For Shorts, write a title under about 60 characters that names what the viewer gets, with the main keyword first. Make the post caption one short first line plus one line of context or a question. Add 3 to 5 specific hashtags and one broad one. Keep the on screen hook separate and under 8 words.
Real outputs from the Videotto template gallery.
How to write titles, captions and hashtags for Shorts in 5 steps
Write the text after the clip is cut, from what the clip actually says. Five minutes per clip is a realistic budget once you have the habit.
- Name the one thing the clip delivers. Say it in a sentence: "a baker explains why sourdough goes flat". If you need "and", the clip covers two ideas and the title will be muddy.
- Write the on screen hook. Under 8 words, readable in under 2 seconds. It stops the scroll. It should not be the title word for word.
- Turn the sentence into a title. Keyword first, plain words, under about 60 characters so it is not cut off. "Why your sourdough is flat" beats "My baking journey part 4".
- Write the post caption. A short first line that reads like a title, then one line of context, a credit if it is a clip, and a question that is easy to answer in a comment.
- Pick 4 to 6 hashtags. Three to five specific tags for the topic and niche, plus one broad tag for the category. Add your series tag if you post a series.
Title formulas that work for most topics: "How to [result] without [pain]", "Why [surprising thing] happens", "[Number] things I wish I knew about [topic]", "The [moment] that changed [subject]".
Example: titles, captions and hashtags for one podcast short
Example (illustrative). A 38 second clip from a cooking podcast where a baker explains that most home sourdough is flat because the dough is under proofed, and shows the poke test.
One clip, every piece of text
| Text | What we wrote | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On screen hook | "Your sourdough isn't flat by accident" | 6 words, top quarter of the frame, first 3 seconds |
| YouTube Shorts title | Why your sourdough is flat (and the 10 second fix) | 50 characters, keyword first |
| TikTok and Reels first line | Flat sourdough? It's probably this. | Short enough to show before the cut off |
| Rest of the caption | From episode 42 of [show name]. Have you tried the poke test? | Credit plus an easy question |
| Hashtags | #sourdough #sourdoughtips #breadbaking #homebaker #baking | 4 specific tags and 1 broad tag |
Notice that the hook, the title and the first line say related things in different words. That way each one adds information instead of repeating it.
Prompt for Shorts titles, captions and hashtags
Adapted from real requests Videotto users sent to Otto. Ask for the text at the same time as the clips, so each one matches its clip.
[your YouTube link or uploaded video] Find the best clips and make 5 vertical shorts. For each clip, write: 1. A short hook for the first 3 seconds on screen, under 8 words. 2. A YouTube Shorts title under 60 characters, with the main keyword first. 3. A post caption for TikTok and Reels: one short first line, one line of context, and a question for the comments. 4. 3 to 5 specific hashtags for the topic, plus one broad one. Make each title match what the clip actually says. No clickbait.
Shorter requests for titles and hashtags
- "Find highlights for short clips and recommend a description."
- "Add an SEO title, description and tags for each clip."
- "Give me a short caption for the title."
- "Add captions to this video and make an exaggerated title."
Doing this by hand for a batch of 10 clips usually means rewatching each one and drafting text in a notes app, roughly 5 to 10 minutes per clip. Asking for it in the same prompt as the clips leaves you a quicker job: reading the drafts and fixing the ones that miss.
Shorts title, caption and hashtag limits by platform
The word "caption" means two things on short video: the words burned over the speech, and the text under the video. This table covers the second kind, plus titles and tags.
What each platform does with your text
| YouTube Shorts | TikTok | Instagram Reels | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Up to 100 characters; aim for under 60 | No separate title; the caption's first line acts as one | No separate title; the caption's first line acts as one |
| Caption or description | Description, up to 5,000 characters | Caption, up to 4,000 characters | Caption, up to 2,200 characters |
| What shows before "more" | The title in full on most phones | Roughly the first line | Roughly the first line |
| Hashtags | Ignored entirely if a video has more than 60 | 3 to 5 relevant ones | 3 to 5 relevant ones |
| Found in search by | Title, description, spoken words | Caption, on screen text, speech | Caption and on screen text |
The limits are generous. The real constraint is attention: people read the first few words and decide.
Where Shorts titles and hashtags go wrong
- Hook and title word for word. The hook is on screen and the title is under it. Saying the same thing twice wastes one of them.
- Titles that promise more than the clip. If the clip does not deliver what the title says, people leave early and stop trusting the page.
- Thirty hashtags. More tags do not mean more reach. A handful that describe the video is enough.
- Only generic tags. #viral and #fyp say nothing about the topic. Use tags that name the subject and the niche.
- Forgetting the credit. When you clip with permission, say where the full video is and follow the campaign's tag rules exactly.
FAQ
What is the difference between a caption and a title on a short?
The difference between a caption and a title on a short is where the text lives. Captions usually mean the words over the speech inside the video, which help people follow on mute. The title, or post caption, is the text under the video. On YouTube Shorts the title is also what search matches against.
How many hashtags should I use on YouTube Shorts?
On YouTube Shorts, 3 to 5 relevant hashtags is a sensible default, placed in the title or description. YouTube shows only a few of them above the title, and if a video carries more than 60 hashtags it ignores all of them. Pick tags that describe the topic, and skip generic ones like #shorts if space is tight.
Should I use the same title on TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts?
You can use the same idea for the title on TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts, but not always the same words. Shorts titles are searched, so make them clear and keyword first. TikTok and Reels show the first line of the caption to people already watching, so that line can be shorter and more casual.
Do hashtags still help short videos get views?
Hashtags still help short videos a little, mostly by telling the platform what the video is about, but they do not make a weak video travel. Watch time and rewatches matter far more. Treat hashtags as labels: a few accurate ones help the right viewers find the clip, while dozens of popular tags do nothing.
How long should a YouTube Shorts title be?
A YouTube Shorts title should usually be 40 to 60 characters. YouTube allows up to 100, but longer titles get cut off on phones, and the words people search for should appear early. One clear idea per title works best: if you need "and" to describe the clip, consider splitting it into two shorts.
Clips, titles and hashtags in one go
Paste the prompt above into Otto with your video.
