YouTube Shorts SEO: Titles, Descriptions, and CTR that Win

Shorts SEO is not long-form SEO. You win clicks in one second with intent-aligned titles and thumbnails that set the right expectation. Here’s a pragmatic, testable system.

Title Formulas that Align to Intent

• Outcome + Timeline: “Do X in 10 Seconds”
• Counterintuitive: “Stop Doing X. Do This Instead.”
• Reveal: “The Hidden Reason Your X Fails”
• Challenge: “Can You Spot the Mistake?”

Descriptions That Index without Stuffing

Use 1–2 keyword phrases naturally in the first line, then two concise lines restating the outcome and the audience. Avoid lists of keywords. Add a single internal link to a related video or playlist.

CTR Boosters

• Faces/hands increase clarity. Avoid dense text overlays.
• High contrast and single focal subject in the first frame.
• Promise + proof in second one; show result quickly.

Testing Plan (7 Days)

1. Create 3 title variants per video mapped to different intent angles.
2. Publish A/B/C over three days at the same posting window.
3. Promote the winner; archive the losers for future remixes.

Keep evolving your hooks with our guides: Shorts title formulas and thumbnail frame selection.