When you think about hashtags, you probably don’t immediately think about YouTube videos. But even on YouTube, hashtags have become an important way to reach more viewers.

Hashtags are somewhat hidden on YouTube. It’s quite different to X (previously Twitter) or Instagram, where they’re much easier to spot. On YouTube, people are more likely to put hashtags in the video description than the video titles, and that’s the place many people don’t even read. (The great thing with hashtags is that it doesn’t matter if people see them or not, since they mostly work in the background anyway.)

Wherever you put them, adding relevant hashtags to your YouTube videos is a great way to get them to show up in search results and related video recommendations. In fact, it can make a big difference in getting your YouTube videos seen by more people.

In this guide, we’ll look at the best strategies for adding hashtags to your YouTube channel, and how you can use hashtags to boost your video discoverability. We’ll also look at some tools that can help, and troubleshoot some common hashtag woes.

In this article:

What are YouTube hashtags and why should you use them?

YouTube hashtags work in exactly the same way as hashtags on X or Instagram. They're great for organizing and finding videos on specific topics, because users simply have to search for them – or click on them from another post – to find your post.

This makes your content automatically more discoverable and can naturally lead to a boost in views.

Most of us are familiar with a hashtag by now – it's just a keyword or phrase preceded by the # symbol. It's kind of like sticking a label on your video, making it easier to find.

Hashtags serve a few purposes beyond being a clickable link. You can use them to group related YouTube videos – which is great when you're creating branded hashtags for a specific launch – helping viewers find videos on specific topics, and increase your video’s visibility.

How YouTube hashtags impact video discoverability and SEO

Search engines like Google have become more adept at finding relevant videos via hashtags. Whereas before, search engines would mainly focus on video captions and titles, the hashtag is now a quick way to boost your search rankings.

This search engine optimization technique is really beneficial and one of the best ways to quickly boost your video visibility. Here's how it's done.

How YouTube's algorithm interprets hashtags

YouTube’s algorithm uses video hashtags to understand video content and recommend it to relevant viewers.

When you add hashtags to your video's title or description, the platform recognizes them as important keywords. This helps your video show up in search results and related video suggestions.

The algorithm also considers the popularity and relevance of hashtags.

This means that trending hashtags can give your video a temporary boost in visibility – as long as it fits the bill! Using a trending hashtag out of context might be tempting, but misusing hashtags can hurt your video’s performance and credibility in the long run.

For example, a Seattle-based taco restaurant that notices a trend for #chinesefood in the city shouldn’t start adding that hashtag to its latest video, unless it’s relevant. The hashtag needs to link to the product, so the restaurant should launch a Chinese-inspired taco if it wants to jump on this trend. Otherwise it looks like they’re trying too hard, and YouTube will mark them down.

Hashtags vs. keywords: Which one matters more?

Both hashtags and keywords play important roles on YouTube and in SEO, but they serve different purposes.

Keywords are broader terms that describe your video’s content. They’re essential for traditional search optimization. Your video title and caption need keywords to rank in YouTube search results.

Hashtags, on the other hand, are more specific and help categorize your video. Ideally, you should aim to include relevant YouTube keywords as well as hashtags in your video descriptions.

Hashtags are like a little added extra – they can complement your keyword strategy by providing additional context. It's kind of like the Alt Text option on videos and images, only you see hashtags, rather than them being hidden.

For example, if your video is about “social media marketing tips,” you might add some hashtags like #SocialMediaStrategy or #MarketingWins to further clarify your content.

In general, focus on strong keywords in your title and description, and use hashtags to enhance discoverability.

The role of hashtags in YouTube SEO

Now it's time to look at search engines like Google. Hashtags contribute to your overall YouTube SEO strategy in a few different ways, but they all link back to Google.

If you use them correctly in your YouTube video description, relevant keywords and hashtags can help search algorithms better understand and categorize your video content. That means you top Google's video listings when someone searches for those words.

They help improve video categorization, give you a boost in the search results, and attract viewers interested in specific topics.

Best practices for choosing and using YouTube hashtags

YouTube hashtags can be a game-changer for video visibility if you get clever with them.

In this section, we'll go over some tips for making the most of YouTube video hashtags.

Ideal number of hashtags per video

Just like most other social media platforms, YouTube limits hashtag usage. You can use up to 15 per video, but that's really too much. Anything over five and your hashtag strategy can backfire as it looks a bit spammy. Instead, stick to a handful of the most relevant tags – five at the most.

This helps YouTube understand your content without overwhelming viewers.

Using more than 15 tags on your YouTube video and the platform will simply ignore all of them. The golden rule applies here: quality over quantity.

Tips for selecting relevant hashtags

All your hashtags should accurately describe your video topic. It's a good idea to think about what your target audience might search for.

You could also research trending hashtags in your niche. For example, take note of the hashtags that the influencers in your corner of the internet are using, and pocket them for later.

You could even create a branded hashtag for your channel. This helps build recognition and groups your content.

In general it's best to use a mix of broad and specific tags. For example, a broad tag like #marketing works well for our content here at Brandwatch, but #socialmediamarketing helps us reach a targeted audience.

Oh, and you could also get a few hashtag suggestions directly from YouTube. As you type a tag into the search bar, YouTube will autocomplete with relevant options to consider.

You could also use a tool to find the best hashtags for your YouTube description. We'll get to those later in this guide!

Avoiding banned or risky hashtags

Some hashtags have been banned and you'll need to avoid those. So-called 'banned hashtags' fall into two categories. First, there are those that include offensive, vulgar, or trademarked terms. You can probably guess what these are, so we won't spell it out for you. They can get your video flagged or removed.

Other banned hashtags have been used so much by spambots that any other post including them is automatically ignored by the algorithm.

Unfortunately, finding out which hashtags have been banned isn't easy. There's no official list, but you can use a banned hashtag checker (via Google) to rule out the most obvious offenders.

Misleading tags or anything unrelated to your content can also hurt your credibility and lead to penalties. That's why you shouldn't add hashtags that aren't relevant to you.

Overly generic tags are also a bit useless. There's no point using tags like #video or #YouTube as tags like that are just too broad. You'll need to be more specific.

There are a few tools that can help you find some trending YouTube hashtags. Let's explore some top options and how to use them effectively.

Hashtag research tools

Brandwatch is a great tool for researching popular hashtags. While it's not a YouTube hashtag generator as such, the Insights tool can tell you which hashtags people are actually using when they mention your brand. It can also tell you how each of those hashtags are performing.

You could also use Brandwatch in conjunction with another tool like TubeBuddy. This analyzes your video content and suggests relevant tags based on trending topics.

Another useful tool is the YouTube Hashtag Generator by Hopper HQ. It creates custom tag lists by examining keywords and video themes. This helps you target the right audience and improve searchability.

How to analyze hashtag performance

To measure hashtag success, you'll want to track key metrics. YouTube Analytics tools can help you see which tags drive the most views and engagement.

Look at your video reach and click-through rates for videos using specific hashtags. Compare these to your overall channel averages to spot high-performing tags. Simple, right?

Pay attention to viewer retention and watch time for videos with different hashtag combinations. This shows which tags attract viewers who stick around longer.

Mistakes to avoid when using YouTube hashtags

Using hashtags on YouTube can get you a lot more viewers, but there are few mistakes that people tend to make. Let's flag them here so you can avoid them.

Overusing hashtags or using irrelevant tags

Don't go overboard with hashtags. YouTube allows up to 15 tags per video, but that's actually quite a lot. Using too many might mean that you're using hashtags that aren't that relevant.

Always go for tags that truly match your content. Don't be tempted to use popular but unrelated hashtags just to get views – this can make viewers feel tricked and lead to faster click-aways.

Generic tags like #video or #YouTube should definitely be avoided, since they don't do anything to add value. Even targeted tags like #CookingTips or #TravelVlog might be too broad.

Ignoring YouTube's hashtag policies

YouTube does have some rules about hashtag use. If you break them, your video will most likely be taken down – and no one wants that!

The first rule is to keep your tags family-friendly. This is pretty obvious but explicit hashtags can get your video age-restricted or demonetized. It's the same policy that YouTube uses around swearing. Too many curse words and an age restriction may be applied.

The second is to make sure you don't use the same hashtag more than once in your description. It just looks amateur if you do this, so it's always worth proof-reading before hitting publish!

While it might be tempting, don't try to mislead viewers about your video's content by using trending or irrelevant hashtags. Keep it strictly on-topic and you're less likely to fall foul of the rules.

Also, be careful with trademarked terms in your hashtags. Using a brand name you don't own could lead to copyright issues.

Frequently asked questions

Before we wrap up this guide, let's look at some common questions about using hashtags on YouTube.

Some widely used hashtags include #tutorial, #howto, #vlog, and #review. However, popular hashtags can quickly become generic. It's a good idea to find niche hashtags for your content. Those are the ones that get really specific about your video content – for example, a beauty brand selling makeup might post a #conturingtutorial.

For short-form videos, #shorts is a really popular hashtag. Don't forget to check a hashtag fits your content before using it!

Is there a YouTube hashtag generator for my YouTube content?

Yes, several online tools can help. Try TubeBuddy or vidIQ to find trending tags. YouTube's search bar also suggests popular hashtags as you type., a bit like how Google tries to predict your search query while you type. These tools are great for sparking ideas, but it's best to put some independent thought into the process too – don't just copy everything you see!

Are there any specific hashtag strategies for promoting YouTube Shorts?

Following the meteoric rise of TikTok, YouTube started to feature and widely promote short-form videos. Tapping into this feature is a great way to reach more viewers.

The simplest strategy to grow your following is to use #shorts in your description for Short videos. Then add two or three more tags about your video's topic. This means your content gets to the right place and you can begin to create more specific tags as you publish more videos.

How does YouTube's algorithm use hashtags to sort and recommend videos?

YouTube uses hashtags to group similar content and is able to spot when a video isn't relevant to the hashtag.

The algorithm looks at the tags to understand what your video is about. It then shows your video to users who watch content with those tags. If users find it's not relevant and click away, then YouTube will review the video and potentially delist it from search results.

Relevant hashtags are therefore crucial, as they help YouTube suggest your videos to the right audience.