If you have vidIQ installed, use our AI title generator to get a few suggestions.

4. Scroll down to the description box and find the AI Description Generator. Type in a few keywords that describe your video and click Generate .

5. Review the AI-generated descriptions (there are three). When you find a description you like, click Insert to add it to the video.

2. Use the Right Keywords for YouTube's Search Engine

Do you know which keywords people will use to find your video? If so, add those terms to your video description. That will help YouTube determine what your video is about and display it on the right search pages. You videos might even rank higher when keywords are in the title  and  description.

But remember that keywords should be  sprinkled  into your summary, not poured. It's best to write like a human speaking to another human and add keywords sparingly.

We used two keywords in the example above: "small channel on YouTube" and "grow your channel." The summary sounds natural, and we have our best keyword near the front of the description for all to see.

If you don't know where to start, read this guide for discovering the best YouTube keywords.

3. Focus on the First 100 Characters

YouTube never shows the full video description — at least not automatically. You could spend 30 minutes writing hundreds of words, but no matter what, viewers will only see the first few sentences. After that, a "show more" link allows them to keep reading.

Unfortunately, some viewers don't click on that. That's why it's a good idea to put vital information in the first 100 characters, such as:

• The main idea of the video
• Relevant keywords

Example:  On a search page, YouTube shows the first 90 characters of our video description.

But below the video itself, viewers see the first 160 characters.

To optimize your description in both areas, write an interesting 100 characters!

4. Don't Approach the Character Limit

Did you know that the YouTube description box holds 5,000 characters? It's unlikely you'll need that much space, and no viewer wants to read paragraphs of text. After all, they came to watch a video.

That begs the question: What's the ideal YouTube video description length? There isn't an answer that fits all scenarios, but you can stop writing as soon as you've covered:

• What viewers need to know about the video
• Information related to the video (research you used, downloadable resources, etc.)

5. Write an Accurate Description

Have you ever read a YouTube description that didn't explain the video? You probably had no idea what to expect before pressing play, especially if the creator was trying to be funny, random, or aloof.

That approach may work with subscribers who already know you, but what about new viewers? They should be able to understand a video just by reading the title or description.

The solution is simple: Don't make viewers think too hard. You can be funny and authentic, but try to write descriptions that build upon the video title.

6. Use Timestamps to Make Your Video Skimmable

If your video is longer than 20 minutes, some viewers will need extra encouragement to watch it. Luckily, YouTube creates automatic video chapters that let viewers skip around and find different scenes.

But if someone moves away from the video to read the description, you might consider adding timestamps to that area.

When someone clicks a timestamp, the video jumps to the chapter that's available in that time frame. To make this work in your description, type the exact time you want viewers to skip to, and bam — the timestamp becomes clickable.

7. Add Links to Your YouTube Video Description

After you've written the bulk of your description, it's time to add a few links. These should direct people to videos or websites that add more value to the experience while also boosting your channel's authority.

You can direct viewers to:

• Another video on your YouTube channel
• Research links that support your video content, such as studies or surveys
• Affiliate links that allow viewers to buy products mentioned in the video
• Your official subscribe link
• Your social media profiles

8. Add Calls to Action (CTA)

Viewers need a good reason to click on the links in your description box. So when you have a few links in mind, add a CTA nearby explaining why they should click something and what happens when they do.

Check out the example below. Two of our CTAs clearly explain the value behind the links we're pushing. With the first CTA, we want to help viewers dodge copyright claims by watching another video on our channel. The second CTA expresses that if you want more YouTube guidance, it's wise to hit subscribe!

9. Put Hashtags in Your YouTube Description

Adding two or three hashtags to your video description is a fantastic idea. If you create content people love — and relevant hashtags are attached — you might see your videos at the top of a hashtag page.

Out of 63,000 videos and 11,000 channels, we managed to get two videos at the top of YouTube's #growyourchannel page. So don't skip this vital step!

10. Write Unique Video Descriptions

Most people strive to make original content on YouTube, but that rule applies to more than just videos. If you're copying descriptions from one video to the next, that becomes repetitious — and entirely unhelpful.

Plus, monetizing your channel with repetitive content will be hard. YouTube checks everything when you apply to the YouTube Partner Program , and descriptions are no exception.

11. Avoid Profanity, Hate Speech, and Spammy Links

Now that you know YouTube checks your video descriptions, try to write words that make people feel safe. You can start by following the YouTube Community Guidelines , which denounce profanity, hate speech, spam, and more.

YouTube Video Description Template

If the idea of writing descriptions from scratch sounds daunting, we have good news: You don't have to.

Here's the video description template we use for the vidIQ channel:

• Section 1:  Describe your video (don't forget to add keywords).
• Section 2:  Tell viewers what to watch next on your channel (add video link).
• Section 3:  Paste in a subscribe link.
• Section 4:  Add other important links (website, social media, affiliate, etc.).
• Section 5:  Create a list of video timestamps.
• Section 6:  Add YouTube hashtags.

Example of YouTube Video Description

And now, here's a written example of a video description. We paired it with the video, " If I Started a YouTube Channel in 2022. "

FINALLY, you're joining the YouTube adventure! We've been on that ride for 10+ years, so here's what we would do if we started a new YouTube channel in 2022!

🔥 Now you've started your channel, get your first subscriber! ➡️ [link goes here]

🔔 Subscribe for more tips just like this: [link goes here]

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

===============================

🚀 - DOWNLOAD vidIQ FREE: [link goes here]

🛠️ - vidIQ CUSTOMER SUPPORT: [email protected]

👥 - FACEBOOK: [link goes here]

🐦 - TWITTER: [link goes here]

📸 - IG: [link goes here]

💬 - DISCORD: [link goes here]

⏱️⏱️ VIDEO CHAPTERS ⏱️⏱️

0:00 - Why haven't you started yet?

0:22 - Strategy 1

1:44 - Strategy 2

3:00 - Strategy 3

3:55 - Strategy 4

4:54 - Strategy 5

5:58 - Strategy 6

6:59 - Strategy 7

8:03 - Strategy 8

9:07 - Strategy 9

9:59 - Strategy 10

#moresubscribers2022 #moreviews2022 #GrowYourChannel

How to Automate Video Descriptions

Tired of writing descriptions from scratch? Feel free to copy our template above, then follow the steps below:

1. Go to the YouTube studio ( studio.youtube.com ). Click  Settings  in the left menu.

2. Click  Upload Defaults.

3. Go to the  Basic Info  tab, then paste our template into the  Description  section.

4. Click  Save.

It's easier than you think to add descriptions to YouTube videos. Just follow our tips above, and you'll think less about what to write and more about the information viewers need to see.

Now that you know the best YouTube video description tips, here's how to write better titles.

Blog Manager at vidIQ

Lydia Sweatt is a writer who loves balancing her article/blog time indoors with a healthy dose of nature. She bikes, hikes, and identifies edible plants along the way.

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Boost views with this free YouTube video description generator

Craft captivating and engaging descriptions in just a few clicks with Hootsuite's free YouTube description generator.

Please note:  This tool may display inaccurate or offensive material that doesn’t represent Hootsuite’s views. You’re solely responsible for use of any content generated using this tool, including its compliance with applicable laws and third-party rights.

What is a YouTube video description?

YouTube video descriptions are short sections of text that provide additional information about the content of your YouTube video. This can include a description of the video, links to related videos, social media or website links, timestamps, and more. 

The goal is to help viewers understand what the content is about and, ultimately, to encourage them to click on your video. Most importantly, a good YouTube video description will help your video show up on YouTube and Google search results, increasing views and engagement.

What is a YouTube Video Description Generator?

YouTube video description generators are automated tools that use AI to analyze your content, suggest keywords, and quickly generate comprehensive descriptions for your YouTube videos. 

They take the guesswork out of the YouTube title creation process, providing you with high-quality, search-optimized descriptions in seconds.

What can I use this YouTube Description Generator for?

Streamers and content creators can use automated YouTube description makers to save time and effort so they can focus on creating great content. 

Here are just a few ways you can make these tools work for you.

YouTube Shorts

Psyched about Shorts? Use our free YouTube description generator to save time and quickly come up with captivating descriptions for your short-form videos. Keep audiences engaged, long after your first 30 seconds.

Are you a passionate vlogger sharing insights about food, fashion, travel, or technology? Our YouTube description generator will help you come up with descriptions that spark interest in your followers and keep them coming back for more.

Streamers know personality matters. Let your audience into your world by creating descriptions that show off your unique personality. Plus, make your audience feel like they are part of the conversation. 

Music videos

Keep viewers engaged while they watch your latest music video with descriptions that give context to the song, lyrics, or thought process behind your work. You can also use the description to link out to your website, social media, or latest album.

How-to content

Use our YouTube description generator to quickly come up with descriptions that make it easier for followers to understand how to complete each step of the process. You can also use your description to link out to products used in your video.

Educational videos

Helping students tackle algebra? Instructing audiences on the history of art? Diving deep into mastering BeReal for business ? Use our YouTube description generator to craft descriptions that walk learners through the basic principles of your lesson.

Newscasters can use YouTube descriptions to provide the latest updates on their stories, breaking news, or reports. Plus, link out to other places where audiences can find your reports.

How does this YouTube Video Description Generator work?

Powered by the latest version of ChatGPT, Hootsuite's free YouTube description generator uses natural language processing (NLP) and AI to suggest comprehensive descriptions for your videos quickly. Just upload your video, enter the title, and let our tool do the rest.

How to use this YouTube Video Description Generator

Ready to get started? Here’s how you can use our free description generator for YouTube.

Select your language

Start by choosing a language for your YouTube video description. You can choose from English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish.

Select a category

Next, choose the category that best describes your video content. This will also help the YouTube description generator come up with suggestions that are more relevant to your particular type of content.

Add a call to action

Choose what action you want your viewers to take after watching the video. This could be to like, comment, subscribe, or something else related to your channel.

Add a topic and add some context

From here, add a topic that most closely relates to the video. This could be a broad topic like “technology” or “entertainment”, or something more specific like “a description of how to use AI-powered social media tools.”

Enter your keywords

Next, enter a few keywords related to your video. If you don't know what keywords to use, use an SEO keyword research tool. Or, enter relevant keywords into YouTube's search bar and see what related words it suggests. Check out our blog on YouTube SEO to learn more.

Add a benefit to the viewer

As you may know, solid YouTube video descriptions should entice users to click by telling them what they’ll get from watching your video (more on this below). 

In this field, you’ll want to identify the benefit to the viewer . What will they learn? Will they laugh or be entertained? Will your content help them make money or get healthy? Add it here.

Finally, tap Generate and watch the YouTube description generator work its magic. Feel free to customize any outputs as you see fit.

Tips for writing a great YouTube video description

Now that you know how to use the YouTube description generator, here are a few tips to help you write great descriptions for your videos. 

Add timestamps

Timestamps are a great way to break up your video into sections and help viewers quickly find the information they’re looking for without having to watch the entire video. Include a mention of timestamps at the beginning of your description, so it’s clear to viewers that you've provided a way for them to easily skip around.

Keep it interesting

The first 200 words of your YouTube description show up in search results, so make sure those words are captivating and draw viewers in. Keep it interesting by using creative language and phrases that will engage the viewer, such as questions, puns, or pop culture references.

Tell users what they’ll get from watching your video

In some ways, your video description and title are a bit like your YouTube sales pitch. They should highlight what a viewer would get out of watching your video. Will they learn something? Get a free download or template? Finally answer a burning question in their mind? Don’t give it all away, though! A short preview is enough to entice interest.

Test your description on mobile

Finally, make sure to preview your description on mobile. According to our research, mobile users watch twice as many videos on YouTube as desktop users. So, be sure to test your description on different devices to make sure it looks great and is easy to read.

Include relevant keywords

Keywords should be sprinkled throughout your description to help viewers find your content more easily in search. Be sure to repeat any keywords used in your YouTube video title or in the video itself.

Link out to other content

Your YouTube video description is the perfect place to include links to other content, such as your website or social media pages. You can also include any relevant external links that are connected to the video, such as blog posts or product pages.

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Video podcasts are having a moment: Here's how to launch a successful show on YouTube, according to the company

• YouTube recently hosted a virtual seminar on the basics of podcasting.
• Two employees broke down how to get started and strategies for success.
• They shared their top five tips for building a podcast audience on YouTube.

YouTube has become a staple in podcasting as video becomes more popular among listeners.

The platform wants to capitalize on this trend by helping more video podcasts to break through.

YouTube execs Stephanie Chan, strategic partner manager on the podcast team, and Emma Sweet, global product activation manager for music and podcasts, held in April a virtual seminar on the basics of YouTube podcasting and shared their top strategies for success.

"While putting your podcast on YouTube can seem like a set-it-and-forget-it process, there are actually a ton of ways to optimize your content to reach a bigger audience and leverage YouTube to its fullest potential," Chan said.

The execs said they've seen an increase in viewers for YouTube podcasts, in part because more people are watching them on TV.

"We've seen explosive growth in the living room, which allows people to watch YouTube on their TVs," Chan said, referring to overall YouTube viewership. "The living room is the fastest growing source of YouTube watch time."

Users consume podcasts on YouTube in two ways: the main YouTube app or the YouTube Music app. When a creator uploads a podcast to the YouTube Studio, the backend platform where creators can manage their channels, the podcast is made available on both platforms.

With YouTube Music, users can download podcasts, listen in the background on the go, and pick up where they left off if they started watching the video podcast on the main app and then shifted to listening on YouTube Music.

Creators in YouTube's Partner Program can make money from video podcasts through ad placements, Super Chat messages that viewers pay to share, channel memberships, and other features.

YouTube has also added features to increase the visibility and discoverability of podcasts, including a dedicated page, search cards, a playlist sidebar within search results that displays recent episodes, and a podcast tab within YouTube channel pages.

"Podcast content is different than other YouTube content," Sweet said. "For example, in serialized podcasts, users want to listen to the next episode in that playlist. So if you're consuming a series, we'll now recommend that next episode to you."

Here are five strategies they shared for launching a successful podcast on YouTube:

• Treat podcasts like playlists and podcast episodes as videos within that playlist.

If your YouTube channel only features podcast episodes, Sweet recommends placing those videos into a playlist and marking the playlist as a podcast in YouTube Studio. It's the only way to signal to the platform that your video is part of a podcast.

Video creators who also have podcasts on YouTube can either create a new playlist for the podcast or set an existing playlist as a podcast.

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Sweet said, however, that these playlists should only contain full podcast episodes, not clips or unrelated content.

These playlists also determine how a podcast appears in the YouTube Music app. The order of the episodes that appear in the playlist will match the order of episodes shown on YouTube Music.

• Use YouTube analytics to measure the performance of your podcast.

YouTube Studio allows creators to track a video's performance, including metrics like traffic sources, audience demographics, audience retention, and revenue. Podcasters can use it to track analytics just like any other video.

Sweet said the team is developing more metrics for podcasts, too.

For example, YouTube recently added podcasts as a format in the "What Your Audience Watches" section of the YouTube Studio. This lets creators see other podcasts their audience listens to on YouTube.

• Should you put your podcast on an existing channel or start a new one?

To decide whether to start a new YouTube channel or place podcast episodes on your existing channel, consider how much audience overlap exists between the two.

"If you have a channel about cooking and your podcast is about recreating historical recipes, then keep everything on one channel and give the channel a name that reflects your broader brand and identity," Chan said. "If the overlap is lower like if you have that cooking channel but your new podcast is about film analysis, then you may want to create separate channels to better serve each distinct audience."

Think about how established your podcast is, as well. If it's new, keeping it on your original channel could help it grow. But if it already has an audience, creating a stand-alone channel would be best.

• Think about branding, from thumbnails to titles.

To help listeners keep up with your podcast, share your upload schedule, social links, and other podcast information in the banner at the top of your YouTube channel.

"You could say, 'new episodes every Tuesday,' or something like that," Chan said.

Chan also recommends keeping the podcast's branding, including episode titles, consistent across YouTube and other platforms.

"A channel avatar is another key branding location," Chan said. "If you are a podcasting-specific channel, we recommend you use the same branding and imagery on YouTube that you use across other podcast platforms to make it easy for people to recognize this as your official podcast."

Uploading a channel trailer also allows users to preview your podcast. Creators can show different trailers to subscribers and non-subscribers, such as a general podcast trailer for new listeners and a clip from the latest episode to subscribers.

It also helps to make your podcast name and episode titles as search-friendly as possible, including keywords and ensuring they're under 70 characters each.

"Featuring your face in the thumbnail can also help increase engagement," Chan said.

• Optimize your reach with YouTube shorts.

Sweet recommends posting podcast clips in addition to full episodes to help attract new audiences through YouTube shorts.

Creators can link to a podcast episode from a short to direct viewers to the full-length episode.

In YouTube Studio, creators can also make shorts directly from an uploaded long-form video in just a few steps.

Watch: Get ready to hear more Progressive Insurance ads on podcasts, according to CMO Remi Kent

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