How To Boost Your Channel with YouTube Keyword Research

Succeeding on YouTube isn’t just about creating great content — it's about ensuring your videos are discovered by the right audience. YouTube keyword research involves identifying popular search terms to help optimize video content for better visibility and engagement.

In this guide, we’ll explore how the right keywords can help boost your channel, make your content more discoverable, and ultimately attract more viewers.

What’s YouTube Keyword Research and Why Does It Matter?

YouTube keyword research relates to finding the most popular and relevant terms that people search for on the platform. Like Google, YouTube uses a search algorithm to determine which videos to show based on the keywords used in the video’s title, description, tags, and captions.

Keyword research helps you reach a larger audience. Without relevant keywords, your video may get buried in YouTube's library of content, regardless of its quality. Second, it helps you align your content with what your viewers are already searching for, increasing the likelihood of engagement. 

Finally, well-researched keywords can drive more organic traffic to your channel, resulting in higher watch time, more subscribers, and greater success on the platform.

How To Conduct Keyword Research for YouTube

Performing effective keyword research is vital for any successful YouTube strategy. By pinpointing the most popular keywords, you can help your videos reach a wider audience and rank higher in search results. Here are some reliable approaches.

Use YouTube’s Search Suggestions

One of the easiest ways to begin your YouTube keyword research is by using YouTube’s built-in search suggestions. As you type a query into the YouTube search bar, you'll notice a dropdown of popular YouTube search terms that people are looking for. These suggestions are a great starting point to find keywords that are already in use and are relevant to your content.

For example, if you type in “fitness,” YouTube might suggest terms like “fitness workouts for beginners” or “fitness tips for weight loss.” By targeting these keywords, you can help your videos rank higher for niche topics and attract a more targeted audience. 

Leverage Competitor Analysis

Another effective way to research YouTube keywords is by analyzing your competitors. Check out channels similar to yours and see which keywords they’re using. Look at video titles, descriptions, and tags to get an idea of what’s working for successful creators. Using analytics tools can help you dig deeper into this data and see which specific keywords are helping your competitors perform well. 

Use Keyword Research Tools

There are many free and paid tools available to help with YouTube keyword research. For instance, Google Keyword Planner gives you an overview of search volumes for particular keywords, while tools like TubeBuddy and VidIQ specialize in YouTube-specific search metrics. These tools can help you pick the right keywords based on their performance and competitiveness.

Check Trending Keywords

Staying on top of trending topics is another great way to find viral keywords for YouTube. You can check YouTube's trending page to see what’s popular in various categories. Google Trends is also useful for monitoring rising topics. When a trend starts to gain traction, jumping on relevant keywords early can give you an edge in getting noticed. 

Analyze Audience Insights

YouTube Analytics is a great resource for understanding your audience’s interests and search behavior. By reviewing your existing videos’ performance, you can figure out which keywords are already driving traffic to your channel. Keep an eye on patterns in search terms, and use these insights to help guide your keyword choices going forward.

Considering Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail YouTube keywords are more specific phrases that usually have lower competition, making them easier to rank for. These keywords could receive fewer searches, but they often attract a more qualified audience interested in what your video offers. 

For example, instead of just targeting “gaming,” you could target “best strategy games for beginners” or “gaming setup for small spaces.” Long-tail YouTube keyword research can help your videos rank higher for niche topics and connect with a more engaged viewership.

Try Keywords With A/B Testing

A/B testing is a great way to figure out which YouTube keywords work best for your videos. Try swapping out keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags to see what brings in the most traffic. Pay attention to how each version performs, and use those insights to sharpen your strategy and make your future content even stronger.

4 Ways To Add Keywords to Your YouTube Video

Once you’ve identified your YouTube keywords, it’s time to optimize your videos. Here are the best ways to add keywords for maximum impact.

1. Use Primary Keywords in Your Title

Your video title is often the first thing viewers notice while scrolling through search results. Including your main YouTube keywords in the title is crucial for SEO, but it’s also important that the title still makes sense and catches the viewer’s eye. A great title is optimized for search engines, grabs attention, and encourages people to click.

2. Place Keywords Strategically in the Video Description

Your video description gives you more space to tactfully work in keywords. Be sure to include your main keyword in the first few lines since these are visible in search results. As you write your description, try to sprinkle in related keywords throughout naturally. 

3. Tag Videos With Relevant Keywords

Tags help YouTube understand your video’s content, which can help you show up more often in search results. Combine both broad and specific keywords to cover all bases. For example, if your video is about at-home workouts, tags like “home workouts,” “fitness tips,” and “workout routine for beginners” will help YouTube categorize your video and make it more discoverable.

In addition, specific tags like "YouTube tags for views" can also help boost your video’s visibility, as these tags are often searched by users looking for content that drives engagement. 

4. Add Keywords to Closed Captions and Subtitles

Adding captions and subtitles not only makes your videos more accessible but also boosts your SEO. YouTube can crawl the text in your captions and use it to index your video. With Captions, you can instantly add subtitles to your videos to help them get in front of more viewers. Our AI Subtitle Editor lets you customize the color, font, and size to match your content and brand.

Make YouTube Video Editing Easy With Captions  

Using the right keywords helps get your videos noticed, but excellent content quality involves much more than well-placed search terms. That’s where Captions comes in.

Captions is an essential tool for streamlining your YouTube video creation process and delivering professional-level results every time. With features like our YouTube Video Editor and Video Script Generator, you can quickly produce and fine-tune your videos for optimum accessibility, SEO and engagement. 

Try Captions today and watch your videos top the charts.

FAQs

When Will You See Results of Keyword Optimization?

It may take days or weeks to see the impact of keyword optimization on your YouTube videos, as the platform's algorithm needs time to index and rank them. Use YouTube Analytics to monitor performance and assess the effectiveness of your keyword research.

How Can You Find YouTube Keyword Search Volume Fast?

To find YouTube keyword search volume quickly, use tools like TubeBuddy, VidIQ, and Google Keyword Planner. These platforms are designed to help you assess the search volume of specific keywords on the platform. 

When you enter your target keyword, you’ll instantly get a report showing its search volume, competition level, and related terms. These tools often feature browser extensions, allowing you to check the search volume directly on YouTube while browsing. By understanding the search volume, you can target keywords that maximize your video’s visibility.

How Do You Search for Specific YouTube Keywords? 

To search for specific YouTube keywords, follow these steps:

• Go to the YouTube search bar — Open YouTube and find the search bar at the top of the page.
• Enter your desired keyword — Type in the keyword or phrase you're interested in exploring.‍
• Review search results — Browse through the results that appear, paying attention to the titles, descriptions, and tags to gauge relevance.