How to Write Best YouTube Description? Format for More Views & Subscribers

Ever wondered what makes your YouTube content gain a little more insight than the others? Well, apart from keywords and the originality of the content, the component that contributes the most is the ‘YouTube description’. 

Your YouTube description should concisely summarize the content to reach your target audience. However, a great description does more than just summarize; it acts as both a navigation tool and a conversion tool. 

In this guide, I will break down the exact SEO-optimized format that helps the algorithm find your audience. 

Quick Answer:

To write the best YouTube description format for more views and subscribers, ensure adding timestamps, including CTAs, and incorporating high-value keywords. 

What is YouTube Description and Why Does it Matter?

A YouTube description, in simple words, is an overall insight into the video content, timestamps, links, and resources. It acts as an SEO tool that helps YouTube understand the specifics of the video and rank the content accordingly. The descriptions have a character limit of 5000 characters, which is about 800 words. 

The YouTube description generally acts as a CTA, which encourages viewers to subscribe, like, or check out more content. It serves as a bridge between your video content, the YouTube algorithm, and the target audience. 

A well optimized description helps YouTube segregate a high value content, which increases its chance to reach the target audience sooner. 

5 Steps to Write Your Ideal YouTube Description Copy

Have you ever wondered what makes a YouTube description so compelling that it hooks the audience till the end? Well, here’s a detailed analysis of the 5 steps to write your ideal description for YouTube channel.

Step 1: Lead With a Hook

What if I tell you that the first 2 sentences of the YouTube description can change the entire course of your YouTube journey? Sounds bizarre? Well, it isn’t!

Your YouTube description must be an eye-catching hook. The YouTube search results only display about 150 to 200 characters of your description. Thus, making the first two sentences a hook is a must! 

Ensure adding the focus keyword to drive the traffic. Instead of the usual ‘Hi guys, welcome back to my channel’, you may also use ‘Learn about the concept’. This makes a huge difference! 

Step 2: Use Timestamps

Another interesting way to turn the YouTube description to your favor is by simply transforming it into a functional menu. Confused? Well, my extensive research and attention to detail led me to the conclusion that using timestamps increases user retention. 

Timestamps generally allow users to skip to the part that they actually need to listen to; this reduces user frustration. Ensure that the chapters of the timestamps are short and precisely descriptive. 

Step 3: Ensure Providing Valuable Links

Do you ever wonder how description can smoothly be used as a resource hub for viewers? If you mention a specific tool, a book, or a website for the viewer’s reference, it will build lasting trust among the viewers. Provide complete URLs that are accessible via both PCs and mobiles. 

Step 4: Call To Action

A description without a CTA is more like a missed opportunity for growth. Thus, be direct and bold about what you expect from your viewers. You may directly ask your viewers to subscribe, join a newsletter, or follow social media handles. Ensure incorporating emojis along with text to make it visually attractive. 

Step 5: Use Hashtags

Finish your YouTube description with 3-5 highly relevant hashtags, and include a brief channel ‘about’. It blends with the algorithm and describes your channel’s overall mission to categorize your content for long-term discovery. Use the bottom space of your description to include keywords that didn’t fit your hook.

Top 3 YouTube Description Templates You Should Never Miss Out On

Writing the perfect description for YouTube doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Here are the top 3 YouTube description templates that creators might use to structure their texts for maximum growth. 

Template 1

The Informative or Tutorial Template

This structure includes a catchy, topic-focused hook, a bulleted summary, timestamps, related videos, and hashtags.

Follow the layout below:

• Top: Direct answer to your question. 
• Middle: Timestamps are the priority here.
• Bottom: Link tools or sources for users to follow along.

Template 2 

The Storytelling or Vlog Template

This template starts with a hook that includes a shared problem, a short summary, a CTA, links to products, and niche specific hashtags. 

Follow the layout below:

• Top: Emotional hook or a question
• Middle: Social media links prioritized here as vloggers build community across media handles. 
• Bottom: Mention credits to avoid copyrights.

Template 3

The Product Review Template

This layout features an honest review hook, a product overview with comparison points, timestamped sections, social media links, and relevant hashtags.

Follow the layout below:

• Top: Keep a clear verdict
• Middle: Affiliate links, where you can earn commission. 
• Bottom: Link tools or sources for users to follow along.

What are the Common Points to Avoid in YouTube descriptions?

While writing a YouTube description, avoid certain common mistakes. These mistakes might prevent your video from ranking or reaching your target audience. 

Avoid these points to contain your video from getting flagged for policy violations. 

• Keyword Stuffing: Refrain from listing repetitive keywords and prioritize writing in natural language. Any unrelated phrase may count as spam and can negatively impact your search ranking. 
• Misleading Content: Don’t include data that isn’t mentioned in the video. Including clickbait and unrelated topics might result in a violation of ‘YouTube’s Community Guidelines.’ 
• Excessive Hashtags: Limit your hashtags to 3 or 5 that are highly specific and incorporated naturally with the content. Using more than 15 keywords might result in keyword stuffing and trigger an ignore of the relevant ones. 
• Broken Links: Always verify the links used, as the URLs that do not begin with ‘https’ might not open, which reduces the click-through rate. 
• Extensive Usage of Text: Avoid using dense blocks of text. Ensure using clear bullet points and timestamps to provide users with a better experience and retain them in the long run. 

Bottom line

To conclude, the best description for YouTube channel is a must for getting viewers and keeping them engaged. By using the right amount of keywords, timestamps, and clear links, you can merge your content into the YouTube algorithm, making it easier to reach your audience. 

Author’s Note:

As a constant follower of new algorithms and patterns of the search engines, I have learned that on YouTube, the YouTube description earns trust. I personally view this space as the second biggest search engine that provides an extra insight into your search. Through this guide, I have tried to jot down every aspect of YouTube description text, its templates, and things to avoid.