How long should my YouTube description be?

YouTube shows the first ~2 lines before 'Show more.' Put your key message and links in those first 100 characters. Full descriptions of 200-500 characters are optimal.

Should I include timestamps in my description?

Yes — timestamps (chapters) improve viewer retention and help YouTube index your content by topic, potentially earning 'chapters' features in search results.

YouTube Description Generator — SEO-Optimized Video Descriptions

YouTube Description SEO Best Practices (2026)

First 2-3 lines are critical — they appear in search results without clicking "Show more". Put your primary keyword and hook here.
Aim for 200-500 words minimum — YouTube's algorithm reads the full description for SEO context.
Add timestamps (chapters) — format: "01:23 — Section Name". Improves viewer retention and gives Google rich snippets.
Include 3-5 relevant hashtags at the bottom — YouTube shows the first 3 above the title.
Add links to relevant videos — increases watch time across your channel.
Don't keyword-stuff — write naturally. Over-optimization gets penalized.

Compress your video: YouTube Video Compressor
Check your SEO score: YouTube SEO Checker

Complete your upload workflow: Use Trimpx Title Generator for click-worthy titles, YouTube Tags Generator for keywords, and Bitrate Calculator for optimal encoding.