OnlyMovHow to Write a YouTube Description That Helps You Rank
By OnlyMov Editorial Team · · Editorial policy
YouTube descriptions do two jobs at once: they tell YouTube's search system what the video is about, and they tell hesitant viewers why to watch. Most creators either leave them nearly empty or dump a wall of hashtags — both waste the field. Here's the structure that works, section by section.
Free tool for this task
Skip the manual work — use YouTube Description Generator to do this instantly.
The first 150 characters matter most
Only the first line or two show in search results and above the fold — the rest hides behind "Show more". Treat those 150 characters like ad copy:
- Include the main keyword naturally
- State what the viewer gets: "Learn the exact settings I use to shoot cinematic video on a phone."
- Skip the filler: never start with "Hey guys, in this video…" — that says nothing to search or to skimmers
Full structure of a strong description
- Lines 1–2 — keyword-rich summary of the payoff (the visible part)
- Paragraph — 2–4 sentences expanding what's covered and who it's for; work in 2–3 related keywords naturally
- Timestamps — chapter markers for videos over ~4 minutes; YouTube shows these in search as key moments
- Links — your relevant resources: the tool or article mentioned, playlist, socials
- Hashtags — 3–5 relevant ones; the first three can appear above the title
Timestamps are an SEO feature, not a courtesy
Chapters (00:00 Intro, 01:24 Setting one…) don't just help viewers skip around. YouTube indexes them, shows them as "key moments" in Google search, and uses them to understand the video's content. Label each chapter with descriptive, keyword-bearing text — "03:12 Fixing muddy audio" beats "03:12 Part 2".
Keywords: natural placement only
YouTube is good at detecting keyword stuffing, and a comma-separated keyword dump can hurt more than help. Instead:
- Main keyword in the first sentence
- Two or three variations spread through the paragraph ("YouTube description", "video description", "description for SEO")
- Write sentences a human would actually read aloud
The description supports the title and thumbnail — it can't rescue a video whose title targets nothing.
Step-by-step summary
- 1
Write the visible two lines first
Main keyword + the payoff, inside 150 characters.
- 2
Expand in one short paragraph
What is covered, who it is for, with 2–3 related keywords worked in naturally.
- 3
Add timestamps with descriptive labels
For any video over ~4 minutes, chapter titles that carry keywords.
- 4
Finish with links and 3–5 hashtags
Related videos, resources mentioned, then a few relevant hashtags.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should a YouTube description be?
- Around 150–300 words for most videos. YouTube allows 5,000 characters, but length alone does nothing — relevance in the first 150 characters and useful chapters matter far more.
- Do hashtags in descriptions help?
- Modestly. Use 3–5 that genuinely match the content. The first three can display above your video title. Beyond 60 hashtags YouTube ignores all of them.
- Should I put links at the top or bottom?
- Bottom, in almost all cases. The top 150 characters are your search snippet — spending them on a link wastes the most valuable space in the description.
Ready to try it?
Use the free YouTube Description Generator — no sign-up, no cost.
Open YouTube Description Generator