How to Do Keyword Research for YouTube Videos
Find video topics people search for on YouTube and use the right words in your titles and descriptions.
YouTube is one of the world's largest search engines, and videos also appear in Google results. Keyword research for video works much like it does for web pages, but people search differently on YouTube: more "how to", tutorials, reviews and entertainment.
Step 1: Start with YouTube's own suggestions
Type a topic into YouTube's search box and note the suggestions that appear. Add letters after your phrase ("how to bake bread aโฆ", "bโฆ") to reveal more. These suggestions come from real searches, so they are a strong signal of demand.
Step 2: Study top videos for each idea
- How many views do the top videos have, and how old are they?
- Are small channels ranking, or only big ones?
- What do the comments ask that the video did not answer?
Older videos with many views and unanswered questions in comments are good opportunities for a fresh, better video.
Step 3: Check Google results too
Search the phrase on Google. If a video carousel appears, a video can bring traffic from Google as well as YouTube. Expand your list with the keyword research tool.
Step 4: Use your own analytics
If you already have videos, YouTube Studio shows the search terms people used to find them. Those reveal related topics your audience wants.
Step 5: Put keywords where they count
- Title: include the main phrase naturally, near the start, and keep it appealing.
- Description: the first two lines summarise the video with the main phrase; below, add chapters and useful links.
- Spoken words and captions: say the topic clearly in the video; accurate captions help.
- File name and thumbnail text that match the topic.
- Tags: YouTube says they play a minimal role, mostly helping with common misspellings.
Step 6: Make viewers stay
Keywords bring the first views; watch time and satisfaction decide whether YouTube keeps recommending the video. Deliver what the title promises early, and cut slow introductions. Write titles that earn clicks without misleading โ see how to improve organic CTR.
Link video and website
Embed videos in related blog posts and link from the video description to the full guide. Track those clicks with UTM tags โ see how to build UTM links. Repurposing articles into videos is covered in how to repurpose blog content.
A worked example
An Australian gardening channel made broad videos like "Spring garden tips" with few views. YouTube suggestions showed specific searches such as "how to grow tomatoes in pots for beginners". The creator made short, focused videos on these, with matching titles and chapters. Several reached more views in a month than the old videos had in a year.
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Frequently asked questions
Do YouTube tags still matter?
Very little. Titles, descriptions and viewer engagement matter much more.
How long should a YouTube title be?
Short enough that the main point shows on mobile โ roughly the first 60 characters carry the message.
Can videos rank in Google?
Yes. Videos often appear in Google's video results and carousels.
Is keyword research different for Shorts?
Shorts rely more on recommendations, but clear topics and titles still help them surface in search.