Imagine if a small addition to each YouTube upload had the power to skyrocket your views. It sounds fanciful, but that's exactly what YouTube keywords do — they get your videos seen by more people. That’s why finding the best keywords for your YouTube content is so important for the success of your channel, no matter if you’re a seasoned creator or just starting out.
If you’re not familiar with YouTube keywords, they’re an important part of YouTube SEO and can help drive huge numbers of viewers to your content. In this guide, you’ll learn about YouTube keywords, including how to search for and target the right ones to bring in more views.
New to the concept of SEO? Learn how it can help your videos rank higher in searches and bring in more viewers as a result by checking out our guide to YouTube SEO.
- What are YouTube keywords?
- The different types of keywords explained
- Why you should use YouTube keywords
- How to find keywords for YouTube
- How to add keywords to your YouTube videos
- How to add keywords to your YouTube channel page
- What to avoid when using keywords
What are YouTube keywords?
YouTube receives 100 million searches every single day. Keywords are the backbone of how people discover videos on the platform. Essentially they are the main words and phrases people use when looking for content in the YouTube search bar.
So, why are keywords important? When YouTube decides which content to recommend for a particular search, its algorithm looks for matching keywords in a video's title, descriptions, tags and captions.
If you use keywords the right way, you can significantly increase how many views your videos get. On the flipside, use them incorrectly and you might confuse YouTube, causing your content to tank. To help you navigate the right path, let’s take a look at the different types of keywords you might come across.
The different types of keywords explained
Clearly keywords have an important role in your channel’s success, so how can you start using them to your advantage? On a basic level, it involves considering what people are searching for and matching your content to their keywords.
Let’s say you’re uploading a baking video, you’ll want to target keywords people are likely to search for, like ‘chocolate cake’ for example. But that’s just the beginning — you can layer keywords to reach even more viewers and get super specific with the terms you use. Something as detailed as ‘gluten free flourless chocolate cake recipe’ is more likely to appear in searches that use that exact keyword.
Where before you may have previously relied on your cake content being seen and shared by your audience, you’re now giving Google a chance to put it in front of a much wider audience. And to really make the most of YouTube SEO, you’ll want to use a mix of keywords. Let’s dive into the different types there are:
- Your primary keyword is a broad term that covers the main focus or central topic of your content — ‘chocolate cake’ in this example. You'll want to use your primary keyword as often as possible, and always in your video title!
- Secondary keywords are supporting words that provide more context to your video content. They’re usually close to your primary keywords and help attract related searches, so something like ‘gluten free cake’ or ‘chocolate cake recipe.’
- Long-tail keywords are detailed phrases (usually three words or more!) that cater to audiences looking for very specific content — like ‘how to bake a moist gluten free chocolate cake’ for example.
- Broad keywords are high-level, generic terms that cover a larger topic — for example, ‘baking’ or ‘food.’ These are most effective when they’re used alongside your more detailed keywords.
Niche keywords target a specific audience within your niche. For example, ‘vegan cake recipe’ would target vegans within the ‘baking’ niche.
Why use YouTube keywords?
The keywords you choose can make or break your content — especially if you are a new creator, or have a smaller subscriber base. So before you post your next video, here’s the two main reasons to tackle keyword research first:
- Keywords help you find the perfect audience: YouTube uses things like titles and descriptions to understand what your content is about, before recommending it to the right audience on the home page or in-search. Keywords can also show viewers your video is what they’re looking for and convince them to click on your content. Make sure to think about the type of viewer you want to reach, as well as the search results you want to appear in.
- Keywords improve your chances of ranking higher in search: Videos optimized with strong keywords are more likely to appear at the top of search results for that term or phrase. And the higher you appear, the more clicks you’ll receive!
How to find the best keywords for YouTube
Now you know that keywords can help you get more views, you’re probably itching to use them – so let’s get started.
1. Start by focusing on your niche:
Not all keywords are created equal. To reach the right audience, you need to tailor your keyword research to your niche. Start by brainstorming topics related to your content. For example, if you’re a gaming creator, you might start with something broad like ‘PC games’, or focus on more specific phrases like ‘the best strategies for winning at Fortnite.’
Once you’ve created a list of topics and themes relevant to your niche, it’s time to dig deeper. This means researching search volume, competition, and related terms to uncover specific keywords that will help your content stand out. This leads us onto the tools out there that can help you find the perfect keywords.
2. Make the most of tools that help you research keywords:
Don’t worry if the thought of doing research gives you the shivers – there are plenty of websites which do the hard work for you. Platforms like vidIQ, TubeBuddy, or Keywords Everywhere scour the internet to analyze search volume for particular terms. They show you how competitive these words are (i.e. how many creators are using the keyword in their content), and suggest related terms for you to explore.
To have the best shot at ranking for a keyword on YouTube, look for terms that have a high search volume but lower competition.
3. Think like the algorithm with YouTube auto-suggest:
Want to master the YouTube algorithm? It’s time to start thinking like the YouTube algorithm. Use the search bar to uncover what the platform is actively suggesting to users. Simply type a word or phrase into the bar and make a note of the suggestions that appear.
These suggestions represent real searches from users and can provide valuable insights into what’s trending. Now’s also a great time to put to use the ideas from your brainstorm session on your niche!
4. Don’t be shy about analyzing your competitors:
Learn from successful YouTubers in your niche by taking notes on how they use keywords. Simply search for a term on YouTube and see what videos the algorithm pulls up. Those at the top are likely to be using keywords effectively, so make sure to study their title, description and channel page for inspiration on how you can use keywords too!
A quick YouTube search of ‘Best places to visit in Thailand’ pulls up a video by travel-tubers World Wild Heart on 15 beautiful places to visit. They’re a master of their game, with clear and succinct titles and detailed descriptions.
5. See how popular keywords are with Google Trends:
Google Trends is a free tool which shows you what people are searching for on Google and how popular different search terms have been over time. It’s great for spotting seasonal trends, like searches for ‘holiday gift ideas’ surging in December, or a peak in ‘summer fitness tips’ searches in May. These insights can help you plan upcoming video content, or decide the best time to publish in order to maximize the searches you appear in.
6. Check out YouTube’s trending content:
The YouTube trending page is the place to see what’s currently hot on the platform. If you’re all out of content ideas, use it to see what people are currently enjoying and any trends you could piggyback from. It’s likely that videos and channels that end up on the trending page contain keywords that users are searching for, so grab a pen and paper and take note!
Trending topics often come with a host of keywords, but it’s also worth building a bank of content that will stay relevant over time. Combine trending keywords with evergreen ones and your video will continue to capture views in years to come.
7. Know which keywords are working hardest by diving into your analytics:
No research is complete without data to back it up. In the Traffic Sources section of YouTube Analytics, you can find the exact search terms driving traffic to your videos. Incorporate these keywords into your next video’s title and description to capture more traffic, or adjust your strategy to target new terms. Understanding where your viewers are coming from and which search terms are bringing you a bigger audience is essential for growing your channel!
Want to learn more about how data, metrics and tools can get your videos seen by more people? Check out our blog on YouTube analytics to grow your channel in 2025.
How to add keywords to your YouTube videos
When it comes to keywords, it’s what you do with them that counts. To help you become make the most from your research, we’ve pulled together the most impactful places you can use them:
1. Include keywords in your titles:
It might be an obvious first choice, but your titles really are the best place to add your most important keywords. A good title not only attracts clicks, but also tells YouTube what your video is about and what search results it should appear in. Make sure to position your keyword at the beginning of your video title to give it the biggest chance of ranking for that term.
2. Pepper your descriptions with related keywords:
Your descriptions can be much lengthier than your title, which makes them the perfect place to add a few related keywords. A word of warning though, make sure your description flows nicely and is as clearly structured as possible. Its purpose is to inform viewers what they’re watching, not to tell them the keywords you hope to rank for.
Haven’t struck gold with your latest video? Experiment with new keywords in your title and description to see if they improve performance.
3. Use keywords as your tags:
When you go to upload your video, you’ll have the option to add tags in the “Details” section of YouTube Studio. These tags tell YouTube what your video is about and help it connect your video with similar content. To give your video the best chance of ranking for different terms, include your most important keywords along with any relevant related terms.
4. Don’t neglect adding captions to your content:
YouTube’s algorithm loves text and will use everything you provide to make sense of your content. Give your videos a quick boost by enabling automatic captions on your videos, or adding subtitles through YouTube Studio. These will likely include keywords that improve your search rankings and make your content more accessible to a wider audience!
5. Catch people’s eye with a keyword in your thumbnail
YouTube won’t actually be able to see whether you include a keyword in your thumbnail or not, but a well-placed keyword can still boost your views. By highlighting your absolute main keyword, you’re showing potential viewers that your video is super relevant. Which in turn should improve your click-through rate and the number of people watching your content.
If you want to get serious about racking up more views, you’ll want to get familiar with your click-through rate. Learn how to improve this vital metric and earn more views in our guide to YouTube click-through rate.
How to add keywords to your YouTube channel page
Your videos aren’t the only place YouTube’s algorithm will look for keywords. Your channel page also has lots of opportunity for you to showcase the type of content you create. Play your cards right, and you could even appear as a featured channel alongside search results and recommended videos!
1. Feature keywords in your channel description
Your channel description is one of the first things viewers and YouTube’s algorithm look at to understand what you’re all about. Make the most of this space by including keywords that describe your niche or the type of content you love creating.
2. Make use of channel tags
Be sure to add a few relevant keywords that describe your channel as tags in YouTube Studio. These won’t be shown publicly, but they help YouTube understand your focus and match you with viewers searching for similar content. It only takes 5 minutes and will make all the difference to your discoverability!
3. Don’t forget to optimize playlists with keywords
Your channel playlists aren’t just a way to organise your content, they can also be great for sneaking in extra keywords. Make sure the title and descriptions of your playlist are as relevant to your niche as possible. This not only helps viewers browse your content more easily, but also enhances your channel’s visibility.
What to avoid when using YouTube keywords
Keywords are an invaluable weapon in the fight to win more viewers, but they can also cause damage to your own channel if you’re not careful. Ultimately, you need to make sure you only use keywords that are relevant to your videos, otherwise you could find yourself on the wrong side of YouTube’s algorithm. Here are the main mistakes to avoid:
- Deliver what your keywords promise
If you don’t follow through on what viewers would expect from your title and description, YouTube’s algorithm will soon notice people dropping out of your content. When that happens, it’s an uphill battle to feature in any search results.
- Never chase popular keywords that aren’t relevant
It’s tempting to go after terms loads of people are searching for, but there’s no point if they don’t relate to your video. YouTube’s algorithm may well test your content by recommending it to people looking for those keywords, but they won’t even click on your clips if it’s not what they’re actually after. In the eyes of the algorithm, your video will suffer by looking less clickable than others.
- Avoid being consistently inconsistent
YouTube’s algorithm wants to understand what your videos and channel are about — it can’t do that if the keywords you use are giving it mixed messages. Try to keep to a single topic or niche so the algorithm can find the right viewers for your channel.
Want to cover lots of topics and have the time and willpower? Instead of uploading everything to one main channel, consider multiple channels that are each focussed on specific topics and consistent audiences.
Crack the YouTube keyword code to grow your channel in 2025
Keywords are the driving force behind YouTube’s powerful search engine. The right keyword can push your video to the top of search results, earning you more clicks and views. So make sure to take the time to research the best keywords for your content, and place them correctly for ultimate impact.
Ready to grow your YouTube channel even further? Maximize your content’s potential by checking out our guide to the YouTube algorithm. You’ll learn how the algorithm works and discover invaluable tips to boost your videos' performance!
