Top 10 YouTube Keyword Research Tools for 2025 – TOS

Are you looking for an effective YouTube keyword research tool? Not sure which method works best for finding SEO keywords on YouTube? If you want to discover the keywords and phrases that can help your videos rank higher and reach more viewers, you’re in the right place. In this guide, TOS will walk you through the top 10 most popular YouTube keyword research tools along with actionable ways to find high-potential keywords that boost your rankings.

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How to Find YouTube SEO Keywords That Rank

1. Use YouTube Keyword Research Tools

YouTube keyword analysis tools show you what your target audience is searching for, as well as which keywords can potentially drive the most views and engagement. These tools reveal the search volume a keyword receives and its level of competition. 

Once you type in keywords related to your video topic or niche, they generate a list of relevant YouTube search terms, along with:

• Search Volume (how often users search for it)
• Competition Level (how difficult it is to rank)

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2. Analyze Insights in YouTube Analytics

The Research tab inside YouTube Analytics shows the most common search terms from your audience.

How to access it:

• Log in to YouTube Studio
• Go to Analytics > Research
• Select Your Viewers’ Searches

Here, YouTube labels search volume as High, Medium, or Low, instead of specific numbers.

3. Use YouTube’s AutoComplete Suggestions

YouTube’s AutoComplete feature suggests popular related search terms as you type your query. This is one of the simplest ways to discover keyword variations.

Steps:

1. Enter a topic into the YouTube search bar.
2. Browse the list of autocomplete suggestions.
3. Select relevant keywords to target in your content.

These suggestions often represent highly searched topics and make great keyword ideas.

4. Analyze Competitors’ Videos

Whatever niche you’re in, your competitors’ videos can be a goldmine for keyword research.

Look for:

• Keywords used in titles and descriptions
• Keyword variations
• Keyword placement

You can also view the meta keyword tags competitors use through the page source:

• Right-click (not on the search bar) → View page source
• Press Ctrl + F or Command + F
• Search for: <meta name=”keywords”>

If available, the keyword tags will be shown on the right side of the highlighted code.

Top 10 Most Effective YouTube Keyword Research Tools

YouTube’s original keyword tool was discontinued in 2014. Thankfully, many powerful alternatives exist today widely used by video SEO specialists and digital marketers.

1. VidIQ – YouTube Keyword Research Tool

VidIQ is one of the most recommended tools for YouTube SEO.

Pricing:

• Free version available
• Pro: starting at $7.50/month
• Boost: from $39/month
• Boost+: from $415/month

VidIQ provides keyword insights directly from YouTube, allowing creators to:

• Discover new keyword opportunities
• Analyze search volume & competition
• Identify trending topics
• Optimize tags for better rankings

2. TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy is a browser extension and mobile app integrated directly with YouTube.

Pricing:

• Pro: $7.20/month
• Star: $15.20/month
• Legend: $39.20/month

Key features include:

• Keyword Explorer – find relevant keywords with high search demand
• Best Practice Audit – ensure your videos follow YouTube recommendations
• Auto Translator – translate titles and descriptions to reach global audiences

3. Google Ads Keyword Planner

Although designed for Google Ads, Keyword Planner is extremely useful for YouTube keyword research.

It helps you:

• Discover monthly search volume ranges
• See competition levels
• Estimate advertising cost per keyword
• Compare keyword opportunities

4. Google Trends – YouTube Search Tab

Google Trends allows you to analyze keyword popularity across time.

Switch to the YouTube Search tab to:

• Monitor trending topics
• Compare keywords visually
• Identify rising search terms on YouTube

This helps you craft timely content and optimize titles and descriptions effectively.

5. YouTube Analytics (Reach Tab)

The Reach tab shows how people find your videos, including:

• YouTube Search traffic
• Suggested Videos
• Browse Features

Pay attention to YouTube Search insights, which list actual keywords viewers used to find your content.

6. YouTube Search Predictions

Start typing a keyword in the YouTube search bar, and you’ll see a dropdown list of trending related searches.

Examples:

• Star Wars Theory
• Star Wars Theme
• Star Wars Music

These predictions help you understand current viewer interests.

7. Trending on YouTube

YouTube’s Trending section (in the Explore tab) updates every 15 minutes.

Categories include:

• Now
• Music
• Gaming
• Movies

Observing trending content helps you create timely, relevant videos that align with viewer interest.

8. Keyword Tool for YouTube

Keyword Tool generates over 750 keyword suggestions using YouTube’s search prediction data.

Features:

• Supports 100+ countries
• Works with 80+ languages
• Paid versions estimate search volume using Clickstream data

Pricing:

• Pro Basic: $69/month
• Pro Plus: $79/month
• Pro Business: $150/month

9. Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer

Ahrefs offers one of the largest third-party keyword databases with over 7 billion queries.

Pricing:

• Lite: $99/month
• Standard: $179/month
• Advanced: $399/month
• Agency: $999/month

Features:

• Accurate search volume estimates
• Keyword Difficulty score
• Click metrics
• Database updated monthly for 171 countries

10. Semrush – Keyword Magic Tool

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool is another strong option for YouTube keyword research.

Pricing:

• Pro: $119/month
• Guru: $229/month
• Business: $449/month

Features:

• Database of 20+ billion keywords
• Search volume
• Keyword difficulty
• SERP features insights

How to Add Keyword Tags to YouTube Videos

Keyword tags are words or phrases that describe the content of your video and help viewers easily find it on YouTube. While the video’s title, thumbnail, and description play the most important roles in attracting viewers, keyword tags can still provide additional support especially when your video topic is prone to misspellings or variations in spelling.

Add keyword tags to a new video

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio: Go to YouTube Studio and log in to your account.

2. Upload a video: In the top-right corner, click the “CREATE” icon and select “Upload videos.”

3. Choose your video file: Select the video file from your computer to upload.

4. Add keyword tags: During the upload process, click “MORE OPTIONS” and add the keyword tags you want.

Add keyword tags to an existing video

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio: Go to YouTube Studio and log in to your account.

2. Select the video you want to edit: In the left menu, choose “Content” and select the video where you want to add tags.

3. Add keyword tags: Add the desired tags in the corresponding “Tags” section.

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Why Is YouTube Keyword Research Important?

Today, YouTube has more than 2 billion logged-in monthly users worldwide, with viewers watching over 1 billion hours of video every day.

Notably, more than 500 hours of content are uploaded every single minute. This means no one can possibly watch all newly published videos on the platform and creating great content is only half the battle.

That’s why keyword research on YouTube is essential. It helps you identify the terms your target audience is actively searching for, allowing you to create relevant video content that matches their intent. As a result, you can produce videos that align with what viewers truly want to watch.

Moreover, creating YouTube videos optimized around the right keywords can help you attract more viewers and ultimately grow your channel’s subscriber base.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

These are the top 10 most useful and widely used YouTube keyword research tools. With the right tools and methods, you can easily identify trending topics, research competitors, and optimize your videos to rank higher on YouTube. Stay tuned for more SEO insights from TOS and explore more helpful resources on our website!

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