How to Add Chapters to a YouTube Video

YouTube chapters (timestamp markers) tell AI systems exactly what topics your video covers, making it significantly more indexable for AI citation.

?Why it matters

YouTube chapters are timestamp markers that divide your video into named sections. AI systems use these to understand what topics your video covers without watching it. A video with clear chapter titles like "0:00 What is GEO", "3:45 How AI reads your website", "8:20 The 5 things to fix first" is far more likely to be cited by AI systems than the same video without chapters.

✓What you'll need

  • •A published or draft YouTube video
  • •A rough transcript or notes from your video (to identify topic changes)
  • •Access to YouTube Studio

Step-by-step walkthrough

1

Open YouTube Studio

Go to studio.youtube.com and select the video you want to add chapters to.

2

Click "Edit" on the video

In the Content section, click the pencil icon next to your video to open the video editor.

3

Open the description field

Scroll down to the Description field. This is where you add chapter timestamps.

4

Add timestamps in the description

Type your timestamps in this format on separate lines: 0:00 Introduction 2:15 First topic name 5:30 Second topic name 9:45 Third topic name The first timestamp must be 0:00. You need at least 3 chapters. Each chapter name should be descriptive — use the actual topic, not "Part 1", "Part 2".

5

Save and verify

Click "Save." Wait 1–2 minutes, then open your video on YouTube. You should see chapter markers appear on the progress bar and a chapter list in the description.

★Pro tips

  • TIP:Use your target keywords in chapter titles — "How to fix NAP consistency" is better than "NAP fix." AI systems read chapter titles as topic signals.
  • TIP:Aim for 5–10 chapters per video. Too few chapters (1–2) provide minimal structure. Too many (20+) dilute the signal.
  • TIP:Name chapters from the viewer's perspective: "Why your reviews are being ignored" beats "Reviews section."

!Common mistakes

  • ✕Starting the first chapter at a time other than 0:00 — YouTube requires the first timestamp to be exactly 0:00.
  • ✕Using generic chapter names like "Intro" and "Outro" for every video — these add no topical signal.
  • ✕Forgetting to add chapters after uploading — make chapter creation part of your upload checklist.

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