Publishing a video with a vague title and an empty description is the easiest mistake to fix. The Title and Description Analyzer runs a short checklist on what you paste in. This guide explains each check and the reason for it, so you can decide for yourself when to ignore it.
How to check a YouTube title and description before publishing
- Paste your title and description. Add the main phrase you want the video to be found for.
- Optionally paste your tags, separated by commas.
- Read the checklist. Green is fine, amber is worth a look, red is likely a real problem.
- Fix the items that actually help a viewer. Skip any item that would make the text worse.
- Re-read the title and the first two lines of the description aloud. If it sounds like a person, you are done.
The checks and why they exist
Title length
YouTube's video settings page says titles have a limit of 100 characters. The analyzer prefers 30 to 60. That range is a habit, not a YouTube rule. Long titles can get cut off on phones and in some search results, so the first words should carry the point.
Keyword in the title, and early
If you entered a target phrase, the tool checks whether it appears in the title and how early. YouTube says relevance includes how well the title, tags, description and video content match what someone searched. Leading with the topic is a simple way to match.
Keyword in the first lines of the description
The first lines are what viewers see before they expand the description. The tool checks the first 150 characters. This is a practical guide, not a YouTube number.
Capital letters and punctuation
All-caps titles read like shouting, and several exclamation marks make a video look spammy. The tool flags a title that is mostly capitals or uses more than two ! or ? marks. This is style advice.
A number in the title
Numbers can make a promise concrete, like "5 mistakes". It is only a hint, and the tool gives it a small weight. Skip it if it does not fit.
Description length
YouTube allows up to 5,000 characters. The tool wants at least a few sentences, 250 characters or more, so the description says what the video covers. A longer description is not better by itself.
Hashtags
Per YouTube's hashtag help page, up to three hashtags appear above your title, and a video with more than 60 hashtags has all of them ignored. The analyzer flags anything beyond that limit and prefers 1 to 5.
Chapter timestamps
If your description has at least three timestamps, YouTube may show chapters. YouTube's chapters help says the first timestamp must be 00:00, you need at least three in ascending order, and each chapter needs to be at least 10 seconds. Use the Chapters tool to format them.
A link in the description
A link to your channel, a playlist or the next video gives viewers somewhere to go next. YouTube's API documentation notes that links in descriptions are only clickable for channels that meet platform requirements, such as verification or advanced features, so check yours.
Tags
The tool counts tag characters against 500, the limit YouTube's API documents. Tags carry little weight, so do not pad them.
What the score means
The score is the share of checks you pass, weighted. It is a quick way to catch missing basics. It is not a ranking prediction. Nobody outside YouTube can score what the recommendation system will do, and the tool does not claim to.
If you are at 60 and the title is clear and honest, do not twist it to reach 90.
FAQ
What is the maximum length of a YouTube title?
100 characters. Shorter titles are often easier to read on phones.
How long can a YouTube description be?
Up to 5,000 characters according to YouTube's video settings page.
Where should the keyword go in a description?
In the first one or two lines, in a normal sentence, because that is what viewers see before expanding it.
Does a high analyzer score improve my ranking?
No. It checks good habits. Ranking depends on many things, including how viewers respond to the video.
Do I need tags?
They are optional. YouTube says they play a minimal role, but may help with common misspellings.