Great YouTube marketing begins with great YouTube descriptions. There are two varieties of descriptions that every marketer should know:
- A YouTube channel description is the textual content in your channel’s “About” web page. It helps viewers perceive what to anticipate from your brand.
- A YouTube video description is the textual content under each of your videos. It helps viewers discover your content material and determine whether to watch it.
Accomplished right, YouTube descriptions can enhance SEO, subscriptions, view counts, and watch time. They’ll additionally assist your videos rank in YouTube’s “suggested search” function.
So how do you craft descriptions that work? Here are a few of our favorite methods.
20 tips for writing great YouTube descriptions
1. Use specific keywords
Select 1-2 keywords that precisely describe your content material to maximize search traffic to your video. Embrace them in your video’s description and title to extend its chances of ranking in potential viewers’ search results.
The identical goes for your channel description. YouTube’s algorithm places lots of significance on the keywords in your About web page. Use them correctly.
Unsure what key phrases to make use of? Tools like Google Adverts Keyword Planner and Google Trends will help you get began.
Merely kind within the words that greatest describe what your channel or video is about and Google will suggest the closest associated keywords.
2. Repeat your keywords
Repetition lets YouTube know a selected term is related to your video or channel. Use your keyword two to a few instances for the greatest outcomes. Any more than three, and it could get flagged as keyword stuffing.
3. Discover complementary keywords
Embrace associated keywords in your descriptions. This gives viewers with further details about your content material. It additionally helps you rank for these terms in Google and YouTube searches.
For instance, this Exploring Alternatives description contains complementary keywords like “zero waste,” “reduce garbage,” and “low waste.” Even higher, all of them match within the first sentence!
4. Tell viewers what to expect
For those who misrepresent your videos, viewers will stop watching them partway via. This can harm your search rankings—in addition to your popularity.
Keep away from clickbait titles and irrelevant keywords. They could allow you to rank at first, however, YouTube’s search algorithm will catch on sooner or later.
5. Write like a human
Know your viewers! Use language that your viewers will understand and relate to. Incorporate keywords in a pure method, not as a listing.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be a wordsmith to write down a great YouTube description. There are many writing resources that will help you polish your expertise.
NPR Music’s video descriptions are stuffed with persona. This one is pure poetry!
6. Front-load vital information
All the time begin with a compelling abstract of your video or channel. Point out your top keywords within the first two to three sentences of your description for the greatest outcomes.
Why? For one, YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes the start of your description. Getting the primary sentences right is vital for your search engine optimization.
These sentences are additionally the first thing viewers see after they seek for content material:
Finally, the start is the one part of your description that seems “above the fold” on the watch web page. The rest of the textual content stays hidden until somebody chooses to “show more”:
7. Add links and metadata below the fold
If a viewer does determine to “show more,” chances are they love your stuff.
Use this chance to promote your brand. Add a short channel description, your social media handles, and related product links.
You too can embrace metadata here to spice up your search engine optimization.
8. Optimize for CTR (click-through-rate)
The purpose of clickable descriptions that solve real issues. Seventy percent of millennial YouTubers use videos to learn new issues. Maintain this in thoughts whenever you write-copy.
For instance, Math Meeting’s video description clearly addresses the viewer’s want. Howcast’s doesn’t, and it’s much less compelling.
9. Offer value
All the time embrace an apparent worth proposition in your descriptions. Why should somebody subscribe to your channel? How will your video benefit them?
Attempt to reply at least considered one of these questions in simple terms (bonus if you are able to do both).
10. Embrace CTAs
Now you’ve received the viewer’s consideration, use it!
The best calls-to-action are clear, pressing, and present an apparent benefit to the viewer. Accomplished properly, they will improve engagement, subscriptions, and more.
Add a call-to-action in both your video and channel description. Encourage viewers to like, comment, subscribe, or read more. Embrace links to associated playlists to get them watching even more of your content material.
11. Save time with default descriptions
Uninterested in copy-pasting social media links into your YouTube video descriptions?
Attempt utilizing default descriptions. This function automatically provides key channel data to each video you upload.
12. ..but make your descriptions unique
Unique descriptions generate higher search outcomes than templates do. Plus, they’re a lot more attention-grabbing for your subscribers!
Default descriptions are a quick method so as to add contact information and primary metadata to your videos. However, be certain that the remainder of your description is fresh every time.
13. Use timestamps
Our attention spans are shorter than ever. Add timestamps to your descriptions to assist viewers to skip to the content material they need.
Timestamps are particularly helpful with regards to lengthy videos, like multi-part tutorials or music albums:
