Getting ahead on YouTube means understanding which keywords are trending and most relevant to your niche. The right keywords can help your video appear more in search results and get discovered by new viewers. How do you do that? Well, let’s start with some useful keyword tools!
YouTube Search Suggestions
This isn’t a tool, but before you actually do turn your attention to the tools it’s important to know what you’re focusing on. It’s a first step to assess your choices and what is popular right now. When you type a keyword into the YouTube search bar, YouTube provides a list of autocomplete suggestions based on what other users are searching for.
Why do you need to do this? Well, first of all, to get some insight on what is trending, what is more or less popular in your niche and what you should be focusing on.
How to Use:
- Start typing a keyword related to your video.
- Observe the autocomplete suggestions that appear.
- Choose the most relevant ones to incorporate into your video’s title, description, and tags.
Pros:
- Free and easy to access directly on YouTube.
- Provides real-time insight into what people are searching for.
Cons:
- Doesn’t provide details.
1. VidIQ (Freemium)
How it Works:
VidIQ is a very powerful YouTube tool that provides insights into search volume, competition, and trends for specific keywords. It also helps you track the performance of your videos using those keywords.
How to Use:
- Install the VidIQ browser extension.
- Use the keyword tool to explore search volume, competition, and trends.
- Monitor the ranking of your videos over time for those keywords.
Pros:
- Provides extensive YouTube analytics, including competitor analysis.
- Helps track ranking for chosen keywords.
Cons:
- Limited features on the free plan; the paid version provides access to deeper insights and features.
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2. Google Trends (Free)
How it Works:
Google Trends allows you to explore the popularity of search terms over time and see related queries. You can filter the data to show trends specifically on YouTube.
How to Use:
- Go to Google Trends and select “YouTube Search” in the filter options.
- Enter your target keyword and see its search interest over time.
- Use this data to identify trending keywords or phrases related to your content.
Pros:
- Tracks trends over time, allowing you to identify popular and seasonal topics.
- Provides geographic filtering, which can help target specific regions, which, in turn, will help your content go global.
Cons:
- Doesn’t give exact search volume metrics for YouTube; it's more general.
3. Keyword Tool Dominator (Freemium)
How it Works:
Keyword Tool Dominator specializes in generating YouTube keyword suggestions by using YouTube’s autocomplete. It provides keyword phrases specifically aimed at YouTube’s audience.
How to Use:
- Enter a keyword or phrase related to your content.
- The tool will generate a comprehensive list of long-tail keywords, based on YouTube's autocomplete suggestions.
- Use those keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags.
Pros:
- Focuses on YouTube-specific keywords.
- Provides a large number of keyword ideas, helping you expand your content strategy.
Cons:
- Limited features in the free version; more in-depth keyword data is available in the paid version.
4. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer (Paid)
How it Works:
Ahrefs is a SEO tool that provides keyword search data, including search volume, keyword difficulty, and the number of clicks.
How to Use:
- Enter a keyword into the Ahrefs Keyword Explorer.
- Filter the results to show YouTube-specific data.
- Review search volume, competition, and the effectiveness of each keyword.
Pros:
- Provides detailed keyword data and insights.
- Includes keyword difficulty scores to help you gauge how easy it is to rank for a term.
Cons:
- Paid tool, though it offers a trial with a very limited access to features.
5. Keyword Tool (Freemium)
Keyword Tool generates long-tail keyword suggestions for YouTube using Google’s autocomplete data. This tool helps you find niche keywords that might not be immediately obvious.
How to Use:
- Enter a base keyword or topic.
- Keyword Tool will generate a list of related keywords and phrases that people are searching for.
- Use the free version to get ideas, or upgrade to access search volume and competition data.
Pros:
- Quick and easy to use for generating a list of keywords.
- Great for finding long-tail keywords.
Cons:
- As always, the free version lacks search volume and competition data, which are only available with the paid version.
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6. Morningfame (Paid)
How it Works:
Morningfame combines data analytics with keyword research to help you improve your video SEO. It offers insights into which tags, titles, and descriptions are likely to improve video performance.
How to Use:
- Use Morningfame’s invite-only service to access in-depth keyword research tools.
- Enter a keyword, and Morningfame will give you suggestions based on video performance data.
- Use the information to optimize your video title, tags, and description.
Pros:
- Provides data-driven strategies to boost visibility.
- Personalized suggestions based on your content and audience.
Cons:
- Subscription-based service with no free plan.
7. AnswerThePublic (Freemium)
How it Works:
AnswerThePublic visualizes keyword suggestions in the form of questions, prepositions, and comparisons. This tool is excellent for identifying question-based search queries related to your video content.
How to Use:
- Enter a keyword into the tool, and it will generate a list of questions people are searching for.
- Use the results to create content that directly answers user queries.
Pros:
- Excellent for discovering long-tail, question-based keywords.
- Helps broaden your content strategy by identifying natural language searches.
Cons:
- Limited free searches and lacks YouTube-specific data.
8. Ubersuggest (Freemium)
How it Works:
Ubersuggest provides keyword data, including search volume, competition, and difficulty. You can filter the results to focus on YouTube SEO and adjust settings to meet your specific needs.
How to Use:
- Enter your primary keyword and select YouTube as the target platform.
- Ubersuggest will show you related keywords, along with their metrics.
- Analyze keyword performance over time to optimize your strategy.
Pros:
- User-friendly with robust free features like competitor analysis.
- Provides insights into historical data and keyword trends.
Cons:
- The paid version unlocks deeper insights and more detailed keyword metrics.
9. Rapidtags (Free)
How it Works:
Rapidtags helps generate tags for your YouTube videos based on a primary keyword. It’s simple, fast, and directly geared towards YouTube content creators.
How to Use:
- Enter your video’s main keyword into Rapidtags.
- It will generate a list of relevant tags you can add to your video.
Pros:
- Extremely quick and easy to use for generating tags.
- Free to use with no need for additional accounts or subscriptions.
Cons:
- Limited to tag generation with no in-depth keyword analytics.
10. SERPStat (Freemium)
How it Works:
SERPStat is an all-in-one SEO platform with a section dedicated to keyword research, including YouTube keywords.
How to Use:
- Log in to SERPStat and select the keyword tool.
- Enter a topic or keyword and view results under the YouTube category.
- Export keyword data for future use.
Pros:
- Provides competitive keyword suggestions.
- Great for discovering trending topics.
Cons:
- The free version has limited functionality.
- More complex interface compared to other tools.
Final Tips for Keyword Strategy
- Combine Tools: Using a mix of free and paid tools can give you a fuller picture of what keywords are relevant to your audience.
- Focus on Long-Tail Keywords: Longer, question-based phrases often have less competition and help you target niche searches.
- Analyze Competitors: Tools like VidIQ allow you to see what keywords are working for other creators in your niche, helping you stay ahead of the competition.
Using keywords that align with user searches will boost your SEO and visibility, and help you grow your YouTube channel effectively. Start with free tools and, as you expand, consider investing in paid versions for deeper insights and growth strategies.
