YouTube Keyword Research: The Ultimate Guide for 2023

As the world's second-largest search engine, YouTube is essential for content creators, marketers and businesses. YouTube's impact is undeniable, with over 2.5 billion monthly logged-in users and a billion daily video hours.

With so much content, making your videos stand out is a challenge. The solution? Effective YouTube keyword research.  

Understanding YouTube's search algorithm and harnessing keyword power can help you optimize your content for visibility and engagement. 

To help you find the perfect keywords, our experts at Maekersuite have created this comprehensive guide that explores YouTube keyword research essentials. We'll equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to succeed in critical content creation. 

Get ready to elevate your YouTube game!

What We'll Cover:

Getting Started

Ever wondered how certain YouTube channels and YouTubers  attract millions of views? A key factor behind their success lies in understanding and utilizing the power of YouTube keywords and keyword research. 

In this section, we’ll define these terms and explain their significance in YouTube content creation.

What is a YouTube Keyword?

A YouTube keyword is a word or phrase that accurately represents the main topic or theme of your video. These keywords help YouTube's search algorithm understand what your content is about and match it with users' search queries. 

In essence, by incorporating relevant and popular keywords into your video's title, description and tags, you increase its chances of being discovered by the right audience.

What is YouTube Keyword Research?

YouTube keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing the most relevant and effective keywords for your video content. This involves understanding your target audience, their search behavior and the competition within your niche.  

Conducting thorough keyword research helps you optimize your video content to rank higher in search results. It leads to increased visibility, engagement, and growth for your channel.

The Power of YouTube Keyword Research

Creators who conduct thorough keyword research can pinpoint trending topics and deliver content that is both relevant and timely. The process of keyword research ensures their videos resonate with viewers, helping creators get: 

• Higher watch time
• Increased subscriber count
• A stronger online presence

Why Are YouTube Keywords Important?

YouTube keywords are crucial in connecting your video content with users' search queries. 

For example, let's say you want to create a video on "how to make French macarons." You can use relevant keywords like: 

• French macarons
• Macaron recipe
• Baking tips

These keywords help YouTube's algorithm understand your video's subject and connect it with viewers looking for similar content. 

In short, using the right keywords makes your content more discoverable, enabling you to stand out from the competition and attract a larger, more engaged audience.

How Do YouTube Keywords Get You More Views?

Effective use of YouTube keywords directly translates to more views for your content. Optimizing your video title, description and tags with well-researched keywords improves your video's ranking in YouTube search results. 

For instance, a fitness channel that consistently uses targeted keywords like "home workout," "full-body exercises" and "no-equipment workout" will rank higher in YouTube search results. It will therefore reach more viewers interested in fitness content.

A keyword-focused approach drives organic traffic to your channel, resulting in channel growth.

Discovering the Ideal YouTube Keyword

Mastering YouTube keyword research is essential for thriving on this competitive platform. In this section, we'll guide you through a step-by-step process to help you reach your ultimate goal of growing your YouTube channel by finding the perfect keywords.

Step 1. Choose a topic

Begin by choosing a subject that aligns with your channel's niche and captivates your target audience. Consider their needs or interests and create content that addresses those points. Picking a relevant and engaging topic sets the stage for successful keyword research.

Step 2. Use YouTube's autocomplete function

YouTube's autocomplete function is a goldmine for discovering popular YouTube keywords. Type your topic into the search bar and observe the suggested search terms. These suggestions reflect users' frequent YouTube searches, offering insight into potential keywords to target in your content.

Step 3. Examine your competitors

Investigate successful channels in your niche to uncover the YouTube keywords they employ. Inspect their video titles, descriptions and tags, noting recurring words or phrases. Analyzing competitors helps you identify popular YouTube keywords and understand what appeals to your target audience.

Step 4. Leverage YouTube keyword research tools

Use YouTube keyword tools like TubeBuddy, vidIQ, or KeywordTool.io to generate a list of pertinent keywords for your content. These YouTube keyword tools provide valuable data, such as search volume, competition and keyword difficulty, aiding you in making informed decisions about which keywords to pursue.

Step 5. Determine search volume data

Examine the search volume data for your prospective keywords. This metric indicates the frequency of users' YouTube searches for a particular term. Targeting keywords with a higher search volume increases your chances of widening your reach. 

It's essential to consider the competition for keywords. If many other creators target the same popular keywords, ranking high in search results might be harder.

Step 6. Evaluate the quality of the videos

Before finalizing a YouTube keyword, assess the quality of videos ranking for that term. If top-ranking videos are low quality or outdated, this presents an opportunity for you to produce better content and potentially outrank them using the same keyword.

Step 7. Formulate your creative strategy

After pinpointing the right YouTube keywords, devise a creative strategy to integrate them into your video content. This involves crafting a captivating video title, writing an informative description, and adding relevant tags. Prioritize the user experience and generate high-quality, engaging content that genuinely addresses your audience's needs.

5 Recommended YouTube Keyword Research Tools

The YouTube keyword research tool is an invaluable asset for content creators looking for the right keywords. The tool streamlines the process, offers data-driven insights, and enhances your ability to reach a broader audience. 

Here are five top keyword research tools to elevate your YouTube keyword strategy.

#1 Maekersuite 

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Maekersuite offers an exceptional AI-powered YouTube keyword tool, designed to enhance your channel's performance. This innovative solution streamlines the process of identifying high-impact keywords to increase organic views on your videos. 

Maekersuite analyzes search volume, trends, and competition to optimize your content for the best visibility and engagement.

Using Maekersuite is a breeze. First, input your video's main topic or theme in the search bar to receive tailored keyword suggestions. Next, select a specific country or region to obtain accurate, location-based keyword data for optimal targeting. Finally, let the AI-powered tool work its magic by generating a list of high-traffic, low-competition keywords.

Key Features

• Filter keywords by search volume and more
• Optimize youtube keyword research for seo
• Generate trending video tags
• Generate youtube video ideas instantly

#2 TubeBuddy

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TubeBuddy is a popular browser extension and mobile app designed to help optimize your YouTube channel. The keyword explorer feature in TubeBuddy allows you to discover long-tail keywords that improve your video's searchability. 

TubeBuddy also provides tag suggestions and translates your video's title and description into multiple languages for a broader reach.

Features

• Tag suggestions
• Search rank tracking
• Keyword score analysis

Limitations

• Some advanced features are only available with a paid subscription.

#3 VidIQ

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VidIQ is another powerful YouTube keyword tool that assists creators in boosting their search rankings. When searching for a keyword, VidIQ provides valuable information such as search volume, competition, overall keyword score, related queries, keyword stats, and the tags used in top-ranking videos. 

This tool is an excellent resource for optimizing videos based on current trends and data.

Features

• Keyword research
• Tag suggestions
• Competitor analysis

Limitations

• Basic functionality is available in the free version; advanced features are available with the paid plan.

#4 Ahrefs

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Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO and keyword research platform with a dedicated YouTube keyword tool. It offers search volumes for ten different search engines, including YouTube, and provides relevant search phrases, difficulty scores, and a "clicks" metric for each keyword. 

Although the extensive database comes with a higher price tag (plans start at $99/month), Ahrefs offers a wealth of information that can be invaluable for optimizing your YouTube content.

Features

• Search volume data
• Keyword ideas
• Keyword difficulty scores for YouTube searches

Limitations

• It may be more expensive than other dedicated YouTube keyword tools.

#5 Keywordtool.io

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Keywordtool.io is a versatile keyword research tool that supports multiple platforms, including YouTube. It generates comprehensive lists of keywords organized into categories such as keyword suggestions, questions, prepositions, and hashtags. 

This tool is perfect for finding relevant keywords to boost your content's visibility and engagement.

Features

• Generates a list of relevant keywords based on your topic
• Helps discover long-tail keywords and search trends

Limitations

• Limited features in the free version; full functionality requires a subscription.

#6 Google Trends

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Google Trends is a free and user-friendly tool that allows you to explore the popularity of search terms over time. You have the option to narrow the results to only YouTube searches. This way, you can use Google Trends to compare the relative popularity of different keywords or discover new potential topics for your content. 

This tool is especially useful for staying up-to-date with trending keywords in your niche.

Features

• Identifies trending topics
• Gauges interest in specific keywords
• Filters search for YouTube

Limitations

• It doesn't provide search volume data or specific YouTube keywords.

6 Tips to Getting More YouTube Views

Making the most of YouTube keywords effectively drives more traffic and increases views on your videos. 

Here are six tips to help you get more views by utilizing the right keywords.

1. Build a keyword map

Creating a keyword map helps organize your research and understand the relationships between different keywords. It is essential for identifying primary and secondary keywords for your video content. 

To build a keyword map, list your primary and secondary keywords, group related keywords, and associate them with specific video topics. This ensures your videos are well-optimized and connected to relevant search terms.

2. Analyze search query intent

Understanding the intent behind search queries is essential to creating content that meets your audience's needs. Look at the most common search queries related to your keywords and tailor your video content accordingly. 

3. Include keywords in your title, description and tags

Incorporating primary and secondary keywords into your video's title, description and tags helps YouTube's algorithm understand your content and match it to relevant search queries. 

Using natural language is crucial while avoiding keyword stuffing. YouTube may penalize content that appears to be manipulating the algorithm.

4. Use targeted hashtags

Targeted hashtags improve your video's discoverability on YouTube. Select a few relevant hashtags that include your keywords to categorize your content and make it easier for viewers to find it. Focus on hashtags directly related to your content and keywords, and include them in your video's description.

5. Rename your files with primary keywords

Renaming your video file to include your primary keyword before uploading it to YouTube helps the algorithm better understand the content and can contribute to improved search rankings. 

Choose a descriptive file name that accurately represents your video's topic. It'll be more accessible to both users and search engines.

6. Promote your video and include keywords

Sharing your video across social media platforms, forums, and other online communities increases visibility. When promoting your content, include relevant keywords in captions and descriptions to maximize exposure. 

This strategy enhances the likelihood of your video being found by users searching for content related to your keywords, leading to more views and higher engagement.

Stay Ahead of the Game

Effective YouTube keyword research and optimization are key factors in driving more views and growing your channel. Implementing the tips and strategies shared in this article can help you increase your video's visibility and attract a wider audience.

To further enhance your YouTube content creation journey, consider using Maekersuite, a comprehensive platform designed to help creators succeed. 

Maekersuite offers tools and resources tailored specifically for content creators, allowing you to focus on what you do best - creating engaging videos for your audience.