sboghossian YouTube Video Description
When this applies
Use this skill when writing a YouTube description for any video on the HAQQ Legal AI / Louis channel: product demos, legal explainers, interview episodes, tutorial content, or event coverage.
YouTube descriptions serve two functions: (1) they influence the YouTube search algorithm, and (2) they give viewers who land on the page the information needed to decide whether to watch and where to find referenced resources.
Structure
1. Hook — first 100–150 characters
The most critical section. YouTube shows only the first ~100 characters in search results and the first 2–3 lines before the "Show more" fold on the video page.
- State the core value of the video immediately.
- Include the most important keyword for this topic.
- Good: "How to review a UAE employment contract in under 2 minutes using AI — full walkthrough."
- Bad: "In this video we'll be taking a look at some of the things you can do with our platform."
Do not waste the hook on a generic opener.
2. Episode / video summary
2–4 sentences expanding on what the video covers. Write for a viewer who has not watched yet and is deciding whether it is worth their time.
Include:
- The specific topic or question the video answers.
- Who the audience is (lawyers in the UAE, law students, in-house counsel).
- What the viewer will be able to do or know after watching.
3. Chapter timestamps
YouTube automatically creates a chapter navigation bar when timestamps are in the description. Use this feature for videos over 5 minutes.
Format:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 The problem with manual contract review
4:15 Live demo — uploading a UAE employment contract
8:45 Reading the AI analysis output
12:20 How jurisdiction affects the analysis
16:00 Summary and next steps
Rules:
- Must start with
0:00. - At least three timestamps are required for YouTube to render the chapter bar.
- Chapter titles should be descriptive, not generic ("Part 1", "Section 2" are unhelpful).
4. Mentioned links
List every resource referenced in the video:
- Platform sign-up / free trial link (always first).
- Blog posts, whitepapers, or tools mentioned.
- Guest's LinkedIn, website, or firm profile.
- Related videos on the channel.
Format as plain URLs followed by a short description:
Try Louis for free: https://...
Blog post on UAE employment law: https://...
Guest's LinkedIn: https://...
5. Social and channel links
- LinkedIn, X (Twitter), website.
- Channel subscribe button + notification bell reminder: "Subscribe for weekly MENA legal AI content."
Keep this section brief — it is functional, not narrative.
SEO considerations
- Include the main keyword phrase in the first 100 characters.
- Use secondary keywords naturally within the summary section (do not keyword-stuff).
- MENA-specific content should name specific jurisdictions (UAE, DIFC, KSA, Dubai, Riyadh) — these are long-tail search terms with high intent from the target audience.
- Video topic, guest name, and company name are all indexable in YouTube search — include each where relevant.
Tone
- Plain and direct. This is a utility document for viewers, not marketing copy.
- Do not write the description in first person ("I talk about…") or second person ("You will learn…") — third person or imperative works better ("This video covers…" or "Watch to learn…").
- Match the register of the video content — a technical deep-dive for lawyers warrants more formal language than a product demo for general audiences.
Length
- Minimum: 150 words (enough to provide context and support YouTube's indexing).
- Target: 250–400 words.
- Maximum: YouTube shows 5,000 characters but descriptions beyond 500 words rarely add indexing value.
Related skills
- [[voice-brand-podcast-show-notes]]
- [[voice-brand-tweet-thread-launch]]
- [[voice-brand-linkedin-post-stephane]]
- [[voice-brand-press-release-tone]]