Hashtags on YouTube are an underrated but powerful tool for improving video discovery. Just like on platforms like Instagram or Twitter, YouTube hashtags can help categorize your content, make it more searchable, and help you reach new viewers interested in your topic.
In this guide, we’ll show you how YouTube hashtags work, where to place them, and how to use them strategically to grow your channel in 2025.
1. What Are YouTube Hashtags?
YouTube hashtags are clickable words or phrases that start with the “#” symbol. When users click a hashtag, they’re taken to a results page showing other videos using the same hashtag.
✅ Example:
If you add #YouTubeMarketing to your video, anyone clicking that hashtag will see a list of all public videos with the same tag.
2. Where to Place Hashtags on Your YouTube Video
There are three main places to add hashtags:
Title: You can include 1-2 relevant hashtags in your video title.
Description: Add 3-5 hashtags at the bottom of your description.
Auto Display: YouTube will show up to 3 hashtags above your video title (based on the ones in your description).
🎯 Tip: Avoid stuffing hashtags in both the title and description. Keep them relevant.
3. Why Use Hashtags on YouTube?
Here’s how hashtags help your channel:
🔍 Improve video discoverability
📈 Attract viewers searching for specific topics
👥 Join trending or niche conversations
🧩 Organize related videos with branded hashtags
They help YouTube understand your content better and connect it with interested users.
4. Choosing the Right Hashtags
Use hashtags that are relevant and specific to your content. Mix broad and niche tags.
✅ Good Examples:
#YouTubeTips#ContentCreation2025#VideoMarketing#GrowOnYouTube#YourBrandName
❌ Avoid:
Irrelevant hashtags (e.g.,
#foodon a tech video)Misleading tags
Overused or banned hashtags
5. How Many Hashtags Should You Use?
YouTube recommends 3 to 5 hashtags. Adding more than 15 hashtags can cause YouTube to ignore all of them.
📌 Best practice:
0–2 hashtags in the title
3–5 in the description
Stay within 15 total
6. Use Branded Hashtags to Group Your Content
Create a branded hashtag unique to your channel or series. This helps organize videos and makes them easily findable.
✅ Example:
#LearnWithMike#FitnessFridayByAnna
Tell viewers to click the hashtag to view similar content.
7. Use Trending Hashtags Carefully
Trending hashtags can bring a traffic boost—but only if they’re related to your video.
Don’t chase trends for views if the topic doesn’t match your video. That can hurt your channel's credibility and performance.
8. Avoid These Hashtag Mistakes
❌ Don’t use banned or inappropriate hashtags
❌ Don’t repeat the same hashtags on every video (unless it’s a branded tag)
❌ Don’t add hashtags just for visibility—they must match the content
9. How to Research YouTube Hashtags
Use these tools to find the best hashtags:
YouTube Search Suggestions – Start typing a keyword and see what auto-completes
VidIQ or TubeBuddy – These tools show popular tags and search volume
Explore competitor videos – Check what hashtags successful channels in your niche are using
10. Monitor and Adjust Hashtags
Track which hashtags bring the most traffic using YouTube Analytics.
Look under:
Reach > Traffic source: YouTube search
If you see certain hashtags performing well, keep using variations of them. If not, experiment with others.
Conclusion
Hashtags aren’t just for social media—they’re a powerful tool on YouTube too. When used correctly, they can help your videos appear in more search results, connect you to trending topics, and build a stronger brand.
✅ Keep them relevant
✅ Use them strategically
✅ Analyze their impact over time
Start adding hashtags the smart way and give your YouTube videos an extra edge in 2025!