YouTube tags are a small part of ensuring your videos rank properly and get the visibility you require.
They’re a short way of telling the YouTube search algorithm what your video is about, including broad tags, which makes it easier for viewers to find your content when searching for related topics.
The thing is, tags on YouTube videos will never dominate your priority list. They are a great little add-on after you’ve inputted all the other metadata, such as video title and description.
YouTube itself even admits that tags aren’t the priority. When you go to add tags on YouTube, it says: “Tags can be useful if content in your video is commonly misspelled. Otherwise, tags play a minimal role in helping viewers to find your video.”
This isn’t to say you should ignore them completely, but it helps you understand what adding tags to YouTube videos means in terms of impact.
Balancing focused tags with broader terms can enhance the discoverability and relevance of your content, but you can't rely on this alone.
In this guide, we’ll explain how you add tags to YouTube and how much attention you should give them.
Understanding YouTube tags
Let’s start with the basics. YouTube tags are keywords or phrases you add to your video’s metadata. You can add them when you upload a video or when you want to edit.
They describe what your video is about. For example, a compilation of the Super Bowl highlights might have tags such as #SuperBowl, #SuperBowl2024, and #SuperBowlSunday. Tags help YouTube’s algorithm understand your content better, which makes it easier for the platform to show your videos to interested viewers. You can use various tag generator tools to easily obtain related tags based on your seed keyword, which can improve your SEO and reduce the need for manual tag creation.
How tags influence video discoverability
Tags improve your video’s visibility in search results and recommendations by helping YouTube link it with similar content, significantly boosting YouTube video views. This naturally helps your videos reach more potential viewers.
However, YouTube’s search algorithm prioritizes other metadata like your alt text, description, and title. So, tags often become a low priority, even though they are useful.
In fact, one of the best ways to use tags is to forget about the YouTube search bar and instead create unique tags that you can share across multiple videos. This is what brands do during new product launches, as the tag groups all relevant videos together.
How to add tags to your YouTube videos
Adding a tag to your YouTube videos is possible when you’re uploading your content for the first time or when editing existing videos. Adding tags to existing YouTube videos is crucial for enhancing their discoverability, as effective tagging helps categorize content and connect with viewers, while also influencing YouTube's algorithm in determining video relevance.
Let’s fly through the stages below:
Step-by-step guide to adding tags during upload
- First, sign in to your YouTube account and click the “Create” button at the top of the screen.
- Select “Upload video” from the drop-down menu and choose the video file you want to upload.
- While the video is uploading, start filling in the metadata, including tags. You’ll see this in the “Tags” section.
- Enter relevant keywords in the tags box, separating each with a comma. You can also just click “enter” to save each tag.
- Remember to focus on specific, descriptive tags that match your video’s content. Your YouTube channel may be marked down if you’re found to be using unrelated tags.
- Include a mix of broad and narrow tags to reach different audiences. Researching and utilizing popular YouTube tag suggestions can enhance video visibility. Examine the tags of relevant videos on YouTube and use specialized tools like TubeRanker and VidIQ Boost to generate related tags, which can significantly improve video SEO.
- Click “Next” and finish the upload process.
Editing tags on existing videos
Editing existing YouTube video tags is fairly straightforward, too:
- Go to YouTube Studio and click "Content" in the left sidebar.
- Find the video you want to edit and click on the thumbnail.
- Scroll down to the "Tags" section in the video details. You might need to click to expand the page to this section.
- Add, remove, or modify tags as needed.
- Click "Save" at the top right of your screen to update your changes.
You can also edit tags on mobile via the YouTube app. Just go to your channel and tap the video you want to edit. Look for the tags option in the video details.
Best practices for using YouTube tags
If you haven't uploaded or edited a YouTube video before, then it's worth scrolling through the tips below to ensure you're doing things right.
Selecting relevant and specific YouTube video tags
This is fairly obvious but make sure you're disciplined and don't stray too far away from your video's content. Choose tags that accurately describe your video. For example, if your video is about baking chocolate chip cookies, use "chocolate chip cookies" as your first tag.
You might have already added this to your video title. In this case, you might want to also include tags like "homemade cookies," "easy baking recipes," or "chewy chocolate chip cookies."
Think about what viewers might search for to find your video.
Avoiding overuse and irrelevant tags
Be careful not to stuff your video with too many tags. YouTube gives you 500 characters for tags, but you don't need to use them all. Aim for about between five and eight relevant tags per video.
Like we said earlier, avoid misleading tags and repetitive tags. There's no value in tagging the word "ice cream" for a cookie video unless it has something to do with ice cream. Equally, you don't need to keyword stuff with tags like "cookie," "cookies," and "cookie recipe."
Misleading tags have consequences
Why are we so hot on irrelevant tags? Well, if the algorithm thinks you're misleading viewers, then it could harm your YouTube channel. It might lower your ranking on individual videos, ban your videos from appearing in user searches, or potentially even reduce visibility across your entire profile.
Stick to tags that accurately describe your video's topic, theme, and content. Don't use popular but unrelated tags just to get more views because it doesn't work. Remember, YouTube prioritizes other metadata ahead of tags, so this really is a mistake.
Frequently asked questions
Now that you know a little more about YouTube tags, it's time to look at some common questions that users ask when they upload YouTube videos.
How do I add tags to my YouTube videos to increase views?
To add YouTube tags, simply go to YouTube Studio and edit your video. Scroll down to the "Tags" section and enter your relevant keywords. Use a mix of broad and specific tags, but be mindful that tags alone won't supercharge your video's visibility. You also need to improve your other metadata, like YouTube video description and title.
What's the difference between keywords and tags on YouTube?
There is some crossover here but keywords are generally the main topics of your video, whereas tags are descriptive words that provide more context. Keywords go in your title and description, so you don't need to add these to your tags as well. That's because tags are hidden metadata that help YouTube understand your content. Use both for best results.
Can tags help my YouTube Shorts get discovered more easily?
Yes, tags can boost discovery for Shorts by using YouTube tags in the same way you'd apply them to a standard video. Use tags that describe your Short's topic, style, and format. Include trending hashtags if relevant. Shorts are typically less than 60 seconds long, so keep tags concise and test different tag combinations to see what works best.
How can a YouTube tags generator help me choose the right tags?
A YouTube tag generator can suggest relevant keywords based on your video topic, although you need to make sure it doesn't make an error that leads to a tag on your YouTube video being misleading.
If you opt to generate tags you can:
- Get ideas you might have missed
- See popular related terms
- Save time brainstorming
Use generator suggestions as a starting point but then refine those based on your specific content. Remember, you can probably provide more accurate tags than a generator.
Is there a recommended number of tags to use for YouTube content?
YouTube allows up to 500 characters for tags, so stick to between five and eight. Your tags need to be different from what you've added in your other metadata, such as description and video title. You therefore don't need to stuff tags with irrelevant or broad terms. Just stay true to your video content.
