If you’re a business owner publishing YouTube videos, you might wonder if anyone’s even searching for your topics. Maybe you’re a creator and see successful channels, and you question if you could compete. This is where knowing how to find YouTube keyword competition score and SEO becomes a game changer.
When you use specific words and phrases to search on YouTube, you notice a list that auto-populates. That’s because as you learn how to find YouTube keyword competition score and SEO, you can quickly notice those top listings. Autocomplete suggests popular searches that viewers see.
Table of Contents:
- Why YouTube Keyword Research Matters
- Best Ways for Finding Competitive YouTube Keywords
- Optimizing Video Content with Keywords
- Conclusion
Why YouTube Keyword Research Matters
Every successful YouTube strategy begins with identifying the right keywords. Most videos aren’t made this way, but think of YouTube as half search engine, half social network. Video tags are extra useful when growing a new channel or looking for keyword ideas.
If you already have an audience, you still need to account for YouTube keywords to continue to grow. Knowing what people are searching for can give data insights you might have missed. Using a keyword generator can help surface potential keywords.
Best Ways for Finding Competitive YouTube Keywords
Discovering relevant keywords for your YouTube videos isn’t always quick, but there are effective tools. The best way is by using different SEO tools. These keyword tools show the monthly searches.
Using Keyword Tools for Competitive Analysis
YouTube keyword research tools show what people search for. The best Keyword Analytics for YouTube, a Semrush app, shows the search frequency and keyword competition.
Here’s how to try it:
- Go to the app and click on “Keywords Research.”
- Type in a seed keyword related to your channel or videos and your desired country to research.
- View the keyword list in a report that contains key information.
With Keyword Analytics for YouTube, you can do this for free. Consider gathering terms to use for your video title, description, and tags.
Alternative Keyword Research Tools
Although Keyword Analytics for YouTube does a solid job, consider alternatives. This includes KeywordKeg’s YouTube Keyword Tool and KeywordTool.io. Both of those free tools do not require account registration.
There is a third great alternative worth a close look. Consider checking out VidIQ, a tool with similar features.
Leverage YouTube’s Internal Research Tools
Another tool you probably already have is in YouTube Studio. YouTube’s internal data found at “Analytics” -> “Research,” then click “Your viewers’ searches”.
Consider bookmarking high searched and “Content Gap” terms. A Content Gap means not as much relevant content exists for that user’s search intent. YouTube autocomplete also helps.
Digging into Competitor Keywords
Competitor analysis isn’t just for traditional businesses. YouTube creators benefit from this just as much by studying competitor’s top-ranking videos.
Find their YouTube keywords in their title and video description. You can right-click and view their source code (or use CTRL + F). You can also install the Tags for YouTube chrome extension to get tags.
Understand Search Intent
Matching search intent is something many search engines reward, this is similar with YouTube. Sometimes you want a quick video. Others are watching YouTube videos as how-to guides.
| Intent | User Goal | Search Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Understand the product, problem, or service. | “what are common household products with alcohol” |
| Desire | User wants to make a purchase soon. | “isopropyl alcohol cleaning tips for keyboard and electronics” |
| Action | They need to buy now. | “purchase 99% isopropyl alcohol” |
Search intent can help show users’ position in their buying. Use your keyword research to inform decisions.
YouTube’s Autocomplete for Keyword Discovery
Use YouTube’s autocomplete by starting a broad topic phrase in YouTube. Start with one word like “meditation.” Then write letters afterwards that will represent your desired audience.
The resulting phrases can help create and shape your YouTube strategy. If you’re running into issues, check out the YouTube tags Chrome extension.
Analyzing Search Volumes and Competition Levels
Pay attention to search volume to see popular trends. Once that’s determined, run searches of that keyphrase on YouTube and look to see what auto-populates. Explore search volumes of your keyword variations.
Look at titles, descriptions, and thumbnails. Notice keyword phrases like “iPad Pro Review”, representing a clearer cut audience versus “iPad Pro”.
Optimizing Video Content with Keywords
Use video keywords throughout the content you keywords create to help YouTube show your video. Video SEO helps grow any channel, so pay attention to video SERP features.
Using Keywords in Video Titles
Titles should get straight to the point on the core value of your content. Ideally it contains a primary or secondary keyword. For instance, look up “keyword research” to get ideas.
Make video titles no more than 60 characters. Try not to go “clickbaity” which only damages trust with the viewers.
Optimizing Video Descriptions
Video descriptions should contain a few relevant keywords giving details of the topic. If you watch successful YouTube content, you’ll see that those videos go much deeper in content detail.
Place your main keyword in the first sentence or two and at the end. Some experts are finding YouTube keyword success linking out to other websites and creating chapters.
Enhance Discoverability by Adding Video Chapters
Chapters provide context for users to skip ahead for relevant content. You’re allowed to pick at minimum 3 chapter markers.
Each should use ascending order. By default, that first chapter timestamp would start with a 0:00.
YouTube’s Video Tags for Categorization
To add tags to videos is fairly easy. You need to access YouTube Studio to modify tags.
Find “more options” when you do the upload, then add your tags. When working with existing videos, navigate to “Content” and input tag details.
Using Hashtags Correctly
Although YouTube shares how Hashtags aren’t impacting rankings significantly, you are more likely to show in search. Best practice suggests that at the end of a video you would include a relevant Hashtag of about 2-3 terms.
Playlist Optimization with Keywords
Playlists paired with core keywords can lead to increased performance. Include primary keywords, or broader phrases that represent second most critical YouTube channel keywords.
Going Beyond YouTube: Leveraging Google Trends
There are other websites that track search data like Google Trends. Type phrases that would describe your keyword strategy and it shows different views of content.
Change it to a “YouTube” search. Use those details to produce videos.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to find YouTube keyword competition score and SEO, it doesn’t need to feel challenging. Make videos relevant to your viewers’ needs while also focusing on popular search terms.
Put to practice each point made to study data. Start applying these recommendations so you will have better insights for your content marketing to drive traffic.
