A good YouTube video description opens with a one or two sentence summary that says what the viewer will get, followed by your most useful link, a short explanation, chapters, and a few supporting links. Put the most important information first, because only the opening lines show before someone has to click to read more.
The template below is built for small businesses. Copy it, fill in the blanks, and reuse it for every upload.
Key takeaways
- Write the first two lines for the viewer and for search: say what the video covers, in plain words, with your main topic phrase in it.
- Put one link and one call to action near the top, then keep everything else below the fold.
- Add chapters for any video that is more than a couple of minutes long, so people can jump to the part they need.
- For Shorts, cut the template down to a sentence, one link and a few hashtags.
- Prepare the description, tags and cover image before you schedule, so nothing gets rushed on upload day.
What should a YouTube video description include?
A YouTube video description should include a clear summary, one main link, a call to action, chapters if the video is long enough, and a short block of links and context about your business. Everything else is optional.
Think of the description as doing three jobs:
- Helping a viewer decide. Someone scanning results or the suggested list reads a few words and decides whether to click or keep watching.
- Helping YouTube understand the video. The title, spoken words, tags and description all give context. Clear, natural wording about the topic is better than a pile of repeated phrases.
- Moving people to a next step. That might be a booking page, a product, a newsletter or your next video.
You have plenty of room (a description can run to 5,000 characters), but length is not the goal. A short description that is accurate and useful beats a long one stuffed with filler.
What goes in the first lines of a YouTube description?
The first lines should state what the video is about and why it is worth watching, because those are the lines most people see before the description is collapsed. Treat them like a mini headline.
Follow these rules for the opening:
- Lead with the topic. Use the phrase a customer would actually search for, in a natural sentence.
- Promise a result. Say what the viewer will be able to do or understand by the end.
- Keep it short. Aim for one or two sentences. Do not start with a greeting, a channel intro or a long list of links.
- Add one link only if it is the obvious next step. For example, a booking page for a service video, or a product page for a demo.
Weak opening:
Hi everyone, welcome back to our channel! Don't forget to like and subscribe. Links below.
Stronger opening:
How to repot a houseplant without killing it: a five-minute walkthrough with the tools we use in the shop. Plant care guide and pots here: [your link]
The second version tells you what the video is, who it is for and where to go next, all before the fold.
The fill-in-the-blank YouTube description template
Here is a template you can paste into a document and reuse. Replace everything in square brackets.
[Line 1: What the video covers, in one sentence, with your main topic phrase.] [What the viewer will be able to do after watching.]
[Primary call to action]: [Short link or URL]
In this video:
[One or two sentences adding detail: who it is for, what you show, what you recommend.]
Chapters:
00:00 [Intro or the problem]
[00:00] [Step or section one]
[00:00] [Step or section two]
[00:00] [Step or section three]
[00:00] [Wrap-up or next step]
Useful links:
[Product, service or guide]: [URL]
[Related video]: [URL]
[Playlist]: [URL]
[Contact or booking]: [URL]
About [Business name]:
[One or two sentences on who you are, where you work and who you help.]
Follow us:
[Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or other profile links]
[Optional: credits, music or equipment notes]
#[MainTopic] #[SecondTopic] #[BrandName]
If you are still working on your channel-level wording, the YouTube channel description generator can help you draft the "About" paragraph, which you can then reuse in every video description.
How should you structure links, chapters and calls to action?
Order the description so the most useful item is highest and the least urgent is lowest. A simple structure is call to action, detail, chapters, links, about, hashtags.
| Section | Where it goes | What to write | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening summary | Lines 1-2 | Topic, benefit, one link | Starting with a greeting |
| Primary call to action | Directly after the summary | One clear action, one link | Offering five different actions |
| Detail paragraph | Below the fold | Context, who it is for, key points | Repeating the title word for word |
| Chapters | Mid description | Timestamp plus a plain label | Vague labels like "Part 2" |
| Useful links | After chapters | Label each link before the URL | A bare list of unlabelled URLs |
| About the business | Near the end | Two sentences on who you are | Copying a long company bio |
| Hashtags | Last line | A few relevant tags | Dozens of unrelated tags |
Links
Label every link so people know what they will get. "Book a free fitting: [URL]" works better than a naked address. Keep the number of links modest, and put the one that matches the video's purpose first.
Check links before publishing. A broken link in a description is easy to miss and hard to notice later.
Chapters
Chapters let viewers jump around, and they help your video feel organised. To make them work:
- Start the list at 00:00.
- Add several timestamps in ascending order, each on its own line.
- Write the label as the viewer would: "Choosing the right pot size", not "Section 3".
- Keep labels short enough to read on a phone.
If your video is very short, skip chapters. They add clutter without adding value.
Calls to action
Pick one main action per video and make it match the content. A tutorial might point to a related guide. A product demo might point to the product page. A behind-the-scenes video might simply invite people to watch the next one.
Secondary actions, such as subscribing or following other channels, belong lower down.
A filled-in example for a small business
Here is the template completed for a fictional bike repair shop, so you can see the tone and length.
How to fix a slipping bike chain at home: a ten-minute guide using basic tools. You will know what to check, what to tighten and when to bring it to a shop.
Book a service slot: [your booking link]
In this video:
Our mechanic walks through the most common causes of a slipping chain on commuter bikes and shows the fixes in order, from quickest to most involved.
Chapters:
00:00 Why chains slip
01:10 Check the chain for wear
03:20 Clean and lubricate
05:45 Adjust the rear derailleur
08:10 When to book a repair
Useful links:
Chain care kit: [URL]
Watch next, how to fix a puncture: [URL]
Spring service guide: [URL]
About Corner Cycles:
We are an independent bike shop helping local commuters keep their bikes running.
#BikeRepair #BikeMaintenance #CornerCycles
Notice that the first sentence names the problem, the benefit and the audience, and that every link has a label.
How do you adapt the template for YouTube Shorts?
For Shorts, keep the description to a single useful sentence, one link if it is relevant, and a few hashtags. Viewers watch Shorts quickly and rarely read much, so the template shrinks a lot.
A Shorts version looks like this:
[One sentence on what the clip shows or teaches.] [Link label]: [URL]
#[Topic] #[Brand]
Some practical tips:
- Skip chapters. They do not apply to a clip this short.
- Say what the clip is, not what the channel is. The context is the video itself.
- Link to the longer video when there is one. A Short can work as a taster for a full tutorial.
- Keep the topic wording consistent with your longer videos so your channel reads as one subject.
For ideas on formats, specs and what to film, see our guide to YouTube Shorts strategy for businesses.
Checklist: scheduling each upload with its tags and cover image
Prepare the description, tags and cover image together, then schedule the whole upload in one go. That way every video goes out with the same level of care, even in a busy week.
Use this checklist for each upload:
| Step | What to do | Done |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Title | Write a clear title with the main topic near the start | |
| 2. Opening lines | Write the first two lines of the description | |
| 3. Primary link | Choose one link and one call to action | |
| 4. Chapters | Add timestamps starting at 00:00 (long videos only) | |
| 5. Links | Label each link and test that it opens | |
| 6. Hashtags | Add a few relevant hashtags at the end | |
| 7. Tags | Add tags that match the topic, including common spellings | |
| 8. Cover image | Choose or create a cover image that is readable at small size | |
| 9. Preview | Check how the post looks before it goes live | |
| 10. Schedule | Pick a date and time, or add it to your queue |
Tags and cover images
Tags are a supporting signal, not the main event. Use a handful that describe the topic and its common variations, such as a misspelling or an alternative name people use. Do not add tags that have nothing to do with the video.
For the cover image, aim for something simple: a clear subject, a few large words at most, and enough contrast to read on a phone. Make sure it matches what the video delivers.
Scheduling it
If you handle several channels, a scheduler keeps this repeatable. PilotPost lets you schedule a YouTube video (one video per post) with its YouTube tags and video cover image set in the same place, and you can check a preview before it goes out. You will need to connect your video accounts first, and the create a post guide walks through the rest.
It also helps to plan uploads around a calendar rather than posting whenever you finish editing. Our content calendar guide shows how to set that up.
How do you know if your descriptions are working?
Compare your videos over time rather than judging one upload on its own. Look at views, likes and comments for videos that used the new template against earlier ones, and note whether people click the main link.
A simple routine:
- Pick two or three videos on a similar topic.
- Change one thing, such as the opening line or the position of the main link.
- Look at the results after a few weeks, and keep what helps.
PilotPost's Insights show views, likes, comments and best times to post for YouTube alongside your other networks, which makes it easier to spot patterns without opening each platform. Keep a note of what you changed so you know what caused any difference.
FAQ
How long should a YouTube video description be?
There is no ideal length. A description can be up to 5,000 characters, but most useful ones are a short summary, a few labelled links, chapters if needed and a brief about section. Write as much as helps the viewer and no more.
Should I put links at the top or the bottom of the description?
Put your single most relevant link near the top, after the opening sentence, because that is the part people are most likely to see. Keep the rest of your links lower down with clear labels, so the opening stays easy to read.
Do I need a different description for every video?
Yes for the opening lines, the detail paragraph and the chapters, because those describe the specific video. The "About" section, social links and some standard links can stay the same, so keep them as a reusable block.
Do Shorts need a full description?
No. A single sentence about the clip, one relevant link and a few hashtags is usually enough. Save the longer template for full-length videos where chapters and extra links add value.
If you want to prepare every upload this way and schedule it ahead of time, you can start a free trial of PilotPost and build your first description into a post.
