Establishing a brand requires more than offering a product or service currently in demand. In order to truly cultivate your brand, you'll need to immerse yourself in numerous platforms online, including YouTube.
Creating video media is one of the best ways to maximize your reach and visibility online, regardless of your brand's industry. If you want to outshine your competition as you establish yourself, adding hashtags to YouTube videos is a must.
Incorporating YouTube hashtags to your videos can be a great way to reach your target audience, expand your reach, and gain a following. Whether you're new to using hashtags for YouTube or aren't seeing the results you want, we'll go over how you can effectively utilize hashtags to ensure success.
What are YouTube hashtags?
When you think of the word hashtag, you might think of a variety of social media platforms, namely Twitter and Instagram. Twitter was the first social media network to officially adopt the usage of hashtags. Hashtags are words and terms or phrases that describe a particular topic, idea, or product and are preceded by the # symbol.
Hashtags are then used on numerous networks to help identify particular subjects, users, and ideas. Example hashtags include:
- #mybrandname
- #latesttrend
- #trendonTwitter
- #news
- #parody
- #productname
If you want to start a successful YouTube channel, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the basics of hashtags before uploading and sharing your first video on the platform. Once you're familiar with hashtag usage, you can implement and add them to your uploaded videos.
What are the benefits of using hashtags for YouTube?
Do hashtags work on YouTube? The answer is yes, especially when implemented properly. YouTube video marketing is remarkably similar to marketing on other social media platforms, including TikTok and Facebook.
Reviewing the benefits of using hashtags on YouTube can help you determine what course of action is right for your brand and channel.
Boost discoverability
If you want to increase social listening and boost discoverability, you can do so with the proper use of YouTube hashtags. Because YouTube is such a massive platform, hashtags can help individuals find your content.
Using hashtags within the video description is one of the quickest ways to boost your brand's overall visibility.
There are over 2 billion active users on YouTube globally.
Source: Statista
Connect with the right audience
With more than 2 billion users on YouTube worldwide, it's essential to hone in on your target audience and demographics to attract the right viewers and prospective customers.
Learning to measure marketing on YouTube through hashtags, A/B testing, and different types of media can also help you to better directly connect with the correct audience on a more personal level.
Categorization
Using the right hashtags on YouTube can also make it easier to categorize your videos effectively. Categorization is important, especially when you're first establishing your brand or business.
Proper categorization allows you to focus on the target group of users you intend to reach. Categorization is also helpful for search engine optimization (SEO) on search engines like Google.
How to use YouTube hashtags
Learning how to use hashtags is essential, especially if you've never used hashtags on YouTube or want to optimize your next marketing campaign. Once you've created your YouTube account and channel and started uploading videos, complete the following steps to use hashtags properly:
Enter the pound symbol (#) in the title or description of your YouTube video
Using hashtags within the title of a video isn't always recommended, but it can be a useful tactic for promotional marketing strategies. Once you enter a phrase or keyword after the pound sign, YouTube will automatically provide you with a list of trending hashtags to choose from.
You can select a pre-existing hashtag or create a unique hashtag of your own. Keep in mind that unique hashtags aren't always as effective as trending or popular hashtags in terms of reach and visibility.
Select from the recommended hashtags that are provided by YouTube
Choose up to 3 main hashtags that you would like to represent your video and its content. These 3 hashtags will also appear next to your video's title and the main description you create.
If you're unsure which hashtags to select based on the recommended tags provided, conduct some market research. Learn about the hashtags your competitors use on YouTube and access tools like Google Trends and keyword trackers to monitor the most popular trends in your niche.
If you're wondering if you should put hashtags in a YouTube video's description after you've uploaded it, the answer is yes. Hashtags within descriptions help YouTube identify and categorize your videos while attracting the right audience. The more accurate the hashtags are with the content of your video, the easier it will become to draw an audience who is genuinely interested in your channel's offerings.
Adding a hashtag to an existing YouTube video that you've uploaded to your library is possible by completing the following steps:
- Log in to your official YouTube account.
- Locate the video or library in which the video you want to edit is available.
- Select Edit or choose the three-dot icon, followed by Edit.
- Add hashtags to the video title and description by typing the pound symbol (#) followed by the word(s) or phrase you intend to use.
Whenever you add YouTube hashtags, keep in mind that there are different placement options available, which will likely impact the overall visibility of your videos. Adding hashtags above your video's description and in the title naturally and organically is ideal.
Keyword stuffing can negatively impact the performance of your videos altogether. This is why it's important to keep in mind how many keywords and hashtags you use for each video.
Over-tagging can reduce the effectiveness of hashtags and may result in YouTube removing your video from search.
Tips for optimizing YouTube hashtags
Incorporating the right social media marketing strategies can make all of the difference when it comes to optimizing your YouTube channel and the hashtags you use. The right optimization strategies can help you boost visibility, improve your brand's SEO, and help with gaining new followers in a shorter period.
A few tips to keep in mind when it comes to utilizing YouTube hashtags include:
Use relevant hashtags
Adding hashtags to your YouTube video can only help increase visibility when you choose the right ones. Using relevant hashtags is essential when uploading and promoting YouTube videos. Avoid using hashtags that are irrelevant to your video's content, as this may result in a decrease in visibility.
If you're unsure about the hashtags to use, research competing videos already popular in your niche on YouTube. Follow some of the top industry leaders in your market to learn how to properly implement hashtags within the descriptions and titles of your videos.
Be descriptive
Use descriptive hashtags and terms when promoting your YouTube video. If you need help determining where to begin, research some of your industry's top competitors on the platform. Check descriptions, tags, and titles to decide if you're on the right course with the phrases and terms you're using.
Avoid stuffing hashtags
With each video you upload to YouTube, it's important to avoid keyword stuffing. Use a maximum of 5 hashtags when adding them to your YouTube videos. Videos stuffed with keywords or irrelevant hashtags are less likely to get picked up by the YouTube algorithm.
In fact, spamming keywords and hashtags can result in the blacklisting of your video or your entire YouTube account. Steer clear of keyword stuffing at all costs.
Follow YouTube guidelines
As always, it's essential to follow YouTube guidelines when uploading content and adding hashtags to your videos. Ensure that you're not breaking any YouTube hashtag rules, as this may result in a strike. If a YouTube channel receives 3 strikes, it will be permanently removed from the platform.
It's also essential to keep up with any guideline changes, as YouTube is known for frequently updating guidelines. Each time guidelines are revised and updated, they impact content creators. This is why it's crucial to keep up with changes that the YouTube team makes in real time.
Analyze competitor hashtags
Take time to analyze competitor hashtags to learn more about the YouTube communities that are most relevant to your own business and brand. Spend time researching and reviewing your top competitors to gauge which hashtags and keywords are likely to garner the most reach within your target demographics.
Leverage branded hashtags
Using branded hashtags can also help you spread the word about your business while staying in the loop with today's trending videos. Using trendy brand keywords and creating a branded hashtag can go a long way in establishing yourself online and on YouTube.
Track hashtag performance
You can't improve what you don't measure, so tracking how your hashtags perform is crucial for YouTube success. Additionally, tracking hashtags can help you figure out which tags to use on any other videos you post. The good news is there are several ways to see which tags are actually working for your channel.
Use YouTube Analytics to track performance
YouTube Analytics is your best friend here. Head to your channel's analytics section and look at how your hashtagged videos are performing compared to others.
Pay attention to views, click-through rates, and how long people stick around to watch. If you notice certain hashtags consistently bring in more viewers or keep them engaged longer, those are your golden tickets.
Try third-party tools for deeper insights
For deeper insights, third-party tools can be game-changers. TubeBuddy offers hashtag suggestions and shows you how competitive different tags are, while Brand24 helps you track mentions and engagement across the platform. These tools can reveal patterns you might miss just by looking at YouTube's basic analytics.
Focus on hashtags that deliver results
Focus on hashtags that drive real results. If a hashtag brings people to your video, but they leave after 10 seconds, it's not the right fit. Look for tags that boost views, improve watch time, and enhance engagement. You want viewers who actually care about your content, not just random clicks.
Keep an eye on which of your videos show up in related videos sections when people search for the same hashtag. This visibility alongside other videos can lead to more organic discovery. Also, don't forget about your own branded hashtags; they might start small, but these same hashtags can grow into powerful tools for building community around your channel.
The best YouTube hashtags for your content are the ones that consistently connect you with engaged viewers who want to see more of what you create.
Grow your YouTube channel with the right hashtags
YouTube hashtags can make connecting with your target audience easier and help you build brand recognition. While growing your YouTube channel isn't always possible overnight, the right hashtags, branding strategy, and marketing tools can streamline your workflow and drastically improve your online reach.
With Mailchimp, improving your digital marketing campaign is easier than ever. Use our suite of marketing tools to improve your efforts on social media platforms like YouTube, make your brand well-known, and stand out from the competition.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube hashtags boost discoverability and help your videos get found by your target audience on the platform.
- Strategic placement matters when adding hashtags to your video titles and descriptions.
- Track performance using YouTube Analytics and third-party tools to monitor which hashtags drive the most engagement and watch time.
- Focus on branded hashtags to create unique tags for your channel that build community and make your content easier to find.