Keyword Research for YouTube
Although not a hard task, searching for the most effective keywords on YouTube can be time-consuming. To save some time, we suggest utilizing a YouTube keyword tool that provides extensive data about different keywords, effectively reducing your research time by half.
- Monthly search volume
- Competitiveness
- Related keywords
- Questions people ask
- An overall keyword score, which assesses keyword volume and competitiveness
Did you know that vidIQ’s keyword research tool offers all of that and even more? Simply create an account with vidIQ and select the Pro plan ($10/month) to begin. Afterwards, return to this post to familiarize yourself with how to utilize the tool and uncover the top YouTube keywords.
1. Determine Your Video’s Topic
The first step in finding the right keywords for your YouTube video content is to select a topic. While it might seem counterintuitive to do this before the research portion, the whole idea is that you want to have a starting point.
Ensure that your topic is general enough, yet still appealing to your audience, and that you possess the capability to create a precise video on the subject.
Having a concise subject matter is crucial for your YouTube video as it enables you to concentrate on your keyword investigation. Delving into a single topic extensively aids in reaching the appropriate audience and unearthing the precise terms they will utilize to locate your video.
Make sure you have a clear understanding of your intent. Are you showcasing a tutorial for Minecraft? Capturing a vlog of the Grand Canyon? Or filming a race between two baristas to make the perfect Starbucks latte? Regardless of your objective, aim to summarize the overall video concept within 1-2 sentences. Once accomplished, you may proceed to the next phase.
2. Create a List of Phrases to Describe Your Video
The subsequent stage involves generating a roster of terms to depict your video. Your objective during this activity is to recognize the distinguishing characteristics of your video. Therefore, carefully review the significant topics you will cover or exceptional aspects of the subject matter.
Suppose your video is focused on purchasing dog food for older dogs, a potential list might consist of the following:
- Senior dog food
- Best dog food for senior dogs
- Dog food for older dogs
- Feeding senior dogs
- Healthy food for senior dogs
- Nutritious food for senior dogs
- Dog food for senior dogs with special needs
- Dog food for senior dogs with dietary restrictions
- High-quality food for senior dogs
- Dog food for senior dogs with sensitive stomachs
If you develop a compilation of prospective words, your investigation process will be smoother. You won’t be uncertain about what to input into the keyword tool since you have already undertaken that aspect!
3. Paste Those Descriptors into vidIQ’s Keyword Tool
It’s time to test out your list of words. Ensure that you have registered for vidIQ Pro, and then visit this page and select the Keywords tab. Paste a phrase from your list of keywords into the search bar, and press enter!
An example we can use is “dog food formulated for senior dogs.”
4. Analyze Your Keyword(s)
Afterward, we will examine how the tool evaluates the search volume on a monthly basis, the level of competition, related phrases, and supplementary inquiries that individuals have about a particular keyword.
Search volume and competition
Once you’ve pressed the enter key to initiate the search, take a glance beneath the search bar. You will see a score assigned to the keyword you entered, indicating its worth based on its search volume and level of competition.
In order to optimize your YouTube content, it is advisable to target keywords that have high search volume and low competition. As an illustration, the phrase “dog food for older dogs” is considered to have moderate search volume and low competition, which makes it a good choice even if it only takes a few seconds to come up with.
It’s a good indication that we can attract views without encountering excessive competition as the search volume for this subject is high. This is a positive development as identifying low-competition keywords for YouTube can be challenging (phew).
Matching terms
If you’re interested in checking out alternative variations of your selected keyword, simply look at the Matching Terms section located directly below the keyword score. This feature presents us with supplemental keywords that we should take into account. You may discover ones that depict your video more accurately or possess a greater keyword score, hence make sure to use this panel to your advantage.
Related keywords
It is beneficial to be aware of the intricate aspects of a subject through related keywords, as it reveals how individuals search for them.
Not only that, but utilizing related keywords can help reveal the gaps in content of other YouTube videos, such as the “subtopics” viewers are interested in but do not appear in the video. Therefore, you can incorporate relevant information that people are searching for by using related keywords to enhance your content.
In order to view related keywords, access the Related Keywords section located on the right-hand side of the screen and select the option to View All Keywords. By expanding the list, additional related keywords will be provided.
- senior dog food recipe
- homemade dog food
- best senior dog food for small breeds
Given that individuals are seeking information on these correlated subjects, it is logical to include them in the video.
Questions people ask
If individuals have queries related to a subject on YouTube, you have the opportunity to enhance the worth of your video significantly by presenting a precise and beneficial response. To accomplish this, navigate to the Questions section located in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
If your topic is too specific, such as the one we’ve selected regarding older dog food, there may be instances where there are no inquiries. In such cases, consider broadening your search and looking at more general phrases.
5. Find Keywords Using the YouTube Search Bar
Did you observe that the YouTube search bar completes every query automatically? For instance, if you type “how to cook,” YouTube will provide relevant searches to investigate. It’s worth taking note of these recommendations because they are reflecting the current search trends of viewers. These recommendations can serve as free starting points for your research.
To tailor your recommendations to your specific audience, ensure that you are selecting appropriate verbs. For instance, “cook” is a suitable verb for a cooking-related platform as demonstrated earlier. Nonetheless, there is a vast range of verbs at your disposal to generate more accurate recommendations.
- grow (gardening, finance, personal growth)
- build (DIY, construction, personal growth)
- install (technology, construction)
- increase (works for almost anything)
6. Find the Related Google Searches Associated with Your Video
Are you familiar with the concept of Google’s related searches? These keywords can be found at the bottom of Google search result pages, including those for the frequently searched phrase “YouTube Shorts monetization.” By optimizing your content with relevant keywords, your quality YouTube videos may be suggested by Google at the top of search pages, resulting in a significant increase in organic traffic. Just imagine all the free traffic flowing directly to your videos!
7. Use Google Trends to Find Popular Topics/Keywords
If you’re looking for reliable, frequently used keywords, check out Google Trends. Simply input a phrase related to your content and Google will generate a report showing the keyword’s relative popularity over time, where people are searching from, related topics, and common inquiries.
By selecting the “YouTube” option in the search filter, you can obtain relevant results, if desired. Google Trends has many benefits, including the ability to detect commonly searched keywords and subjects pertaining to your viewers. It can also enhance your visibility on YouTube and aid in optimizing your videos for search engines.
8. Find Your YouTube Channel’s Keyword List
Were you aware of the fact that YouTube keeps track of the most frequently searched terms on your channel? You can access this information by visiting the Research tab in YouTube Studio (YouTube Studio > Analytics > Research).
Upon arrival, you will discover a function known as Your Viewers’ Searches which discloses what your audience looks for on YouTube. This way, you can determine the videos to create next alongside the precise keywords to associate with them.
We are observing searches such as “ways to boost subscribers,” “creating appealing thumbnails,” and “top video editing application for android” on the vidIQ channel.
9. Check Out the Competition
After gaining a comprehensive understanding of the topic and its current level of coverage on YouTube, examine a handful of highly-viewed videos. Pay attention to those that align with the desired content for a video.
10. Use a YouTube Keyword Research Tool
After examining the existing content on the platform, it is necessary to utilize a YouTube keyword research tool to select your primary and secondary keywords. The technique for using these tools may differ depending on the one you have selected, but the essential aspect to bear in mind is that you require words and phrases that are closely linked to the theme of your video.
Top YouTube Keyword Tools
To simplify the process of finding the ideal YouTube keywords, it’s important to be aware of the available tools. Below are some options to explore that can streamline your research.
1. YouTube Analytics
To determine search intent, the primary step is to refer to YouTube Analytics. This can provide insights into the behavior of your current viewers and their preferences for upcoming videos.
Subsequently, you may conduct your remaining keyword investigation on related subjects.
2. Google Trends
Many video makers are unaware that Google Trends features a dedicated section for YouTube material, providing insights into the popularity of a specific topic as well as associated search queries.
If you’re conducting keyword research, this comes in handy as it provides suggestions on other relevant keywords to pair with the ones you already have in use.
3. Google Ads Keyword Planner
Although Google Ads Keyword Planner is primarily intended for general SEO purposes, it can also be used for YouTube. We previously noted that there is significant overlap between searches on Google and those on the video-sharing platform.
You can target a wider audience and increase your video views by ensuring that the keywords you use have sufficient search volume to appear in general searches. This approach is particularly useful if you are operating within a limited budget or are a beginner because it is free of charge.
4. BuzzSumo Keyword Research Tool
One great feature of the BuzzSumo Keyword Research Tool is the ability to switch between related keyword searches and analytics. This enables users to enter a search query and discover other propositions connected to the subject matter.
You can also analyze the content of any YouTube channel by viewing it.
Choosing the appropriate keywords for your content is doubly beneficial with this fantastic two-in-one approach.
5. Keyword Tool for YouTube
Despite its generic name, the tool is not actually created by YouTube, but rather a reliable third-party alternative. The YouTube Keyword Tool effectively examines particular search phrases to generate numerous related options.
The program’s premium version allows you to examine web traffic related to particular phrases.
6. TubeBuddy
TubeBuddy is a remarkable tool for conducting YouTube keyword research. By integrating with your browser, this extension streamlines the process of identifying and choosing appropriate keywords for your videos’ descriptions, titles, and other elements.
In addition, it has an auto translation feature for varied language content, making it advantageous for those wanting to reach a broader audience.
7. VidIQ
VidIQ is widely considered to be among the top YouTube keyword research options available, providing a user-friendly platform for creators to conduct vital research to achieve success in video marketing. Its extensive features include convenient keyword templates for those producing numerous videos, as well as a keyword translator, and much more.
In addition, they’re also YouTube certified and have an online learning academy to help you best use the platform.
8. Ahrefs
To effectively discover successful trending keywords on YouTube, it’s crucial to utilize a reliable keyword research tool such as Ahrefs. Rather than relying on assumptions, this tool consistently analyzes significant amounts of legitimate on-platform data to offer truly effective search terms for any keyword imaginable.
9. YouTube Keyword Tool
Are you in search of an economical yet productive method to do keyword research for your YouTube channel? The YouTube Keyword Tool is a costless analysis tool that is exceptionally easy to operate. Simply input your preferred subject matter or keyword along with any specific requirements, and within no time, you will receive an extensive list of practical alternatives to pick from.
10. SEMRush
As someone who values reliable keyword research tools, it’s probable that you’re already aware of SEMRush. However, it’s important to note that this platform is also capable of assisting with your YouTube keyword research. You can explore an extensive collection of frequently used keywords and assemble dynamic lists of superior choices.
Explore a vast selection of powerful extended keywords for enhancing your optimization strategies to the next stage.
