Search and SEO
YouTube keyword research
YouTube keyword research means finding the exact phrases people type into YouTube, then choosing the ones you can win. Collect phrases from search suggestions, check how strong the current results are, and pick specific searches with real demand and weak answers.
Cuetta team3 min read
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Why keyword research matters on YouTube
Search is one of the few ways a new video can find viewers who've never heard of you. If you use the words people actually type, YouTube can match your video to them. If you guess, it often can't.
Keyword research also gives you video ideas: every search phrase is a question someone wants answered.
1. Collect phrases
- 1
Start with your topic
Type it into YouTube's search bar slowly and write down the suggestions.
- 2
Add question words
Try how, why, what, best, vs, for beginners, cheap, mistakes.
- 3
Add letters
Type your topic followed by a, b, c… to see more suggestions.
- 4
Look at rival titles
Popular videos in your niche show the words viewers respond to.
- 5
Read comments
The way viewers ask questions is often how they search.
2. Judge demand and competition
For each phrase, search it and study the first page of results.
| Sign | Means |
|---|---|
| Results with many views | People want this |
| Results that are years old | A fresh video can win |
| Results that don't really answer the search | An opening for a better answer |
| Small channels in the top results | Your size isn't a barrier |
| Only giant channels, all exact matches | Hard to win now. Go more specific |
Results with many views
- Means
- People want this
Results that are years old
- Means
- A fresh video can win
Results that don't really answer the search
- Means
- An opening for a better answer
Small channels in the top results
- Means
- Your size isn't a barrier
Only giant channels, all exact matches
- Means
- Hard to win now. Go more specific
3. Pick phrases you can win
Broad phrases like "guitar" have huge demand and huge competition. Long, specific phrases like "easy guitar songs for small hands" have less demand but you can actually rank for them, and the viewers who find you are a better match.
A good mix for most channels: mostly specific phrases you can win now, plus a few bigger ones to grow into.
4. Use the keyword well
- One main phrase per video. Don't try to rank one video for ten different searches.
- Put it near the start of the title, in natural words.
- Use it in the first lines of the description.
- Say it in the video, so it's in the captions.
- Use closely related phrases as chapter names.
See the full YouTube SEO guide.
Track what works
In YouTube Studio, the Reach tab shows the search terms that brought viewers to each video. Those are real keywords from your audience. Make more videos around the ones that bring views, and keep a list of phrases you want to target next.