10 Best YouTube Keyword Tools (Free & Paid)

To take advantage of YouTube’s massive traffic potential, you need to know what keywords people use in the YouTube search box and what kind of videos they like to watch. This is where YouTube keyword tools come in handy.

In this post, I will review the 10 best YouTube keyword research tools and show you how to use them to perform keyword research on YouTube. For each tool, you’ll learn its best features and how to find highly relevant keywords to use in your video titles, descriptions, tags, and content.

10 Top YouTube Keyword Tools

1. VidIQ

VidIQ is a YouTube keyword research tool designed to help video creators maximize their viewers. You can use it to find new keyword ideas, see how often keywords are searched, as well as how competitive different keywords are.

We’ve ranked the platform as the best YouTube keyword research tool due to its feature-rich offering and affordable pricing.

How to Find Keywords for YouTube Videos Using VidIQ?

There are several ways to use VidIQ to find YouTube keywords.

The first approach is to research keywords directly from Youtube. When you enter a query into the YouTube search field, the tool will provide metrics for the term including the highest number of views for ranking videos, average views per video, average subscribers per ranking channel, and more.

Each keyword is also given a Keyword Score based on the overall potential for the term. The score factors in both demand and competition and how these are trending over time.

With the Keyword Inspector, you’ll also get a list of related keywords for each search term that you research.

Another way to get keywords is through the Daily Ideas feature. With this feature of the YouTube keyword tool, you get daily recommendations for keyword targets uncovered using artificial intelligence.

Additionally, you can find keywords by enabling the Inline Keywords feature. This will allow you to see the keywords competitors are using in their tags while browsing on YouTube.

Pricing

VidIQ has both free and paid plans, however, the free plan does not include the YouTube keyword research tool.

Paid plans start at $7.50 per month for the PRO plan. This plan includes the keyword research tool as well as other features including the video scorecard, bulk YouTube descriptions, and top trending videos. You can register for a paid plan and cancel at any time as there are no long-term commitments. All plans are on a month-to-month basis.

Try VidIQ YouTube Keyword Tool

2. YouTube Keyword Tool Dominator

Keyword Tool Dominator is a comprehensive keyword research platform built to help you find keyword ideas for YouTube, Amazon, Etsy, and a variety of other platforms.

The YouTube Keyword Tool uses YouTube’s Autocomplete service to discover keywords directly from YouTube.

How to Find Keywords for YouTube Videos Using Keyword Tool Dominator?

Keyword Tool Dominator offers a simple interface for you to search and uncover new keyword ideas for YouTube. To find keywords, you simply need to enter a topic into the search field, select a country and language, and initiate the search.

The search function contains filters for “Keyword contains” and “keyword does not contain”. You can also specify a minimum and maximum word count as well as a keyword score. The tool ranks all keywords on a scale of 1 to 100 depending on their popularity.

You can download the list of keyword suggestions to a .csv file for you to research further or to compile with other data.

Keyword Dominator also provides a report showing the words that are most frequently used in the keyword suggestions.

Pricing

YouTube Keyword Tool Dominator is free. However, you can only use it for two searches per day.

When you want to level up your research, YouTube Keyword Tool has a paid version that you can get for a $ 29 lifetime payment (no monthly subscriptions).

The paid version will let you make unlimited searches and downloads.

Try YouTube Keyword Tool Dominator

3. Ahrefs YouTube Keyword Tool

Ahrefs YouTube Keyword Tool is a YouTube keyword search tool designed to help you find the most valuable keywords to target with your YouTube content.

What differentiates Ahrefs YouTube keyword tool from the rest is that you can get accurate search volume statistics for any keyword on YouTube for more than 200 countries. While other tools give you an estimate of the popularity of a keyword, Ahrefs gives you the actual average monthly search volume and number of clicks on the search results.

This information can help you identify high-volume keywords with low clicks which is an indication that searches might not be satisfied with the existing content. This creates an opportunity for you to generate better video content to capture this traffic.

How to Find Keywords for YouTube using Ahrefs?

To use the Keyword Tool for research, you first enter a keyword into the search field. The tool then returns key metrics for the keyword including its monthly search volume and the average cost per click.

It also gives you a list of keyword suggestions that match your query. There are several filters that you can use to refine the keyword suggestions. For example, you can filter by word count, included words, and clicks per search.

When you find good keyword ideas, you can save them to a keyword list or rank tracker to monitor your progress in ranking for the terms.

Pricing

You can use the Keyword Tool for free but with limited data. When you enter a search into the free tool, you get a partial list of keywords with the search volume for each term.

For access to all YouTube Keyword tool’s data, you need a paid Ahrefs plan. These start at $99 per month for the Lite plan.

With an Ahrefs subscription, you’ll get other valuable SEO tools including a rank tracker and site-auditor.

Try Ahrefs YouTube Keyword Tool

4. YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is a free tool for planning and managing your YouTube content. It is accessible on YouTube by clicking your account icon in the upper right corner and selecting YouTube Studio from the dropdown menu.

How to Find YouTube Keywords using YouTube Studio?

YouTube Studio has a research tool that you can use to uncover new keywords based on what people are frequently searching.

You can find the tool by opening YouTube Studio and navigating to Analytics > Research. There, you’ll see a search field to look for keyword ideas along with several filters.

When you enter a search, the tool provides a list of related searches made by viewers. Next to each keyword result, is a value for its search volume on YouTube. This could be High, Medium, or Low.

The tool lets you filter the keyword ideas to only show search terms that are being used by your current viewers. You can also filter the results by content gaps. This will show you keywords that are used frequently but that don’t have enough results to satisfy viewers’ interest.

YouTube Studio lets you save keywords that you find during research.

Pricing

YouTube Studio is a free Youtube keyword search tool. You simply need to open it from your YouTube account to start getting new keyword ideas.

Try YouTube Studio

5. Google Trends

Google Trends is a research tool that helps you analyze the interest in keywords and topics across the web. You can also use the tool to find related ideas and compare keywords side-by-side.

How to Find Keywords for YouTube Using Google Trends?

With Google Trends, you enter a keyword into the search field and the tool provides data related to how people are searching for the term.

It will display a graph showing how interest in the term is changing over time as well as a geographic map showing interest in different regions. There is also a list of related topics and queries related to the term you are researching.

Google Trends lets you filter the keyword data by location, time period, and category. For example, you could set the time period to Past Day to see how interest in the search term trended during the most recent day.

By default, Google Trends shows data for searches made across the web. To get keyword data for YouTube, you’ll need to change the Web Search filter to YouTube Search.

Pricing

Google Trends is a free tool for researching YouTube Keywords.

Try Google Trends

6. Keyword Tool

Keyword tool is a YouTube keyword generator that lets you quickly find valuable keywords to target with your videos. The tool provides all the data needed to analyze a potential keyword target including its competition and how it’s trending over time.

How to Find Keywords for YouTube Videos Using the Keyword Tool?

Keyword Tool uses the YouTube autocomplete feature to discover keyword ideas. To generate new ideas, you start by entering a phrase into the search bar.

The tool will then provide you with detailed metrics for that keyword including its total search volume, average trend, average CPC, and average competition. With each search, you also get a list of related keywords along with the same metrics.

In addition to the list of keyword suggestions, the Keyword Tool provides a list of terms formed as questions, prepositions, or hashtags.

Pricing

Keyword Tool is a freemium YouTube marketing tool. You can search keyword ideas for free but you’ll only get limited data with the results.

To unlock the complete list of keyword suggestions you need to sign up for a paid plan. These start at $89 per month for the Basic plan. This plan will give you search volume data but it doesn’t include CPC or competition data.

For these details, you’ll need the Plus plan which costs $99 per month.

Keyword Tool comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in the event you change your mind about the platform.

Try Keyword Tool

7. YouTube Autocomplete

YouTube Autocomplete is a feature built into YouTube’s search function. You can use it to find popular keywords related to the topic you enter in the search field.

How to do YouTube Keyword Research Using YouTube Autocomplete?

To find keywords using YouTube Autocomplete, you need to start typing in the YouTube search bar. As you begin to add letters, words, and eventually phrases, a window will open beneath the search bar with a list of search terms that include the characters you’ve entered into the field.

For example, if you enter “how to” into the search field, you’ll get a list of keywords like “how to tie a tie”, “how to draw”, or “how to make a paper airplane”.

The tool is an effective way to find good YouTube keywords as it will only show you the most popular search terms related to your initial query.

Pricing

YouTube Autocomplete is a free tool that you can use straight from YouTube.

Try YouTube Autocomplete

8. Kparser YouTube Keyword Tool

Kparser YouTube Keyword Tool is a keyword research tool that allows you to find highly demanded keywords to use for your YouTube content.

How to Find YouTube Keywords Using Kparser?

To find YouTube keywords with Kparser, you first enter a keyword idea into the search field. When entering a search, you’ll have to select a country and a language.

After you initiate the search, the tool will begin adding keyword suggestions to a queue before gradually filling the data for each suggestion.

For each term, you can see its monthly volume, CPC, and Kparser rank, a score indicating its overall quality.

The tool also has a sidebar with a breakdown of all the different words used in the keyword results. You can use this feature to only show keywords that have certain words or to hide specific words from the overall list.

Pricing

Kparser is another freemium YouTube keyword search tool. You can search for keywords and get a list of suggestions for free but without any details besides the Kparser score.

To get the data for your keyword research, you need a paid plan. These start at $19 per month for the Basic plan.

The Basic plan will let you search an unlimited number of YouTube keywords and you can also use it for other platforms including Google, Amazon, and eBay.

Try Kparser YouTube Keyword Tool

9. TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy is a browser extension that helps you find the best keywords for growing your YouTube audience. In addition to keyword research, the platform also offers tools for publishing, promoting, and optimizing your YouTube content.

How to do Keyword Research Using TubeBuddy?

After you download the browser extension, you’ll head to Youtube to start your keyword research.  The extension will add a new icon in the upper menu to the right of the search field.

When you click the icon, a menu will open with all of TubeBuddy’s tools and features including the Keyword Explorer.

To use the tool, you enter a search to get important details for that keyword. TubeBuddy provides an overall score ranging from 0 to 100 along with a breakdown of that score.

The Score Analysis is based on search volume, competition, and optimization strength, a metric representing how well optimized the top-ranking videos are.

In addition to the score breakdown, you’ll get a list of related keywords and an embedded Google Trends chart to see how interest in the keyword is changing.

Pricing

TubeBuddy has both free and paid versions. With the free version, you can search keywords and see important details like its Score Analysis. However, it doesn’t provide access to the complete list of related keywords.

Pricing for paid plans starts at $9 per month for the Pro plan. This plan will give you access to all the data within the Keyword Explorer along with the other tools for growing your YouTube business.

Try TubeBuddy

10. Competitor Top Videos

Competitor Top Videos are more of a technique than a tool but it is still a highly effective way to find good keywords to use for your YouTube content.

You can perform this YouTube keyword research method directly on YouTube.

How to Find YouTube Keywords By Doing a Competitors Analysis?

To find keywords using competitor analysis, you first need to go to the YouTube channel of one of your competitors.

Once there, click the Videos icon to see a list of all their content. You’ll then want to sort the videos by Most Popular. This will ensure that you start your research with the topics that have the most interest.

Next, you’ll go through the top videos to look at the main keywords used in the title and the description. To further analyze a video to find the exact keywords defined for the particular page, follow the simple instructions below.

• While watching a video, right-click anywhere on the page and select VIEW PAGE SOURCE from the dropdown menu to view the source code of the page.
• Press CTRL-F (or use the EDIT>FIND option) and search the code for the word “Keywords”.
• What you see in the “content=” part are the actual keywords defined for the particular video.

After you’ve uncovered some interesting keywords, you can research them further using some of the YouTube keyword tools on our list.

Pricing

YouTube competitor analysis is a free way to find YouTube keywords directly on YouTube without using any third-party tools.

Try Competitor Analysis

Why are YouTube Keywords important?

YouTube keywords are important because they help you know what topics people are searching for and what terms you should target in your video content.

Each day, millions of people go to YouTube to watch videos. That said, most people don’t go to the site and randomly start viewing whatever YouTube gives them. Instead, they use the search function to look for something specific.

By researching YouTube keywords with a YouTube keyword tool, you’ll know all the popular keywords that people use when looking for videos to watch.

You can then target these keywords with your content and optimize your videos to rank as high as possible for the terms.

How to Use Keywords to Optimize Your YouTube Videos?

Finding YouTube keywords is just the first part of using your research to improve your YouTube results. After you discover quality keyword ideas, you’ll then need to decide how to incorporate them into your content.

How you do this will ultimately affect if you are able to rank for the search terms to get visitors to your videos.

Here are some tips on how you can use your keywords to optimize your YouTube videos:

Include your keyword in your video title

The first place to add your keywords is in your video titles. This will signal to both YouTube and your viewers that your content is related to the topic that you are targeting.

Keep in mind that your content is intended for people, not just search engines, so you want to create a title that is clear and compelling.

You should avoid overusing or “stuffing” keywords into the title as it can make your content appear gimmicky and can lower the number of people that click through to watch the video.

Repeat the target keyword in your description

The next place to add your YouTube keywords is your video descriptions. This is another important element used by YouTube to understand and rank content.

I generally recommend using your main keyword target 2 to 3 times in the description. It is also important to include the keyword as early in the description.

Doing so will make it visible to more people as YouTube collapses all but the top of video descriptions beneath a Show More button.

Use keywords as Video tags

Another place, you’ll want to add your keywords are your video tags. These tags are descriptive metadata elements that you can add to videos to help users find them.

Like your titles and descriptions, you don’t want to go overboard with the tags. Doing so will only make your content look spammy to potential viewers.

I also recommend keeping your tags short, 2 to 3 words max. This is a sweet spot that avoids overly broad single-word keywords and longer phrases that could cause information overload for viewers.

Add your main keywords to your channel description

The last place to add your YouTube keywords is in your channel description. Located in the About section of your YouTube profile, YouTube uses the information in your channel description to understand your channel and the type of content you create.

Methodology

To help you find the best YouTube keyword research tool we’ve looked at all the options available in the market. While there are a number of keyword research tools, only a few have dedicated features for performing keyword research for YouTube. All tools that made it to our top 10 list have free versions so you can try them risk-free.

As outlined above, you can also do keyword research using the free tools provided by YouTube (autocomplete feature, YouTube Studio research) and by manually analyzing your competitor’s videos but using a dedicated tool to perform these actions is much faster and more reliable. With a tool, you get more data right in front of you without having to search for it manually.

Related Guides

• How to Create a YouTube Channel – a step-by-step guide on how to set up your own YouTube channel in minutes.
• How to Choose a Channel Name – tips on how to choose a great name for your YouTube channel.
• Best YouTube Courses – a list of the best courses for mastering YouTube marketing including keyword research.