Best YouTube SEO Tips to Boost Your Ranking

How Videos Rank on YouTube

Ever wonder why some videos rack up millions of views while others barely get noticed? It’s not just luck—YouTube SEO plays a huge role in how videos get ranked and discovered. If you want more views, you need to understand how YouTube decides which videos to push to the top.

YouTube’s algorithm looks at key factors like watch time, engagement (likes, comments, shares), and click-through rate (CTR). The more people watch and interact with your video, the better it performs. But ranking on YouTube isn’t just about engagement—YouTube also personalizes recommendations based on what each user likes to watch. That means if your video matches what viewers are already interested in, it has a higher chance of being recommended.

And remember YouTube can’t “watch” your video, so it relies on things like your title, description, and tags to understand what it’s about. That’s why YouTube SEO optimization is crucial. When your content is optimized with the right keywords, it’s more likely to show up in search results and reach the right audience.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about ranking on YouTube—so you can grow your channel and get your videos seen. Let’s dive in!

How To Use SEO To Rank on YouTube

Youtube SEO Optimisation Tip #1: Do Keyword Research

Keyword research is the foundation of YouTube SEO. If you want your videos to reach the right audience, you need to know what people are actually searching for. Choosing the right keywords helps YouTube understand what your video is about and ensures it appears in relevant search results. Here’s how to do it:

1. Use YouTube’s Search Suggest Feature

One of the easiest ways to find keywords is by using YouTube’s autocomplete feature. Simply type a word or phrase into the YouTube search bar, and YouTube will suggest popular search terms based on what people are actually looking for. These suggestions are gold because they come directly from real user searches.

For example, if you type “fitness tips,” YouTube might suggest “fitness tips for beginners,” “fitness tips at home,” or “fitness tips to lose weight.” These variations can give you great ideas for video topics and titles.

2. Check Out Competitor Keywords

Another way to optimize YouTube SEO is to look at what’s working for other successful videos in your niche. Find a popular channel in your industry, go to their videos, and sort them by “Most Popular.” This will show you which videos are getting the most views.

Once you find a high-performing video, pay attention to its title, description, and tags. These often contain the keywords that helped it rank. While you shouldn’t copy them directly, you can use similar keywords and phrases to optimize your own content.

3. Use YouTube Analytics

If you already have a YouTube channel, you can find valuable keyword insights in your YouTube Analytics. Go to your “Traffic Source: YouTube Search” report to see which keywords people are using to find your videos. This can reveal new keyword opportunities you might not have thought of before.

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4. Find Low-Competition Keywords

Targeting high-search-volume keywords is great, but if they’re too competitive, your video might get lost in the sea of content. Instead, look for long-tail keywords—phrases that are more specific and have lower competition. These often have three or more words, like “easy home workouts for beginners” instead of just “home workouts.”

A quick way to check keyword competition is by searching for the term on Google and looking at the number of results. The higher the number, the harder it will be to rank. If you’re just starting, go for keywords with fewer competing videos.

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5. Optimize for Google Search 

Many YouTube videos also rank in Google search results, bringing in even more traffic. To take advantage of this, search your keyword on Google and see if any videos appear on the first page. If they do, it means Google values video content for that topic.

Common types of keywords that rank well in Google include:

  • Tutorials (e.g., “beginner’s guide to Digital Marketing”)
  • How-to keywords (e.g., “how to edit videos on iPhone”)
  • Reviews (e.g., “best budget cameras for YouTube”)
  • Fitness and sports topics (e.g., “quick HIIT workout”)

If your keyword has video results on Google, optimizing your video for that term can increase your chances of ranking on both YouTube and Google.

6. Choose Keywords That Match Your Content

Make sure your chosen keywords accurately reflect what your video is about. If someone clicks on your video expecting one thing and gets something completely different, they’ll leave within seconds. This tells YouTube your video isn’t relevant, which can hurt your ranking.

By using keyword research to guide your content creation, you’ll improve your video’s chances of ranking, reaching the right audience, and growing your channel. 

YouTube SEO Optimization Tip #2: Optimize Your Metadata

When it comes to YouTube SEO, optimizing your video’s metadata is essential. This includes the title, description, and tags. These elements help YouTube understand what your video is about and play a huge role in how your video ranks in search results. Here’s how to make sure you’re using your metadata to its fullest potential:

1. Say Your Target Keyword in the Video

YouTube automatically transcribes videos, so when you say your target keyword in the video, YouTube “hears” it. This helps YouTube better understand what your video is about.

Example: If your video is about “beginner painting tips,” mention that keyword during the video. The more you naturally incorporate it, the better YouTube will match your video with relevant search results.

Pro Tip: Don’t overstuff your video with the keyword since this can harm SEO, but try to mention it a few times in a natural way.

2. Create a Clear, Keyword-Rich Title

The title is the first thing viewers and YouTube see. It should clearly describe what your video is about and include your target keyword, ideally at the start of the title.

Example: Instead of a generic title like “Home Décor Tips,” use something more specific like “Easy Home Decor Ideas for Small Spaces.”

  • Keep your title between 50-60 characters so it doesn’t get cut off.
  • Make it clear, concise, and compelling to encourage clicks.
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3. Write an Engaging and Optimized Description

Your description is important for both viewers and optimizing SEO. It helps YouTube understand what your video covers and helps people decide whether they want to watch it.

Tips for a great description:

  • Include your target keyword within the first 25 words.
  • Write at least 250 words to provide context and give YouTube more to work with.
  • Mention related keywords or topics naturally throughout the description.

Example: The following YouTube video is a beginner’s guide to digital marketing. Note how they’ve included the keyword “digital marketing” right at the beginning? You can see that they’ve also used the keyword throughout the description.

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4. Tag Your Video with Relevant Keywords

Tags help YouTube categorize your video and match it with similar content. Start with your main keyword and then add a few variations or related terms.

Example: For a video on “easy painting techniques,” your tags could include:

  • “painting tips”
  • “beginner art”
  • “DIY painting ideas”
  • “art tutorials”

Be sure the tags are relevant to the content. This helps with search optimization by ensuring that YouTube understands the content and can index it properly. Using unrelated tags can hurt your rankings. 

Pro Tip: Look at top-ranking videos in your niche to see what tags they use to rank on YouTube.

Bonus Tip: Rename Your Video File

Before you upload your video, rename the file with your target keyword. This small step helps YouTube understand your content even before the video is live. So instead of “video_1234.mp4,” rename it to “easy-home-workout-routine.mp4.”

YouTube SEO Optimization Tip #3: Use Captions and Transcriptions to Boost Rankings

Captions and transcriptions give YouTube extra text to crawl, which means more chances for your target keywords to be recognized. This plays a key role in YouTube SEO by helping YouTube understand your video’s topic and recommend it to the right audience. Plus, videos with captions tend to have higher engagement and longer watch times because viewers can follow along even if they’re in a noisy place or watching without sound.

There are two ways to do this:

  • Use YouTube’s Auto-Captions – YouTube automatically generates captions for your videos, but they’re not always accurate. If you use this option, review and edit them to fix mistakes.
  • Upload an SRT File – This is the best way to ensure accuracy. You can create subtitles yourself or use transcription tools to generate an SRT file, then upload it to YouTube.

For even better YouTube SEO, consider adding subtitles in different languages. This makes your content accessible to a wider audience and increases your chances of showing up in international search results.

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YouTube SEO Optimization Tip #4: Find the Right Video Length

Just like longer blog posts tend to rank higher on Google, longer videos often perform better on YouTube. That’s because watch time is a key ranking factor in YouTube SEO—when viewers stay on your video longer, YouTube sees it as engaging content and pushes it higher in search results. But don’t just stretch your content for the sake of it—finding the right balance is key for effective YouTube SEO optimization.

What’s the Best Video Length?

There’s no magic number, but many successful YouTubers find that videos around 10–12 minutes tend to perform well. This gives enough time to dive deep into a topic while keeping viewers engaged. However, video length also depends on your audience and niche.Plus, since over 70% of YouTube views come from mobile devices, it’s important to consider whether your audience prefers bite-sized content or longer videos.

Test Different Lengths and Analyze Your Results

Instead of guessing, let the data guide you. Try uploading videos of different lengths and track key performance metrics like:

  • Watch time – How long do viewers actually stay?
  • Drop-off points – Where do people stop watching?
  • Engagement – Are longer videos getting more likes and comments?

Once you spot patterns, you can refine your content strategy for better results.

Pro Tip: Longer videos don’t just optimize SEO—they also create more ad placement opportunities, increasing your potential earnings!

Video Marketing Strategies for 2020

Summary Checklist

  • YouTube SEO Factors: Key ranking factors include watch time, engagement (likes, comments, shares), click-through rate (CTR), and personalized recommendations based on viewers’ interests.
  • Keyword Research: Use YouTube’s autocomplete, competitor keywords, and YouTube Analytics to find effective keywords. Target long-tail, low-competition keywords for better ranking.
  • Optimize Metadata: Create a keyword-rich title, write an engaging description (250+ words), and tag your video with relevant keywords. Mention your target keyword naturally in the video for better SEO.
  • Captions and Transcriptions: Add captions to help YouTube understand your video’s topic and increase engagement. Consider adding subtitles in different languages for a broader reach.
  • Video Length: Aim for 10-12 minute videos to balance watch time and viewer engagement. Test different lengths and analyze watch time, drop-off points, and engagement for better optimization.