How to Use YouTube Hashtags

How to Use YouTube Hashtags

Hashtags on YouTube help categorize your content and make it discoverable through search and the hashtag landing pages.

What Are YouTube Hashtags?

Hashtags are clickable keywords prefixed with #. When viewers click a hashtag, they see all videos using that tag. YouTube shows up to 3 hashtags above your video title.

Where to Add Hashtags

• In the title — hashtags appear directly in the title
• In the description — the first 3 hashtags from the description appear above the title

Best Practices

Do	Don't
Use 3-5 relevant hashtags	Don't use more than 15 (video may be removed)
Place them in the description	Don't use misleading hashtags
Mix broad + specific hashtags	Don't use spaces in hashtags
Use trending hashtags when relevant	Don't stuff hashtags

How to Add Hashtags

1. Go to YouTube Studio → select your video
2. Click Edit → go to the Description field
3. Add hashtags anywhere in the description: #YouTubeSEO #VideoMarketing #Tutorial
4. The first 3 will appear as clickable links above the video title

Hashtag Strategy

Example for a cooking video:
#CookingTutorial    — Broad (high traffic)
#PastaRecipe        — Specific (targeted)
#ItalianCooking     — Niche (engaged audience)

Finding Good Hashtags

• YouTube search — type # followed by a keyword to see suggestions
• Competitor analysis — check what top creators in your niche use
• Google Trends — identify trending topics
• TubeBuddy / vidIQ — hashtag research tools

Key Takeaways

• Use 3-5 relevant hashtags per video
• Place them in the description (first 3 show above title)
• Mix broad and niche hashtags
• Never exceed 15 hashtags per video