YouTube description templatesyou can copy in one click.
Six templates by video type. Each puts the parts YouTube actually shows where they belong: the opening line people see in search, chapters starting at 0:00, and three hashtags at the end. Fill in the [brackets] with your real details.
How to [do the thing] in [time or number of steps] — [the result the viewer gets], even if [common obstacle].
In this video I walk through [what you cover], including [one specific detail people search for]. It's for [who it's for].
Chapters
0:00 [What you'll have by the end]
[0:00] [Step 1]
[0:00] [Step 2]
[0:00] [Step 3]
[0:00] [Common mistake to avoid]
What I used: [tools or links, only if you actually used them]
#[MainTopic] #[Subtopic] #[Format]
Product review / comparison
Reviews and "X vs Y" videos.
[Product] review after [time you actually used it]: [the one-line verdict].
I tested [what you tested] against [what you compared it to] for [use case]. Here's what held up, what didn't, and who should buy it.
Chapters
0:00 The verdict
[0:00] What's in the box / specs that matter
[0:00] [Test 1]
[0:00] [Test 2]
[0:00] Who it's for (and who should skip it)
Disclosure: [how you got the product; affiliate links if any]
#[Product] #[Category] #Review
Vlog / lifestyle
Personal videos where the story is the draw.
[The moment or question the video is built around] — [where/when].
[Two sentences on what happens, without spoiling the ending.]
Chapters
0:00 [Opening moment]
[0:00] [Part 2]
[0:00] [Part 3]
Where I was: [places, if you want to share them]
Music: [track and source, if required]
#[Place] #[Topic] #Vlog
Podcast / interview
Long conversations; chapters matter most here.
[Guest name] on [the most interesting thing they said] | [Show name] Ep. [number]
[Guest] is [one line on who they are]. We talk about [topic 1], [topic 2] and [topic 3].
Chapters
0:00 [The strongest moment, as a teaser]
[0:00] [Topic 1]
[0:00] [Topic 2]
[0:00] [Topic 3]
[0:00] [Where to find the guest]
Guest: [links the guest asked you to share]
Listen on audio: [links]
#[Topic] #Podcast #[ShowName]
Shorts
Short descriptions; the Short itself does the work.
[One sentence that restates the Short's payoff, with the phrase people search.]
Full video: [link to the related long video, if there is one]
#Shorts #[Topic] #[Subtopic]
Gaming
Gameplay, guides and challenge videos.
[Game]: [what you did or how to do it] ([mode/version/patch])
[What the viewer will learn or see, and the one detail that makes this run different.]
Chapters
0:00 [Result or highlight]
[0:00] [Setup / loadout]
[0:00] [Key moment]
[0:00] [Tips]
Settings: [only what viewers ask about]
#[Game] #[Mode] #[Topic]
How to use them
The first line is the one that gets read. Search results and the collapsed description show roughly the first 100–150 characters, so lead with what the viewer gets.
Chapters need real timestamps. YouTube only shows them when the list starts at 0:00, has at least three entries, and each chapter is 10 seconds or longer.
Three hashtags, on topic. The first three can show above the title; more than 60 and YouTube ignores them all.
Only list links you'd stand behind. Disclose affiliate links and sponsorships.
Rather have it written for your video?
The free Description Generator writes the opening, body, chapter names and hashtags for your topic.