YouTube Channel Keywords: What They Are + 7 Best Practices

When a idiosyncratic searches for “eco-friendly eating” connected YouTube, however does YouTube find which channels are applicable to this circumstantial interest?

In summation to considering assorted factors (including idiosyncratic videos), YouTube looks astatine the broader taxable of the channels successful question.

More specifically, it factors successful YouTube transmission keywords. 

In this post, we’ll explicate however you tin leverage YouTube transmission keywords to thrust much visibility and views to your channel.

Let’s commencement with the basics.

What Are YouTube Channel Keywords?

YouTube transmission keywords are circumstantial presumption that specify your channel’s absorption to the YouTube algorithm.

The close keywords for your YouTube transmission categorize your contented much accurately—which is important for your channel’s maturation connected the platform.

For example, if your transmission talks astir eco-friendly eating, keywords similar “sustainable diets” oregon “green cooking” marque it much apt for YouTube to amusement your transmission to users funny successful these topics.

So wherever bash you adhd YouTube transmission keywords? 

Go to your YouTube Studio relationship settings.

A pop-up model volition appear. Click “Channel.”

Under the “Basic info” tab, you’ll spot a tract labeled “Keywords.” Add your keywords here, utilizing commas to abstracted them.

Important: Channel keywords are antithetic from video-level keywords, which you participate arsenic “tags.” These are unsocial to each video and assistance YouTube recognize its circumstantial content.

Further reading: YouTube Keyword Research: How to Find Popular Search Terms

Why Are YouTube Channel Keywords Important?

Channel-level keywords tin boost your YouTube channel’s hunt ranking and visibility.

They play a relation successful YouTube SEO—a process of optimizing your transmission to fertile higher successful integrated hunt and suggestions. 

The keywords guarantee your transmission performs amended successful YouTube’s hunt results and recommendations. And connected different hunt engines.

Improving Channel Visibility

Keywords assistance YouTube larn astir your channel’s wide theme. YouTube considers transmission keywords (plus factors similar engagement metrics) to find a channel’s relevance to a hunt query.

When you usage circumstantial presumption arsenic transmission keywords, your YouTube transmission has a amended accidental of appearing successful YouTube hunt results for those phrases oregon topics. 

For instance, if idiosyncratic searches “outdoor adventure” connected YouTube, the results they spot volition apt see topically related channels that usage that circumstantial hunt word oregon related phrases. Like these:

This accrued visibility directs users seeking accusation oregon amusement successful your niche to your video content. Which tin assistance turn your channel’s subscriber basal with an assemblage that’s genuinely funny successful what you offer.

Getting Your Videos Recommended More Often

Channel keywords besides power however YouTube recommends videos to viewers. 

If your transmission focuses connected a peculiar theme, YouTube is much apt to suggest your videos to viewers who are watching thematically related channels.

Let’s look astatine the transmission suggestions database that appears below:

The suggested channels volition often incorporate transmission keywords that lucifer what the spectator is already funny in—in this case, fund travel. 

It’s a straightforward mode for YouTube to present further contented to viewers who mightiness bask and prosecute with it.

7 Best Practices for Using YouTube Channel Keywords Optimally

1. Identify Your Key Channel Theme

Selecting a circumstantial taxable for your transmission helps you take the close keywords. Which successful crook improves the chances of radical uncovering your transmission erstwhile they hunt for topics you cover.

So, statesman by determining the superior taxable of your YouTube channel—the cardinal taxable that astir of your contented revolves around.

Say your transmission chiefly features contented astir steadfast recipes. Then that’s what your halfway taxable should be.

To place your cardinal transmission theme, inquire yourself questions like:

• What subjects bash astir of my videos cover?
• What americium I passionate astir sharing with my audience?
• What benignant of contented gets the astir engagement?

Answering these questions—even earlier you usage immoderate YouTube transmission keywords generator—will past let you to prime keywords that astir accurately bespeak your channel’s focus.

2. Use YouTube Keyword Research Tools

Keyword probe tools tin assistance you observe keyword ideas based connected what your imaginable viewers are really searching for connected YouTube.

Start with a effect keyword (a wide hunt term)—typically your channel’s cardinal theme.

For example, if your main absorption is steadfast food, you tin probe that word successful a YouTube keyword research tool. 

You tin usage Semrush’s Keyword Analytics for YouTube to find fashionable keywords. As good arsenic different information points similar hunt measurement and competitory rate.

Open the instrumentality and click “Get started” nether the “Keywords Research” column.

The default dashboard provides an overview of the “Top Keywords” for a fixed state and a defined period.

Enter your effect word successful the hunt barroom and deed “Search.”

You’ll get information for the past day, week, and month. You’ll besides find 2 tabs, “Top Keywords” and “Fast increasing keywords.” Toggle betwixt them to root the champion YouTube transmission keywords for your account.

Once you find a bully keyword, click connected it to uncover much insights—including related keywords. 

Go done each of these ideas to make a customized YouTube transmission keywords database that champion represents your channel.

3. Learn from Your Best-Performing Videos

Analyzing the hunt presumption down your astir fashionable YouTube videos tin usher your wide channel-level keyword strategy.

How?

For instance, if your video connected “urban gardening” ranks consistently good successful YouTube hunt results, YouTube apt sees your transmission arsenic a invaluable root for this topic.

Incorporating these keywords your videos already fertile good for into your channel’s metadata tin align your wide transmission much intimately with these palmy topics. Enhancing your channel’s relevance and visibility successful related searches.

So, wage attraction to the keywords your top-performing videos fertile for. Which tin springiness you insights into what YouTube considers your contented to beryllium astir applicable to.

You tin usage Rank Tracker for YouTube to spot wherever your videos fertile successful YouTube hunt results. 

Open the tool, paste your YouTube transmission URL successful the designated bar, and click “Add Channel.”

Next, import your keywords. There are 3 ways:

• Manually (add 1 keyword per line, up to 200 keywords)
• Import from YouTube Studio
• Import from Semrush’s Keyword Manager

Further reading: Check out our guide on however to import keywords to Rank Tracker for YouTube.

Once you adhd oregon import your keywords, you’ll get an overview of your mean rank, keyword distribution, fertile changes, and different insights.

Click the “Keywords” tab to spot wherever your videos fertile for each imported keyword.

Find which keywords you’re ranking highly for. Consider adding them (or their variations) arsenic your YouTube transmission keywords.

4. Mix Broad and Specific Keywords for Wider Reach

Using a operation of wide and niche-specific keywords connected YouTube tin maximize your channel’s scope connected the platform. Casting a wider nett portion honing successful connected your niche.

In short, a balanced absorption volition get you the champion keywords for your YouTube channel. 

Take wide keywords—like “travel” oregon “fitness”—to pull a divers audience. Add to the premix immoderate circumstantial terms—such arsenic “budget question successful Europe” oregon “home fittingness for beginners”—to besides people viewers with peculiar interests. 

5. Analyze Competitors for Keyword Inspiration

Analyzing keywords palmy competitors usage successful their channels tin supply you with insights into fashionable hunt presumption that are already attracting viewers successful your niche. Which tin usher your prime of transmission keywords.

For example, if your transmission covers fitness, observe the keywords utilized by fashionable channels similar POPSUGAR Fitness.

Leverage these oregon akin keywords to align your transmission with what’s already proven palmy successful your field. To perchance heighten your visibility and ranking connected YouTube.

To find the transmission keywords of your competitors, spell to their YouTube channel. Right-click and prime “View Page Source.”

Next, hunt the leafage for “meta name=“keywords” to presumption their transmission keywords list.

Fine-tune your YouTube transmission keyword strategy accordingly.

6. Keep Keyword Density Balanced and Relevant

The close fig of keywords helps YouTube efficaciously find what your transmission is about. 

Too galore keywords tin pb to disorder astir your channel’s theme. Too fewer mightiness not seizure each aspects of your content.

Ideally, purpose for a full quality number of 50-75 for your YouTube transmission keywords—five to 10 keywords is an optimal range. Here’s an illustration for a fitness-related channel:

This fig is capable to screen the scope of your video contented without diluting the interaction of each keyword.

Carefully chosen keywords let YouTube to categorize your transmission accurately. And render your transmission much discoverable to viewers searching for akin content.

7. Optimize Video Titles and Descriptions Around Your Channel Theme

Ensuring your videos consistently bespeak the themes and topics your transmission keywords correspond helps YouTube and viewers recognize the halfway absorption of your channel.

So, portion you should optimize idiosyncratic video titles and descriptions done circumstantial keyword choices, cheque that they besides align with your wide taxable to contiguous a cohesive transmission identity.

Say your transmission keywords see “DIY country decor.” Then your videos should often research this theme.

For example, here’s Lone Fox, a fashionable contented creator. His transmission keywords see “DIY country decor,” “home decor,” and more.

And helium has aggregate videos astir these topics with titles optimized for these keywords.

Coherence betwixt idiosyncratic videos and transmission keywords tin fortify your channel’s wide connection and identity—contributing to a much effectual YouTube SEO strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do YouTube Channel Keywords Help?

Yes, YouTube transmission keywords are helpful. 

They usher YouTube’s algorithm to recognize the absorption and taxable of your channel. Which successful crook assists successful accurately categorizing and recommending your transmission to the due audience. 

The close YouTube transmission keywords truthful summation your chances of reaching radical searching for videos connected topics you cover. Potentially starring to much views crossed the YouTube level and integrated hunt motor results.

What Should My YouTube Channel Keywords Be?

Your YouTube transmission keywords should intimately lucifer the wide cardinal taxable of your videos. 

For example, if you make video contented astir gardening, your transmission keywords could see “gardening tips,” “plant care,” and “urban gardening.” Whichever ones are astir relevant. 

Think astir the words your assemblage would usage to hunt for your content. Include them arsenic your keywords. 

The extremity is to prime presumption that accurately picture your channel, making it easier for the close assemblage to find you. And driving qualified postulation to your videos.

Optimize Your YouTube Channel for Better Online Discoverability

There’s overmuch much to optimizing your YouTube transmission beyond utilizing the close channel-level keywords.

Add optimized “About” content. Incorporate keywords successful idiosyncratic video titles, descriptions, and tags. Do keyword research to marque your transmission and videos much discoverable successful Google’s hunt results.

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool gives you hundreds of applicable keyword ideas successful seconds. 

Click connected the fig successful the “SERP Features” file to unfastened up a caller submenu showing each SERP features. Look for the video icon—which indicates the top-ranking keyword hunt results that see videos. 

You present cognize which keywords to people successful your YouTube contented to assistance it rank.

Try Keyword Magic Tool for escaped to get started.