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Go Viral: How to Create Compelling YouTube Description

Go Viral: How to Create Compelling YouTube Description

Learn the secrets to crafting compelling YouTube descriptions and take your videos to the next level with Go Viral from Maekersuite. Read more to get started on your viral content journey.
What we'll cover

YouTube is the second most popular search platform behind Google, with over 2.5 billion monthly active users. It's no surprise that many people are turning to YouTube for entertainment, education, and information. It’s modern-day TV.

But with so much new content coming out, it can take a lot of effort to get your videos to stand out. 

That's where the power of a compelling YouTube description comes in. As the leading YouTube description generator tool, we invest a lot of time into exploring how to create YouTube descriptions that help videos go viral. 

And, whether you're a blogger, marketer, or just someone who wants to grow their YouTube channel, read on to learn the secrets of crafting the perfect YouTube description.

Let's get started. 

What we'll cover

What is a YouTube Description?

A YouTube description is a text field that allows you to provide additional information about your video. It appears below the video player on the watch page and in the video's information section. 

When someone searches for a video on YouTube and clicks on your video, the first few lines of the video's description appear in the search results. Additionally, only the first three lines of the YouTube description will be visible to viewers without them having to click the "show more" button.

a youtube page - Dove Real Beauty Sketches with a text field in About section in red square at the lower left

YouTube descriptions can be up to 5,000 characters long and include links, hashtags, and other information to help viewers find and understand your video. You can use them to provide a summary of the video's content, add context, or include calls-to-action (CTA), like asking viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel or visit your website. 

Additionally, the YouTube algorithm uses YouTube descriptions for indexing content. So, it helps better discover your video on the web.

Why is a YouTube Description important?

YouTube descriptions are important for several reasons: 

  1. YouTube SEO: Other search engines also index YouTube descriptions. So, it’s important to perform keyword research and include relevant keywords in your video descriptions to help your videos rank higher in search results. 
  2. Discovery: A well-written YouTube description box can help your video stand out in search results and suggested videos, making it more likely for people to click on and watch it. 
  3. Context: A YouTube description can provide additional information about the video that may take time to be evident from the video's title or thumbnail. This can help viewers understand what the video is about and whether it's relevant to them. 
  4. Calls-to-action: You can use descriptions to encourage viewers to engage with your content in other ways, such as subscribing to your YouTube channel, visiting your website, or supporting your work. 
  5. Accessibility: Descriptions also help in making the video more accessible to people with hearing loss or other disabilities, as captions or transcriptions can be added to the video, making it more accessible for them.

Overall, a well-written and optimized YouTube description can help increase the visibility and engagement of your videos, leading to more views and, ultimately, success for your YouTube channel.

What makes a good YouTube Description?

A good YouTube description is well-written, informative, and engaging. The text of the description should be compelling enough to entice viewers to watch your video. 

A good YouTube description also includes keywords that will help people find your video when they search for similar content on the platform or through google searches. 

If you want to write an adequate YouTube description, there's no one right way to do it. However, there are some things that most of them have in common. 

  1. They're well-written.  
  2. They contain relevant keywords. 
  3. They have a strong call-to-action (CTA).
  4. They provide context and additional information about the video. 
  5. They're accessible, including captions or transcriptions for deaf viewers. 
  6. They are designed to cater to both users and search engines. 
  7. They're engaging and interesting, making viewers want to watch the video. 
  8. They add links to related content or a website, making it easy for viewers to find more information or connect with you. 

The more information you include here, the better. You want to ensure that people who watch your video know exactly what they're getting into. A good description will also help with video SEO (search engine optimization) because Google uses this text when searching for videos on YouTube.

The YouTube description should be more than just a description of what you're about to show in your video. It should also serve as an advertisement for your YouTube channel and a way for viewers to learn more about you and what you do.

How to Write Compelling YouTube Description

Writing a compelling YouTube description is essential for getting more views and engagement on your videos. Here are some tips to help you create an effective YouTube description: 

mostly text field showing a Description of Meakersuite youtube short

#1 Choose Searchable Ideas

If you're writing a description for a YouTube video, there are a few things that you need to consider. One of the most important aspects of your description is your keywords. 

Choosing trending keywords relevant to your video is essential if you want people to find your content online.  It also helps you choose the best video tags and informs you of what your audience really wants to know.

text field showing video ideas suggestions

Makersuite's Youtube Video Ideas Generator uses AI to find trending videos and popular titles relevant to a keyword, allowing users to generate unique video ideas for their channel quickly. 

With just two simple steps - entering a keyword and selecting your favorite trending topics - you can produce search-optimized ideas that will resonate with your audience.

#2 Add your personality, create curiosity

It's tempting to write a bland, corporate description that focuses on the content of the video and nothing else. But if you don't convey who you are as a person, why should anyone want to listen? If you're passionate about what you do, let that passion shine through in your description.

While you might feel like you're being repetitive, remember that every person who sees your video will only read one of these descriptions — so the more times they see something familiar, the more likely they'll be to read more than one line of text.

The video description should reflect who you are as an individual or brand. You can include details about yourself or your business in the video description and follow a brand voice. It'll help people get to know you better and build trust with potential customers.

Here is an example of how you can add personality to a YouTube video description: 

"Hey, guys! Welcome back to my YouTube channel. 

In this video, I will show you how to make the perfect chocolate chip cookies. I've been perfecting this recipe for years, and I'm excited to share it with you. 

These cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with gooey chocolate chunks. 

Trust me. You won't be able to resist taking just one more bite. So grab your apron, preheat your oven, and let's get baking! 

Don't forget to give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed it, and subscribe for more delicious recipes. See you in the next video!"

#3 Use Hashtags

You may be familiar with hashtags but need to learn exactly what they are or how YouTube channels use them. In short, hashtags are keywords that enable people to find and organize video content. They're also used to connect people worldwide with similar interests.

a youtube page with red square on the lower left showing hashtags

For example, if you upload a video about basketball and want people who like it to find it, you can include the hashtag or video tag #basketball in your description. This way, when someone searches for "#basketball" in their YouTube app, your video will show up in their YouTube search results.

YouTube hashtags can also help you get more views because they increase the chances that people will discover your video content outside your network.

How to use hashtags for writing YouTube descriptions effectively:

  • Find popular hashtags related to your video's topic.
  • Add them at the end of your description (without spaces), so they'll appear on YouTube searches as someone looks up those terms. 
  • Don't overuse them – one or two per video should be plenty. 

#4 Add Timestamps

Timestamps are a way to add structure and organization to your YouTube videos. By adding timestamps, you can create a table of contents for your entire video, making it easy for viewers to navigate to the sections they're interested in. 

text field showing how to make youtube timestamps

Timestamps also make it easier for viewers to find specific moments in your video while watching it on any device. 

Keep these 3 things in mind before you start adding timestamps to your videos: 

  • You're required to add at least 3 timestamps in a video. 
  • The timestamps should be at least 10 seconds in length. 
  • The first timestamp will start from 00:00 seconds of the video. 

You have 2 options to add timestamps in a video -

  • Add it to your video description while uploading new videos
  • Add it to your video after uploading it

To add timestamps to your already uploaded YouTube video: 

  • Go to the "Content" section and go to the details of the video if you want to add timestamps. 
  • Then, within the YouTube description section, start adding the time and the title of the timestamps. You can add as many timestamps as you want. 
  • When you're finished, click "Save." Your timestamps will appear on the video.

Timestamps are a great way to improve the YouTube SEO of your videos. You can use relevant keywords to help YouTube understand the content of your long videos and improve its ranking in YouTube search results using timestamps. 

#5 Provide Links To Helpful Content 

If you want to help your viewers find more information about the topics you're discussing in your videos, add links to helpful video content in your YouTube descriptions. This can include blog posts, articles, infographics, social media links, and other types of content that will supplement the information in your videos. 

When you add links to this additional suggested video content, you can help your viewers learn more about your topic and deepen their understanding of the concepts you're discussing.

a youtube profile of Conor Maynard showing text fields

For example, suppose you're sharing a tutorial on how to create a website using WordPress. In that case, you might include a link to one or more of the following helpful resources or related videos:

  • A website building tool like Wix or Squarespace, which is what you used in the video (if not, then use another popular website builder)
  • A site where people can learn more about using WordPress as a CMS (content management system), such as WPBeginner or DigitalOcean's SitePoint
  • The homepage of your personal blog, if you have one.

Be sure to include either http:// or https:// at the beginning of the web address - otherwise, the link won't work.

#6 Add Call-To-Action

Adding CTAs (calls to action) to your YouTube video descriptions is a great way to encourage viewers to take the next step, whether subscribing to your YouTube channel, visiting your website, links to other social media platforms, or taking part in your latest campaign.

Make sure your CTAs are clear and concise, and consider adding a sense of urgency to encourage people to act now. You can also use CTAs to highlight other videos or playlists on your YouTube channel that viewers might be interested in.

Experiment with different CTAs to see what works best with your audience. Make sure to track your results to optimize your video descriptions for maximum impact.

a profile of Shane Baker with a profile picture on the upper left and mostly text field

Some examples of good CTAs for YouTube video descriptions include: 

  • Click the link below to learn more!
  • Watch now to see how easy it is to make your website!
  • Check out our new videos to see our latest product in action!

#7 Improve following personal data

A great YouTube video description is essential to winning over viewers. You have a few seconds to make them want to watch your video, so your video description needs to be sharp and compelling.

The best way to make that happen is by measuring performance. You can do this by using YouTube Analytics or Tubular. If you're using one of these tools, you'll have access to analytics that can help you understand what your audience likes, watch time, video views, and how long they stay on your YouTube channel.

channel analytics dashboard showing line chart

With this information in hand, you can ensure that each of your YouTube videos includes a compelling description tailored specifically for that video.

You can use personal data to improve the quality of the videos by providing information about the users who are uploading them. You can identify the user's interests and determine what types of videos are most popular. By keeping an eye on personal data, you can ensure that the uploaded videos are of the highest quality.

That's it!

By following these tips, you can create an effective YouTube video description to help your video stand out and attract more views. Always test different approaches and see what works best for you and your target audience.

Example Of A Good YouTube Video Description

Here's an example of a good YouTube video description: 

"Welcome to our latest cooking tutorial, where we show you how to make the perfect homemade pizza.

In this video, we'll teach you how to make the dough from scratch, choose the best toppings, and cook it to perfection. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, you'll learn something new in this tutorial. 

00:00 - Introduction and ingredients list 

01:30 - Preparing the dough 

03:00 - Adding the sauce and toppings 

05:00 - Baking the pizza in the oven 

07:00 - Removing the pizza from the oven and slicing 

08:00 - Conclusion and serving suggestions

Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Let's get started!" 

This video description is a good example of a YouTube video description because of it: 

  1. Starts with a strong headline that accurately describes the video 
  2. Contains relevant keywords such as "cooking tutorial" and "homemade pizza" 
  3. Provides context and additional information about the video 
  4. Uses formatting to make the description easy to read 
  5. Has a call-to-action asking viewers to subscribe to the channel 
  6. Is engaging and interesting, making the viewer want to watch the video 
  7. It is concise and to the point 
  8. Does not contain irrelevant information 
  9. The description is optimized for both users and search engines

Create a Compelling YouTube Description With Maekersuite

Makersuite's YouTube Description Generator allows you to quickly generate high-quality YouTube description ideas for your videos by analyzing the topic, finding relevant keywords, and incorporating other important information.

To use Makersuite's YouTube Video Description Generator: 

  1. Input the title of your upcoming YouTube video 
  2. Browse through a list of popular and trending videos related to your keyword, and select a video title that matches your video's topic.
  3. Utilize the tool's AI capabilities to generate multiple descriptions for your video, ensuring they include relevant information and keywords.

Maekersuite's YouTube Description Template

Maekersuite's AI-based tool creates unique and personalized description templates  for your videos. 

  • Maekersuite's customizable description templates simplify the video creation process, allowing you to save time and improve efficiency. Furthermore, a well-crafted description will help you increase the visibility of your videos and grow your subscriber base.
  • Maekersuite's YouTube Description templates make it easy to create captivating and relatable hooks for your videos, helping to make them more engaging and interesting.
  • Maekersuite's AI-based tool performs keyword research and incorporates relevant information to produce descriptions that will grab the viewer's attention.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, creating a compelling YouTube description is crucial to ensuring that your videos go viral. By following the tips outlined in this blog post, you can increase the visibility of your videos and attract more viewers. 

Remember to include keywords in your video title and description, provide a clear and concise summary of your video, and include relevant links. Also, remember to use formatting options to make your description stand out and include a call to action. 

With the right approach, you can create a description that will help your videos go viral and reach a wider audience. Keep experimenting, and you'll find the perfect formula for your channel. Happy filming!

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