Why should you write a YouTube video description

Writing an effective YouTube video description is a crucial part of optimizing your video content and attracting more viewers. A well-crafted description not only provides context for your video, but also helps it rank higher in search results and entices people to click through and watch.

Crafting a compelling YouTube video description serves several key purposes:

• Provide context and clarity. A video description gives viewers a clear idea of what your content is about before they even hit play. It sets expectations and helps people decide if the video is relevant to their interests.
• Improve search rankings. YouTube and Google rely on video descriptions to understand and index your content. Including relevant keywords and phrases in your description can help your video rank higher in search results, making it easier for people to discover.
• Drive engagement. A strong description can pique viewers' curiosity and persuade them to watch your video. Use compelling language and highlight key points to grab people's attention and encourage them to click through.
• Include calls-to-action. Your video description is the perfect place to include links to your website, social media profiles, or other relevant resources. Encourage viewers to like, comment, and subscribe to keep them engaged with your channel.
• Boost accessibility. Video descriptions are part of YouTube's accessibility features. They provide additional context for viewers who may be hearing impaired or watching with the sound off.

By taking the time to craft thoughtful, SEO-friendly YouTube video descriptions, you can increase your content's visibility, attract more viewers, and keep your audience engaged.

Writing YouTube descriptions is easy with Type, the AI-powered document editor that helps you write smarter.

How to write a YouTube video description

When writing a YouTube video description, start with a brief, attention-grabbing summary of your video's main points. This should appear in the first few lines of your description and make people want to watch your content.

Next, provide more details about your video's content. Break this into short paragraphs and use formatting like bold text or bullet points to make it easy to read. Include any relevant links, such as to products mentioned or additional resources.

Be sure to naturally incorporate keywords related to your video's topic, but avoid keyword stuffing. Your description should be written for humans first, not just search engines.

Finally, include a few calls-to-action, such as encouraging viewers to like, comment, and subscribe. You can also ask a question to spark discussion in the comments.

You could also use Type and our library filled with dozens of expert-curated templates to choose from, like this sample YouTube description.

How to use this template

Here's how to go from our general template to an optimized YouTube description in just a few clicks.

1. Open up Type, click "New Document," and select the "YouTube video description" template from the gallery.
2. Under "knowledge sources," you can include a link to your video or any other relevant background information. This will give the writing AI more context to work with.
3. Hit "Generate," and watch as Type's writing AI creates a custom YouTube description for you in seconds.
4. Refine the description with our Rewrite brushes. You can adjust the tone, shorten the text, enhance readability, and more.
5. Add your own personal touches and calls-to-action. If you need some ideas, brainstorm with Type Chat, a chatbot that lives right next to your document.
6. When you're done, ask Type to review your work for any grammar or spelling mistakes. A polished, error-free description will help your video look professional.
7. Copy and paste your completed YouTube description from Type into your video's settings on YouTube. It's ready to help your content get discovered and keep viewers watching!

Best practices and tips for success

Before you start writing, make sure you have a clear understanding of your video's main points and target keywords. Some key things to nail down include:

• The primary topic and subtopics covered in your video
• Any products, resources, or people mentioned that you want to link to
• Relevant keywords and phrases to include for SEO
• Specific calls-to-action for viewers

Hook viewers from the start: The first few lines of your description appear in search results and above the "Show more" cut-off on your video page. Make them count by featuring a punchy, intriguing summary.

Optimize for search: Include relevant keywords in your description, but use them naturally. Avoid stuffing or repetition that makes your description hard to read.

Make it skimmable: Most people will scan your description, so use short paragraphs, bullet points, and bold text to highlight key information. Put the most important points first.

Drive action: Always include a few clear calls-to-action, whether that's encouraging viewers to like and subscribe, visit a link, or leave a comment. Make engagement easy.

Keep it concise: YouTube allows up to 5,000 characters in video descriptions, but aim to keep yours around 200-500 characters. Give enough detail to inform and intrigue viewers without overwhelming them.

How to access this template

Getting started with this YouTube description template is easy. Just log into your Type account and open a new document.

Once you're in the document editor, select the "Generate" button to open the "Generate Draft" menu. Tap "Use template →" to open the template menu, where you can choose "YouTube video description" from the options.

Your turn

An optimized YouTube description is key to getting your video content discovered and keeping viewers engaged. Let Type and our proven template help you craft compelling descriptions in a fraction of the time.

Try Type out and see how easy it is to create effective, SEO-friendly YouTube descriptions that attract more views and drive results.