YouTube Keyword Research - Complete Guide

This article is part of our complete guide to YouTube SEO.

Every day, more than 500 hours of video content are uploaded to YouTube every minute. In this ocean of content, your video can remain unnoticed without proper keyword optimization. Studies show that videos with properly selected keywords get 2.5 times more views in the first month after publication.

Keywords for YouTube are not just tags under the video. They are a strategic tool that helps the algorithm understand your content and show it to the right audience. Proper keyword selection can turn a video with a few hundred views into a viral clip with millions of views.

After reading this article, you will be able to:

Find high-performance keywords for any niche
Analyze competition and choose optimal queries
Properly place keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags
Use free and paid tools for keyword research
Avoid common mistakes that reduce effectiveness

We will examine proven methods and modern tools used by successful YouTube bloggers in 2025. Each tip is backed by specific examples and real-world case studies.

Why keywords are important for YouTube
Types of keywords for videos
Keyword research methods
Tools for keyword selection
Analysis and selection of the best keywords
Where and how to use keywords
Common mistakes when working with keywords
Keyword work checklist
Practical examples and case studies
Frequently asked questions

Why keywords are important for YouTube

YouTube is not just a video hosting platform, it’s the second most popular search engine in the world after Google. Users make more than 3 billion search queries on the platform monthly. The YouTube algorithm analyzes many factors for ranking videos, and keywords play a key role in this process.

How YouTube uses keywords

The YouTube algorithm analyzes keywords in four main places:

Video title — the most important signal for the search engine
Description — especially the first 125 characters that are visible without expanding
Tags — help understand the context and topic of the content
Subtitles and transcription — analyzed to understand content

According to VidIQ data, videos with optimized keywords in the title get 65% more clicks from YouTube search results.

Impact on the recommendation algorithm

Keywords affect not only search but also the recommendation system. When YouTube understands your video’s topic through keywords, it can:

Show your content in the “Related videos” section
Recommend to users with corresponding interests
Include in thematic playlists and collections
Suggest in the recommendation feed on the home page

Effectiveness statistics

A study of 720,000 YouTube videos by Backlinko showed:

75% of videos in the top 10 contain the keyword in the title
Long key phrases (3-5 words) show 40% better CTR
Videos with optimized tags gain 48% more views in the first 30 days
Channels with consistent keyword strategy grow 3 times faster

Important to understand: keywords don’t work in isolation, but in combination with content quality, audience retention, and other ranking factors. But without the right keywords, even excellent video can remain unnoticed.

Types of keywords for videos

Understanding different types of keywords will help you create a balanced promotion strategy. Each type solves its own tasks and is suitable for different stages of channel development.

Short vs long keywords

Short keywords (1-2 words):

Examples: “recipes”, “makeup”, “programming”
Pros: large search volume, wide audience
Cons: high competition, low conversion
When to use: for large channels with high authority

Long keywords (3+ words):

Examples: “simple breakfast recipes”, “beginner day makeup”, “learning Python from scratch”
Pros: less competition, higher conversion, more precise targeting
Cons: smaller search volume
When to use: for new channels and niche topics

Brand keywords

Brand keywords are associated with specific companies, products, or personalities:

Examples of brand keywords:

“iPhone 15 review” — tied to a specific product
“Nike sneakers 2025” — using a brand
“Elon Musk interview” — personal brand

Advantages of brand keywords: high commercial intent, loyal audience, clear viewer expectations.

Trending queries

Trending keywords are related to current events, viral memes, or seasonal topics. According to Google Trends, trending videos can get 10-50 times more views in the first days.
Categories of trending queries:

News and events: “World Cup 2024”, “presidential election”
Seasonal topics: “New Year recipes”, “summer hairstyles”
Viral memes: current challenges and trends
Product releases: “new iPhone”, “Windows 12 review”

Important: trending keywords require quick reaction — their effectiveness can drop within days or weeks.

Evergreen keywords

Evergreen keywords remain relevant for months and years. They provide a stable flow of views:

Examples of evergreen keywords:

“How to learn to cook” — basic skill
“Photography basics” — fundamental knowledge
“Learning English language” — constant need
“Home workouts” — universal topic

SEMrush research shows that videos with evergreen keywords generate 80% of their views within the first year and continue bringing traffic for years.

Geo-targeted keywords

Geographic keywords help attract local audience:

Countries: “Ukrainian cuisine recipes”, “traveling through Russia”
Cities: “Kyiv attractions”, “Moscow restaurants”
Regions: “Carpathians vacation”, “Crimea beaches”

Commercial keywords

These keywords indicate readiness to purchase or take action:

Reviews: “iPhone 15 pro review”, “best headphones 2025”
Comparisons: “Samsung vs iPhone”, “which to choose”
Instructions: “how to buy”, “where to order”, “setup”

Mix strategy: successful channels use a combination of all keyword types — 60% evergreen, 25% trending, 15% branded. This ensures both stable growth and popularity spikes.

Keyword research methods

There are many ways to find effective keywords for YouTube. We’ll cover 4 main methods that can be used for free and deliver excellent results.

Method 1: YouTube autocomplete

YouTube autocomplete is a goldmine of keywords. The system shows the most popular queries that start with the characters you enter.

Step-by-step instructions:

Open YouTube and start typing the main topic of your video
Don’t press Enter — look at the autocomplete suggestions
Write down all relevant options
Try adding alphabet letters at the end of the query (a, b, c, d…)
Repeat the process with synonyms of your topic

Example of working with autocomplete:

Main query: “make pizza”

“make pizza at home”
“make pizza without yeast”
“make pizza in oven”
“make pizza in pan”
“make margherita pizza”

Life hack: use incognito mode in your browser to get “clean” autocomplete results without the influence of your search history.

Method 2: Competitor analysis

Your competitors have already done the keyword research work. Study their successful videos and adapt their strategies.

How to analyze competitors:

Step 1. Find competitors

Enter your main keywords in YouTube search
Find channels with similar content
Choose 5-10 channels your size or slightly bigger

Step 2. Study their popular videos

Go to the competitor’s channel
Sort videos by popularity
Analyze titles of top-10 videos
Notice repeating keywords

Step 3. Analyze tags (for Chrome browser)

Install the Tags for YouTube extension
Open popular competitor videos
View tags in the right column
Record the most frequently occurring ones

Tools for competitor analysis:

VidIQ — shows tags, search volume, and competition
TubeBuddy — competitor keyword analysis
Social Book — free tag analysis

Method 3: Google Trends for YouTube

Google Trends allows you to see query popularity over time and find related topics.

Setting up Google Trends for YouTube:

Go to trends.google.com
Enter your keyword
In filters, select “YouTube Search” instead of “Web Search”
Set the desired period (usually the last year)
Choose your audience region

What to analyze in Google Trends:

Popularity graph — avoid falling trends
Regional interest — where your keywords are more popular
Related queries — new content ideas
Seasonality — when to publish topic-related videos

Practical example: the query “home workouts” showed peak popularity in January (New Year promises) and March 2024 (quarantine start). This information helps plan content publication.

Method 4: Comments and viewer questions

Your audience suggests what content they want to see. Comments are a source of ready-made keywords.

Where to look for keyword ideas:

In comments on your videos:

Frequently asked questions
Requests for new videos
Comment discussions

In competitor comments:

Unanswered viewer questions
Criticism or suggestions
Requests for additional information

On thematic forums and communities:

Reddit — subreddits in your topic
Quora — popular questions
Thematic Telegram channels
Facebook groups

How to turn questions into keywords:

Example: comment “How to make dough without eggs?”

Keywords:

“dough without eggs”
“how to make dough without eggs”
“vegan dough recipe”
“eggless pizza dough”

Monitoring tools:

Mention — tracking mentions online
Answer The Public — visualizing user questions
YouTube Studio — “Comments” section for analysis

Tip: create an Excel spreadsheet to collect keywords from all sources. Categorize them: high/medium/low competition, seasonal/evergreen, commercial/informational.

Tools for keyword selection

The right tools can save hours of work and provide more accurate data than manual search. We’ll examine the best free and paid solutions for YouTube keyword research.

Free tools

Keyword Tool for YouTube

Keyword Tool — one of the best free tools for YouTube keyword research.

Free version capabilities:

Up to 750+ keyword variations per search
Search in different languages and regions
Long tail keywords
Questions users ask

Limitations:

No search volume data
No competition analysis
Limited data export

How to use:

Enter the main keyword
Select language and country
Analyze suggested options
Save the most relevant keywords

Google Trends

Google Trends — an essential tool for trend and seasonality analysis.

Unique YouTube capabilities:

“YouTube Search” filter shows platform-specific data
Compare up to 5 keywords simultaneously
Geographic popularity data
Related queries and topics
Real-time data

Practical application:

Choose between several keyword options
Plan content calendar considering seasonality
Find new trending topics

YouTube Analytics

Built-in YouTube analytics — an undervalued source of keywords.

Where to find keywords in YouTube Analytics:

Traffic sources → YouTube Search — what queries find your videos
Audience → Interest data — what else your audience watches
Content → Videos — which of your videos perform better

Hidden capabilities:

Analyze top-3 videos for each keyword
Look at “Queries where video doesn’t show” — new ideas
Study seasonal dynamics of popular queries

Ubersuggest (free version)

Ubersuggest by Neil Patel offers limited free access.

Free limits:

3 searches per day
Basic search volume data
Competition analysis
Content ideas

Paid tools

VidIQ

VidIQ — most popular tool among YouTube bloggers.

Keyword research functionality:

Keyword Inspector — analyze up to 5 keywords simultaneously
Search Volume — real YouTube data
Competition Score — promotion difficulty assessment
Related Keywords — related queries
Search Volume History — popularity dynamics

Cost: from $7.50/month (Pro plan)

Unique features:

Integration directly into YouTube interface
Real-time competitor tag analysis
SEO Score — overall video optimization rating

TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy — comprehensive YouTube optimization tool.

Keyword Explorer capabilities:

Keyword Score — overall keyword attractiveness rating
Search Volume — monthly searches
Competition — competition level
Optimization Strength — how well top videos are optimized

Cost: from $9/month (Pro plan)

Advantages:

More accurate data for smaller channels
A/B testing for titles and thumbnails
Automatic translations and localization

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer

Ahrefs — professional SEO tool with YouTube module.

YouTube module features:

Database of 3+ billion keywords
Keyword Difficulty — accurate difficulty assessment
Parent Topic — topic grouping
SERP overview — top video analysis by query

Cost: from $99/month

Suitable for: agencies, large channels, professional marketers

Specialized free tools

Answer The Public

Answer The Public visualizes user questions.

Types of queries:

Questions (what, how, where, when, why)
Prepositions (for, without, with, from)
Comparisons (vs, against)
Alphabetical list

YouTube Suggest Tool

Simple tools that collect autocomplete data:

Tool selection recommendations

For beginning channels (0-1000 subscribers):

Keyword Tool + Google Trends + YouTube Analytics
Budget: $0/month

For growing channels (1000-10000 subscribers):

VidIQ Pro or TubeBuddy Pro
Budget: $7-15/month

For large channels (10000+ subscribers):

Ahrefs + VidIQ + custom analytics
Budget: $100-200/month

Tip: start with free tools and switch to paid ones only when you see specific need for additional data.

Analysis and selection of the best keywords

Collecting a list of keywords is only half the job. The main task is to choose those that will bring maximum results with minimum time and resource investment.

Key metrics for evaluation

Search Volume

Shows how many times per month users search for a specific keyword on YouTube.

Classification by search volume:

High volume: 10,000+ searches/month
Medium volume: 1,000-10,000 searches/month
Low volume: 100-1,000 searches/month
Micro-niches: 10-100 searches/month

Important to understand: high search volume doesn’t always mean the best choice. VidIQ research showed that 70% of successful videos rank for keywords with medium search volume.

Competition (Competition/Keyword Difficulty)

Evaluates how difficult it is to get into the top for a given keyword.

Competition scale (0-100):

0-30: Low competition — good chances for new channels
31-60: Medium competition — needs quality content
61-80: High competition — requires authoritative channel
81-100: Very high — dominated by large channels

Relevance

How precisely the keyword matches your video content.

Relevance evaluation criteria:

Keyword describes the main video topic
Matches user search intent
Suits your target audience
Fits the overall channel theme

Commercial potential

Assessment of how much a keyword can lead to conversions (subscriptions, sales, actions).

High commercial potential:

“best”, “review”, “comparison”
“how to choose”, “what to buy”
“setup instructions”

Formula for choosing optimal keywords

For each keyword, calculate Keyword Opportunity Score (KOS):

KOS = (Search Volume × Relevance × Commercial Potential) / Competition

Calculation example:

Keyword: “home workout for beginners”

Search Volume: 5,000 (score: 7/10)
Relevance: 9/10 (exactly matches content)
Commercial Potential: 6/10 (medium)
Competition: 4/10 (low)

KOS = (7 × 9 × 6) / 4 = 94.5 — excellent choice!

SERP (Search Engine Results Page) analysis

Studying top-10 videos for your keyword helps understand chances of success.

What to look for in SERP:

Channel authority

Channel size — subscriber count
Channel age — how long created
Verification — checkmarks present

Green light: top-10 includes channels smaller than yours or comparable size

Red flag: only channels with millions of subscribers

Optimization quality

Is the keyword in video titles?
Are relevant thumbnails used?
Are descriptions optimized?

If top videos are poorly optimized, you have good chances to outrank them.

Content freshness

Check publication dates of top videos:

Fresh videos (0-6 months): high competition
Old videos (1+ years): opportunity to update topic

Creating channel semantic core

Semantic core is a structured list of all keywords you plan to promote.

Semantic core structure

1. Main categories (5-10 pieces)

Main channel topics

Example for cooking channel: “quick recipes”, “desserts”, “healthy eating”

2. Subcategories (20-50 pieces)

Main topic specifications

Example: “breakfast recipes”, “dinner recipes”, “vegan recipes”

3. Long key phrases (100-500 pieces)

Specific queries for individual videos

Example: “oatmeal with banana and nuts”

Priority distribution

Priority 1 (High):

High relevance
Medium or high search volume
Low or medium competition
Matches channel expertise

Priority 2 (Medium):

Good relevance
Any search volume
Medium competition
Growth potential

Priority 3 (Low):

Experimental keywords
Trending topics
High competition but strategic importance

Analysis tools

Excel/Google Sheets template for analysis:

Keyword	Search Volume	Competition	Relevance	KOS	Priority	Status
home workout	8,500	65	9	75	High	In progress
home workout no equipment	3,200	45	10	95	High	Planned

Common analysis mistakes

1. Focus only on search volume

Don’t chase high-frequency queries if your channel isn’t ready to compete.

2. Ignoring user intent

The keyword “iPhone” could mean purchase, review, or repair.

>3. Underestimating competition

Always check SERP manually, don’t rely only on numbers.

4. Lack of clustering

Group similar keywords to avoid competing with yourself.

Golden rule: better to be first for a low-competition keyword than tenth for a high-frequency one.

Where and how to use keywords

Finding the right keywords is only half the success. Now you need to place them correctly so that the YouTube algorithm understands your content’s relevance and shows it to the right audience.

Video title: first impression

The title is the most important element for YouTube SEO. According to Backlinko research, 75% of videos in the top 10 contain an exact or partial match with the search query in the title.

Title optimization rules

1. Main keyword at the beginning

Place the primary keyword in the first 3-5 words of the title.

Good examples:

✅ “Home workout for beginners: 30 minutes no equipment”
✅ “Pizza recipe at home: step-by-step chef’s guide”
✅ “Learn Python: programming basics in 1 hour”

Bad examples:

❌ “Incredible way to make pizza at home quickly”
❌ “Secret method of home workouts”
❌ “This Python lesson will change your life”

2. Optimal title length

Ideal length: 50-60 characters
Maximum length: 100 characters (gets cut in search)
On mobile: 40-45 characters visible completely

3. Using emotional triggers

Combine keywords with attention-grabbing elements:

Numbers: “5 home workouts”, “2025 year”
Time frames: “in 10 minutes”, “quickly”
Intrigue: “secret”, “method”, “way”
Results: “no equipment”, “from scratch”

Video description: expanded context

The first 125 characters of the description appear in search results without expanding — this is your second chance to attract viewers.

Optimized description structure

First paragraph (125 characters):

Main keyword in the first sentence
Brief description of video content
Call to action or intrigue

First paragraph example:

“Home workout for beginners helps lose weight and strengthen muscles in 30 minutes. Simple exercises without equipment 👇”

Main description part (up to 5000 characters):

Detailed content description
2-3 additional keywords naturally
Timestamps (if video is long)
Links to related videos and playlists
Social media and contacts

Description template:

🎯 [Main keyword] - brief benefit description

📋 Video content:
0:00 - Introduction
2:30 - [Secondary keyword]
5:45 - [LSI keyword]

🔗 Useful links:
▶️ Playlist: [Related topic]
📱 App: [If available]

#mainkeyword #additionaltags #topic

Tags: helping algorithm understand content

Although tag influence on ranking decreased compared to 2020, they still help YouTube understand your video context.

Tag strategy

Number of tags: 10-15 pieces (optimal)

Tag structure:

Exact keyword — 1 tag
Keyword variations — 2-3 tags
Broad thematic tags — 3-4 tags
Brand tags — 2-3 tags
Descriptive tags — 3-5 tags

Tag example for “Home workout for beginners” video:

home workout for beginners ← exact match
workout at home
exercises for beginners
fitness at home ← broad topic
healthy lifestyle
sports
[Channel name] ← brand tag
fitness blog
30 minutes ← descriptive
no equipment
weight loss
cardio

Tag mistakes

❌ What NOT to do:

Copy tags from popular videos
Use irrelevant tags to attract traffic
Use only broad tags (“sports”, “video”)
Repeat same words in different tags

Subtitles and transcription

YouTube automatically creates subtitles, but their quality often leaves much to be desired. Uploading your own subtitles provides several advantages:

SEO bonus: algorithm analyzes subtitle text
Accessibility: content becomes accessible to hearing impaired
International audience: can add translations
Retention: viewers watch videos with subtitles longer

How to optimize subtitles:

Naturally weave keywords into speech
Use synonyms and LSI words
Repeat main keyword 2-3 times per video
Add subtitles in other languages for audience expansion

Video file name

Few people know, but YouTube analyzes the file name when uploading video.

Correct file naming:

✅ “home-workout-for-beginners.mp4”
✅ “pizza-recipe-home-2025.mov”
❌ “DSC00123.mp4”
❌ “New video.mp4”

Recommendations:

Use Latin or transliteration
Separate words with hyphens
Include main keyword
Avoid special characters

Video thumbnail

Although thumbnail doesn’t directly affect SEO, it’s critically important for CTR (clickability), which is a ranking signal.

SEO principles for thumbnails:

Text on thumbnail should match the keyword
Use emotions that match search intent
Avoid clickbait that doesn’t match content
A/B test different thumbnail options

Comprehensive optimization example

Keyword: “quick dinner in 15 minutes”

Title: “Quick dinner in 15 minutes: 3 simple recipes for the whole family”

First 125 characters of description: “Quick dinner in 15 minutes is real! I’ll show 3 simple recipes from available ingredients. Tasty and filling 👨‍🍳”

Tags:

quick dinner in 15 minutes
quick recipes
dinner in 15 minutes
simple recipes
fast food
everyday recipes
cooking
[channel name]
cooking
family recipes

File name: “quick-dinner-15-minutes-recipes.mp4”

After optimizing your video with the right keywords, you can give it an additional boost. Tools like YouTube Booster help quickly gain initial metrics, which signals to the algorithm about your content’s relevance to chosen keywords. This is especially effective in the first 24-48 hours after publication, when the algorithm actively tests your video.

Keyword placement checklist

Before publishing, make sure:

Main keyword at the beginning of title
Keyword in first 125 characters of description
10-15 relevant tags added
Video file renamed with keyword
Keywords naturally mentioned in speech
Thumbnail matches topic
Timestamps added to description

Common mistakes when working with keywords

Even experienced YouTube bloggers make mistakes when working with keywords. Let’s examine the most common problems and ways to avoid them.

1. Keyword stuffing

One of the most frequent mistakes — trying to “stuff” keywords everywhere possible.

What keyword stuffing looks like

❌ Bad title example:

“Home workout at home home exercises home fitness workout”

❌ Bad description example:

“Home workout for home workouts at home. In this home workout we show home exercises for home fitness at home…”

❌ Bad tag example:

home workout
home workout at home
home workout for home
workout home at home
at home home workout

Correct approach

✅ Good title:

“Home workout for beginners: effective exercises without equipment”

✅ Good description:

“This home workout will help you start your fitness journey right at home. Simple exercises suitable for beginners and require no special equipment…”

Keyword stuffing consequences:

YouTube may lower video in search results
Viewers perceive content as spam
Channel trust decreases
User experience worsens

Recommendation: use main keyword 1-2 times naturally, supplement with synonyms and LSI words.

2. Using irrelevant tags

Many bloggers add popular tags unrelated to their content, hoping to attract more views.

Examples of irrelevant tags

Home workout video with wrong tags:

❌ “blogger of the year” — not related to fitness
❌ “viral video” — attempt to fool algorithm
❌ “top blogger” — doesn’t describe content
❌ “most popular” — subjective and irrelevant

Why this hurts:

YouTube may mark video as spam
Attracts wrong audience
Increases bounce rate
Decreases watch time

✅ Correct tags for workout video:

home workout
exercises at home
fitness for beginners
workout without equipment
healthy lifestyle

3. Ignoring long tail keywords

Many focus only on short, high-frequency queries, ignoring long key phrases.

Why long tail is important

According to Moz research, 70% of all search queries consist of 3+ words.

Examples of short vs long keywords:

Short keywords	Long keywords	Long keyword advantages
“workout”	“home workout for belly fat loss”	Less competition, higher conversion
“recipe”	“quick meatless borscht recipe”	More precisely answers user query
“guitar”	“how to choose first guitar for beginner”	Better converts to actions

Strategy for new channels:

80% long keywords (3+ words)
20% short keywords (1-2 words)

4. Copying tags from popular videos

Copying tags from top videos seems logical, but often leads to problems.

Problems with copying

Content differences:

Popular video might be about “professional gym workout”, while yours is about “home exercises”. Tags won’t be relevant.

Channel authority differences:

Tags that work for a channel with a million subscribers may not work for a channel with 1000 subscribers.

Outdated strategies:

Popular video could have been made a year ago, when different ranking principles worked.

Correct approach to competitor analysis

✅ What to analyze:

General thematic patterns
Title structure
Description approaches
Popular content formats

✅ What to adapt:

Principles, not exact copies
Successful title formats
Effective trigger words
Content structure

5. Lack of results analysis

Many set keywords and forget about them, not tracking effectiveness.

What needs tracking

In YouTube Analytics:

Traffic sources → YouTube Search — what queries find videos
Impressions → Impression sources — where viewers come from
CTR (clickability) — how attractive titles are
Average view duration — content relevance

In Google Search Console (for channel):

Keyword positions in Google
Clicks from Google search
CTR in Google results

Analysis frequency

Weekly:

Top-5 traffic sources
New search queries
Latest video CTR

Monthly:

Overall keyword dynamics
Different title type effectiveness
ROI from different keywords

6. Incorrect localization

Using keywords without considering audience geography and language.

Localization mistake examples

Mixing languages in tags:

❌ “home workout, домашняя тренировка, fitness, фитнес”
✅ Choose one language for main tags

Ignoring regional features:

❌ “elevator” instead of “lift” for British audience
❌ “truck” instead of “lorry” in UK content

Not considering search habits:

In Russia they search “как похудеть” more often
In Ukraine “як схуднути” is more popular
In USA — “how to lose weight”

7. Ignoring seasonality

Many don’t consider seasonal fluctuations in keyword popularity.

Examples of seasonal keywords

New Year (December-January):

“New Year recipes”
“how to lose weight after holidays”
“New Year crafts”

Summer (May-August):

“bikini body”
“summer hairstyles”
“vacation planning”

Academic (August-September, January):

“school preparation”
“language learning”
“online courses”

How to use seasonality:

Plan content 1-2 months ahead
Create seasonal content early
Use Google Trends for forecasting
Adapt evergreen content for seasons

How to avoid these mistakes: checklist

Before publishing each video:

Keywords used naturally (no stuffing)

All tags relevant to video content

Long key phrases included

Tags based on own research, not copied

Keyword seasonality considered

Localization matches target audience

After publishing:

Position tracking set up

Analysis planned for 7-14 days

Correction plan prepared if needed

Remember: better to use fewer keywords correctly than many ineffectively. Quality always beats quantity in YouTube SEO.

Keyword work checklist

This detailed checklist will help you systematize keyword work and not miss important details at each stage of creating and promoting YouTube videos.

Stage 1: Content planning

Topic research

Main video topic determined

Target audience needs analyzed

Viewer comments and questions studied

Trending topics checked in Google Trends

Chosen topic seasonality assessed

Primary keyword search

YouTube autocomplete used (main topic)

Alphabet letters added to main query

Synonyms found through thesauri

Questions collected from Answer The Public

Topic forums and communities analyzed

Primary list of 30-50 keywords created

Competitor analysis

5-10 niche competitors found

Top-10 videos of each competitor studied

Stage 2: Keyword analysis and selection

Metrics evaluation

Search volume determined for each keyword

Competition assessed (Keyword Difficulty)

Keyword relevance to content verified

Keyword Opportunity Score (KOS) calculated

SERP analysis of top-10 videos conducted

Keyword categorization

1 main keyword chosen

2-3 secondary keywords determined

5-10 LSI (related) keywords collected

Long tail key phrases added

Brand keywords included (if applicable)

Final verification

Keywords match search intent

No irrelevant or spam keywords

Target audience geography considered

Current moment relevance verified

Stage 3: Content creation

Script preparation

Main keyword included in first 30 seconds

Keywords naturally woven into speech

Main keyword repeated 2-3 times per video

Synonyms and LSI words used

Keyword stuffing avoided

Technical preparation

Video file renamed with keyword

Subtitles with keywords prepared

Topic-matching thumbnail created

Description timestamps prepared

Stage 4: Upload optimization

Video title

Main keyword in first 5 words

Title length 50-60 characters

Emotional trigger added

Title reads naturally

No keyword stuffing

Title matches video content

Video description

Main keyword in first 25 words

First 125 characters optimized

Detailed content description added

Timestamps included

Additional elements

Relevant category selected

Thumbnail added (if available)

Appropriate audience set

Subtitles added or auto-creation enabled

End screens configured

Stage 5: Post-publication optimization

First 24 hours

Initial metrics checked (CTR, watch time)

First comments answered

Video added to relevant playlists

Announced on social media

Subscriber notification sent (if needed)

First week

Traffic sources analyzed

Search queries in Analytics checked

CTR and watch time assessed

Tags corrected if necessary

New comments added for engagement

First month

Full effectiveness analysis conducted

Results compared with competitors

Successful keywords identified

Strategy corrected for future videos

Descriptions updated if necessary

Stage 6: Long-term strategy

Monthly analysis

Top-10 search traffic sources analyzed

Best and worst keywords identified

New content opportunities identified

Channel semantic core updated

Content strategy corrected

Quarterly optimization

All channel keywords audited

Old video descriptions updated

Important query positions re-verified

Strategy adapted to algorithm changes

New content directions planned

Tools for each stage

Research stage

Free: YouTube autocomplete, Google Trends, Answer The Public
Paid: VidIQ, TubeBuddy, Ahrefs

Analysis stage

Spreadsheets: Google Sheets/Excel for KOS calculation
SERP analysis: manual checking + VidIQ/TubeBuddy

Monitoring stage

YouTube Analytics: built-in analytics
Google Search Console: for Google tracking
Third-party services: VidIQ, Social Blade

Quick check template

Express check before publishing (2 minutes):

Main keyword in title? ✅/❌

Keyword in first description sentence? ✅/❌

10+ relevant tags added? ✅/❌

File renamed with keyword? ✅/❌

No keyword stuffing? ✅/❌

If all 5 points marked ✅ — ready to publish!

Checklist usage frequency:

For each video: stages 1-5
Weekly: first week analysis
Monthly: long-term strategy
Quarterly: full channel audit

This checklist will help you systematize keyword work and achieve stable organic traffic growth on your YouTube channel.

Practical examples and case studies

Let’s examine real examples of keyword optimization for different content types. These cases will show how to apply theory in practice and get concrete results.

Case 1: Educational content – “Programming basics”

Initial situation

Channel: IT education, 2500 subscribers
Video topic: Python introduction for beginners
Goal: Attract new beginner programmer audience

Keyword research process

Step 1. Collecting primary ideas

YouTube autocomplete showed:

“python for beginners”
“python from scratch”
“learning python”
“python basics”
“python programming”

Step 2. Metrics analysis

Keyword	Search Volume	Competition	KOS
python for beginners	12,000	85	35
python from scratch	8,500	70	48
python basics in hour	3,200	45	89
learn python self taught	2,100	35	95

Step 3. SERP analysis

For keyword “learn python self taught”:

In top-10: 6 channels under 100k subscribers
Average video age: 8 months
Optimization quality: average
Conclusion: good chances to reach top

Final optimization

Chosen main keyword: “learn python self taught”

Title:
“Learn Python self taught: complete course for beginners in 2 hours”

First 125 characters description:
“Learn Python self taught becomes simple with this course! We’ll cover programming basics in Python in 2 hours 🐍”

Tags:

learn python self taught
python for beginners
python basics
python from scratch
programming for beginners
python course
learning programming
python lesson
IT education
[channel name]

Results after one month

Search position: 4th place for main keyword
Views: 15,400 (75% from search)
New subscribers: 340
Watch time: 45% (above channel average)

Case 2: Entertainment content – “Trending video reaction”

Initial situation

Channel: Entertainment/reactions, 15,000 subscribers
Video topic: Reaction to new popular artist clip
Feature: Needed to work with trending topic

Strategy for trending content

Step 1. Quick trend analysis
Google Trends showed sharp query growth:

“[Artist name] new clip” — 500% growth
“reaction to [song title]” — 200% growth
“[song title] breakdown” — 150% growth

Step 2. Competition analysis

Already 20+ reactions in first 6 hours
Most — simple “Reaction to…” titles
Few added unique elements

Step 3. Finding unique angle
Solution: focus on musical breakdown, not just reaction

Final optimization

Title:
“[Song title] musician reaction: arrangement and vocal breakdown”
Description:
“Professional musician reaction to [song title]! Breaking down arrangement, vocal techniques and production…”
Tags (quick strategy for trends):

[song title] reaction
[artist name] new clip
musical breakdown
musician reaction
professional reaction
song analysis
musical analysis

Results after 48 hours

Views: 45,000 (trend peak)
Position: 3rd place for “musician reaction”
CTR: 8.2% (2x above average)
Subscribers: +890 in two days

Key success factors:

Quick reaction to trend (within first 2 hours)
Unique presentation angle
Professional expertise in title
Precise trending keywords

Case 3: Lifestyle content – “Morning routine”

Initial situation

Channel: Lifestyle, 8,000 subscribers
Video topic: Productive morning routine
Challenge: Very competitive niche

Strategy for highly competitive niche

Step 1. Finding niche within niche
Analysis showed most morning routine videos:

General advice without specifics
Focus on beauty, not productivity
No scientific backing

Step 2. Long tail research
Found less competitive but relevant queries:

“morning routine for productivity”
“science-based morning routine”
“successful people morning habits”
“how to be productive in morning”

Step 3. SERP analysis

Keyword	Competition	Average channel size in top-10	Opportunities
morning routine	95	500k+	Low
morning routine for productivity	60	50k-200k	Medium
science-based morning routine	25	10k-50k	High

Final optimization

Chosen keyword: “science-based morning routine”
Title:
“Science-based morning routine: 7 habits that will change your life”
Description (focus on expertise):
“Science-based morning routine founded on neurobiology and psychology research. In the video I break down 7 morning habits…”
Unique content elements:

Links to scientific studies
Brain mechanisms explanation
Specific time frames
Measurable results

Results after 3 months

Position: 2nd place for main keyword
Views: 28,500 (stable growth)
Average view duration: 68%
Video-to-video clicks: 35%

Case 4: Business content – “Small business marketing”

Initial situation

Channel: Business education, 12,000 subscribers
Video topic: SMM strategies for small companies
Target audience: Entrepreneurs, small business owners

B2B keyword features

Search intent analysis:

Informational queries: “what is SMM”, “how marketing works”
Practical queries: “SMM for small business”, “how to promote business”
Commercial queries: “SMM agency”, “order promotion”

Chosen strategy: focus on practical queries with high commercial potential

Keyword research

Found opportunities:

“SMM for small business DIY” — low competition
“small business social media promotion” — medium competition
“budget marketing for startup” — low competition

Commercial potential analysis:
Keywords with “DIY”, “budget”, “for small business” show high learning intent and potentially consultation purchasing.

Final optimization

Title:
“SMM for small business DIY: step-by-step plan for 2025”
Result-focused description:
“SMM for small business DIY is real! In 45 minutes I’ll show step-by-step promotion plan with budget from $300 per month…”
Content structure:

0:00 – Introduction and plan
3:30 – Target audience analysis
8:15 – Platform selection for small business
15:45 – Content plan creation
25:30 – Budget advertising
35:20 – Results measurement
40:10 – Common mistakes

Additional monetization

Calls to action:

Free checklist in description
Consultation link
SMM course for small business
Entrepreneur community

Results after 2 months

Views: 22,100
Leads: 180 consultation requests
Conversion: 15 consultation sales
Average check: $150
ROI: 750% (costs only for content creation)

General conclusions from cases

Universal success principles

1. Competition analysis is critical
In all successful cases, detailed SERP analysis was conducted before keyword selection.
2. Unique presentation angle
Each video offered something new within the chosen topic.
3. Search intent match
Content precisely answered user queries.
4. Quality over quantity
Better to make one excellent video than three mediocre ones.

Content-type specific strategies

Content Type	Keyword Priority	Optimization Features
Educational	Long tail, low competition	Focus on expertise, structure
Entertainment	Trending, high volume	Reaction speed, unique angle
Lifestyle	Niche within niche, emotional	Personal story, practicality
Business	Commercial, practical	Concrete results, calls to action

These cases show that YouTube SEO success depends not only on correct keywords, but also on the ability to adapt strategy to content type and target audience.

Frequently asked questions

How many keywords to use in one video?

Recommendation: 1 main keyword + 2-3 secondary + 5-10 LSI words.
Details: Focus on one main keyword for title and description beginning. Use additional keywords naturally in description text and tags. VidIQ research shows optimal tag count is 10-15 pieces, including various variations of the main topic.

Can I change keywords after publication?

Short answer: Yes, but carefully and with good reason.
What can be changed:

Tags — safe to change anytime
Description — can supplement and improve
Thumbnail — A/B testing available

What’s not recommended to change:

Title — only when critically necessary (may affect positions)
Video category — may confuse algorithm

When to change:

More than a month passed and results unsatisfactory
New trending keywords appeared for the topic
Analysis showed more effective options

How often to update keyword list?

Update frequency depends on niche:
Weekly (trending niches):

News and current events
Gaming content
Technology and gadgets
Fashion and beauty

Monthly (stable niches):

Educational content
Lifestyle
Business and finance
Health and fitness

Quarterly (evergreen niches):

Crafts and hobbies
Classical music
Philosophy and psychology
History

Do tags work in 2025?

Yes, but their influence has changed.
YouTube officially confirmed that tags help viewers find videos when title and description are written in another language. Creator Insider channel research showed:
Tag influence in 2025:

On search: minimal influence (5-10%)
On recommendations: help algorithm understand context
On related videos: medium level influence
On international audience: high influence

Modern tag strategy:

Use 5-10 most relevant tags
Include main keyword variations
Add broad thematic tags
Don’t spend more than 2-3 minutes on tags

How to find keywords for niche content?

Strategy for micro-niches:
1. Use specialized communities

Topic forums
Thematic Telegram/Discord groups
Specialized subreddits
Professional communities

2. Analyze expert questions

Quora in your topic
Professional Q&A platforms
Conference and webinar questions

3. Study foreign content

Translate successful English keywords
Adapt for local market
Find uncovered niches

Example for “origami” niche:

General: “origami”, “paper crafts”
Specific: “modular origami”, “kusudama patterns”
Long tail: “how to make origami crane step by step”
Problem-based: “origami not working”, “complex origami patterns”

Do keywords affect monetization?

Yes, and very significantly.
Direct influence:

CPM (ad revenue): commercial keywords give 2-5 times more revenue
Sponsorship integrations: advertisers search channels by keywords
Affiliate marketing: buying keywords convert better

Examples of high-revenue keywords:

“best 2025″ — high CPM
“how to choose [expensive item]” — excellent conversion
“[premium brand] review” — attracts sponsors
“investments”, “real estate” — maximum CPM

Low-revenue keywords:

Entertainment content without commercial intent
Kids content (ad restrictions)
Political topics (advertisers avoid)

Can I use competitor keywords?

Can and should, but wisely.
✅ What’s allowed:

Use general thematic keywords
Take ideas for your unique content
Analyze successful title formats
Study description approaches

❌ What’s prohibited:

Copy exact titles
Use others’ trademarks in tags
Mislead viewers
Violate copyright

Correct approach:

Analyze principles, not exact copies
Create your own unique content
Use keywords honestly and relevantly
Add your own expertise

How to optimize old videos?

Step-by-step optimization plan:
Step 1. Audit existing videos

Find videos with low CTR (below 2%)
Identify videos with good watch time but few views
Choose top-20 videos for optimization

Step 2. Analyze current positions

Check positions in YouTube Search
Assess growth potential
Find new relevant keywords

Step 3. Update elements

Thumbnail: test new options
Description: add current keywords
Tags: update according to current trends
End screens: add links to new videos

Results usually visible 2-4 weeks after optimization.

Do hashtags work on YouTube?

Hashtags work, but not like on Instagram.
YouTube hashtag features:

Maximum 15 hashtags per video
First 3 hashtags display above title
Hashtags help content discovery
Overuse can harm

Best practices:

Use 3-5 relevant hashtags
Place them at description end
Avoid too general (#video, #youtube)
Focus on niche and topic

Example for home workout video:
#homeworkout #fitnesshome #healthylifestyle #workoutnoequipment #weightloss

How to measure keyword strategy success?

Key metrics to track:
Short-term metrics (1-4 weeks):

Search CTR: should be above 2%
Keyword positions: top-20 for new channels
Search traffic share: target 30-50%

Long-term metrics (1-6 months):

Organic traffic growth: +20% monthly
Watch time increase: +15% from search traffic
Subscriber growth: quality audience from search

Measurement tools:

YouTube Analytics: traffic sources, search queries
Google Search Console: Google positions
VidIQ/TubeBuddy: rank tracking

Red flags (when to change strategy):

CTR consistently falls below 1%
No search traffic growth for 3+ months
High bounce rate from search traffic
Decreasing average watch time

Start optimizing right now

Working with YouTube keywords is not a one-time task, but a continuous process of optimization and improvement. We’ve covered all aspects from search and analysis to placement and results measurement.

Key takeaways

Remember the main thing: keywords are the bridge between your content and audience. They help YouTube understand who to show your videos to, and viewers find exactly the content they need.
Main principles of successful keyword strategy:

Quality over quantity — better to optimize for one relevant keyword than try to cover ten irrelevant ones
Long-term thinking — work with evergreen keywords for stable growth
Constant testing — analyze results and adjust strategy
User focus — always think about what your audience is searching for

Your action plan for the next 30 days

Week 1: Research and analysis

Conduct current video audit in YouTube Analytics
Collect 50+ keywords for your topic
Analyze top-5 competitors
Create keyword evaluation spreadsheet

Week 2: Optimize existing content

Update descriptions for top-10 channel videos
Add relevant tags
Test new thumbnails
Add hashtags to descriptions

Week 3-4: Create new optimized content

Create 2-4 videos using researched keywords
Apply all learned optimization principles
Track initial results
Adjust strategy based on results

Long-term success strategy

Create a system:

Weekly: analyze new search queries in Analytics
Monthly: update keyword list
Quarterly: conduct full strategy audit

Invest in tools: once the channel starts growing, consider purchasing VidIQ Pro or TubeBuddy for deeper analytics.
Don’t forget about content: the best keywords won’t save a bad video. Always focus on creating quality, useful content.

Common mistakes to avoid

❌ Trying to cover overly competitive keywords from day one
❌ Ignoring long tail keywords
❌ Optimizing only title without working on description
❌ Lack of results analysis
❌ Copying others’ strategies without adaptation

Remember the comprehensive approach

Keywords work most effectively in combination with other ranking factors:

Watch time — create engaging content
CTR — work on attractive titles and thumbnails
Engagement — stimulate likes, comments and subscriptions
Consistency — maintain regular publication schedule

YouTube is a marathon, not a sprint. Proper keyword work won’t give immediate results, but will create a solid foundation for long-term channel growth.
Start applying your gained knowledge today, and in a few months you’ll see significant organic traffic growth and YouTube channel development!
Good luck with promotion! 🚀

Table of Contents

Why keywords are important for YouTube

How YouTube uses keywords

Impact on the recommendation algorithm

Effectiveness statistics

Types of keywords for videos

Short vs long keywords

Brand keywords

Trending queries

Evergreen keywords

Geo-targeted keywords

Commercial keywords

Keyword research methods

Method 1: YouTube autocomplete

Method 2: Competitor analysis

Method 3: Google Trends for YouTube

Method 4: Comments and viewer questions

Tools for keyword selection

Free tools

Keyword Tool for YouTube

Google Trends

YouTube Analytics

Ubersuggest (free version)

Paid tools

VidIQ

TubeBuddy

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer

Specialized free tools

Answer The Public

YouTube Suggest Tool

Tool selection recommendations

Analysis and selection of the best keywords

Key metrics for evaluation

Search Volume

Competition (Competition/Keyword Difficulty)

Relevance

Commercial potential

Formula for choosing optimal keywords

SERP (Search Engine Results Page) analysis

Channel authority

Optimization quality

Content freshness

Creating channel semantic core

Semantic core structure

Priority distribution

Analysis tools

Common analysis mistakes

Where and how to use keywords

Video title: first impression

Title optimization rules

Video description: expanded context

Optimized description structure

Tags: helping algorithm understand content

Tag strategy

Tag mistakes

Subtitles and transcription

Video file name

Video thumbnail

Comprehensive optimization example

Keyword placement checklist

Common mistakes when working with keywords

1. Keyword stuffing

What keyword stuffing looks like

Correct approach

2. Using irrelevant tags

Examples of irrelevant tags

3. Ignoring long tail keywords

Why long tail is important

4. Copying tags from popular videos

Problems with copying

Correct approach to competitor analysis

5. Lack of results analysis

What needs tracking

Analysis frequency

6. Incorrect localization

Localization mistake examples

7. Ignoring seasonality

Examples of seasonal keywords

How to avoid these mistakes: checklist

Keyword work checklist