The description is the most overlooked part of a YouTube upload. It's often filled in last, in a hurry, with the same block of links every time. But it's where viewers look for the things you mentioned in the video, and YouTube uses it to understand what the video is about. This guide gives you a simple structure, the limits that matter (from YouTube Help, checked 22 October 2026), and a short checklist to run before you publish. It replaces our earlier short checklist post.
What the description is for
YouTube's own advice divides the description into two parts: what viewers see before they click "Show more" (or "more" on mobile), and everything after. YouTube's help puts it simply: descriptions tell the YouTube algorithm and your viewers what the video is about. It recommends using the first few lines to describe the video, because that's what people see first.
So the description has three jobs:
- Confirm the click. The opening lines reassure a viewer that this video answers their question.
- Deliver what you promised. Links, resources, product names, chapter times and credits.
- Help discovery. Use natural wording that matches how people search, without stuffing in keywords.
A reusable layout
This order works for most videos. Our description builder assembles it for you and leaves out any section you don't fill in.
- Opening (1–3 sentences). What the viewer will get from this video, in plain words. Mention the one or two main terms someone would search for.
- More detail (optional). A short paragraph of context: who it's for, what you assume they know, what's not covered.
- Chapters. A timestamp list, if the video has distinct sections (see chapters and timestamps).
- Links mentioned. Every link you promised in the video, labelled so people know what they are.
- Credits. Music, footage, collaborators. Use the exact wording a licence requires.
- Channel information. A line about your channel or other places to find you. YouTube lets you set a default description that's added to new uploads, which suits this kind of standard text.
- Hashtags (optional). A few relevant ones at the end.
Writing the opening lines
Write them last, after you've watched the final edit. Then:
- Lead with the outcome. "Fit a floating shelf to a plasterboard wall without visible brackets" tells a viewer more than "In today's video…".
- Match the title, don't copy it. YouTube suggests identifying one or two main words that describe your video and featuring them prominently in both the title and description. Use them naturally, once or twice.
- Make each description unique. YouTube's tips say unique descriptions make videos easier to find and help them stand out from similar videos. Pasting the same paragraph on every upload works against you.
The limits that matter
| Item | Limit or rule (YouTube Help) |
|---|---|
| Description length | Maximum 5,000 characters; certain characters are not allowed |
| Title length | Maximum 100 characters |
| Hashtags shown by the title | Up to three hashtags from the description, chosen by YouTube |
| Too many hashtags | Over 60 hashtags and YouTube ignores all of them on that video |
| Chapters | Start at 00:00, at least three, ascending, each at least 10 seconds |
| Corrections | A "Correction:" or "Corrections:" heading (in English), placed after any chapters |
Five thousand characters is a lot, roughly 700–900 words of English. Very few videos need anywhere near that. A focused description of a few hundred words is easier to read.
Hashtags and tags: stay relevant
YouTube's hashtag policies say hashtags mustn't contain spaces, mustn't be misleading or unrelated to the video, and shouldn't be over-used. They also say adding ordinary descriptive tags or repetitive sentences to the description is prohibited and can lead to the video being removed or penalised. In practice:
- use a handful of specific hashtags that genuinely describe the video;
- don't paste a block of keywords at the bottom of the description;
- never use a trending hashtag that has nothing to do with your video.
Links and credits
Label every link ("Wall plug guide (PDF): …"), and check that each one works before you publish. If you use affiliate links or have been paid to feature something, say so clearly in the video and the description. In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority publish guidance for influencers on labelling ads. For video attributions, YouTube's help gives the format [Channel name] [Video title] [Video ID].
Templates without copy-paste descriptions
A template saves time, but there's a difference between a consistent structure and an identical text. Keep the fixed parts (channel links, standard credits, a disclosure line) in YouTube's default description or a saved text file. Write the opening lines, the chapter list and the "links mentioned" section fresh for each video. That way every description is quick to produce, but still unique and specific to the video it sits under, which is what YouTube's own advice asks for.
Pre-publish checklist
Run through this before you press Publish:
Title
- Under 100 characters, with the most important words near the start.
- Accurate: the video delivers what the title says.
Description
- The opening lines say what the viewer gets, in plain words.
- It's unique to this video, not a copy of the last one.
- Every promised link is there, labelled and working.
- Credits and any ad or affiliate disclosures are included.
- A few relevant hashtags at most, and no keyword block.
Chapters
- The list passes the four rules. Paste it into our chapter checker to be sure.
- Titles describe what happens in each section.
Thumbnail
- 16:9, ideally 3840 × 2160 and at least 1280 × 720 (see thumbnail sizes).
- Readable at phone size, with nothing important in the bottom-right corner.
- Honest about the content (see design tips).
Captions
- If you have a script or transcript, upload captions. Our transcript to SRT converter makes a basic file you can fine-tune in YouTube Studio.
Maintaining old descriptions
Descriptions aren't fixed once published. Every few months, check your most-watched videos: replace dead links, update prices or product names, add chapters to older long videos, and add a correction if something in the video has turned out to be wrong. It's a small job that keeps your back catalogue useful.
Sources: YouTube Help, "Tips for video descriptions", "Upload YouTube videos", "Find playlists and videos using hashtags" and "Video chapters", checked 22 October 2026. Rules change, so check YouTube Help before relying on a limit.