Using Hashtags on YouTube

Seattle Digital Marketing | Using Hashtags on YouTube

About the author : Diana

I'm a professional writer specializing in Web Development, Design, Developing Mobile Apps, Metaverse, NFTs, Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies.

Using hashtags on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn is a standard piece of a social media strategy, but have you ever put hashtags on YouTube? When optimizing your YouTube content, hashtags may not be something you think of, since it is such a different platform than the four main networks. Here, we will discuss why you should use YouTube hashtags and how to deploy them to increase your video views.

Why should I use YouTube hashtags?

YouTube uses hashtags to search, tag, and categorize videos, like other social networks do. Hashtags on YouTube are similar to using keywords for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes. When you use hashtags with your videos, you give YouTube information about what your video is about, helping you show up in more search results.

Organizing your videos into playlists can help you categorize them, but hashtags can further that and make your videos come up when someone searches for a video of that specific type. With a hashtag, your video might also pop up under the related video section when someone is watching a video of a similar topic.

Overall, using hashtags is as helpful on YouTube as they can be on other social media networks. With millions of videos on YouTube, anything can help make your videos stand out.

Where to add hashtags on YouTube

There are two places on YouTube where you can place your hashtags, the video title and the video description.

Hashtags in the video topic

The title of your video is supposed to have relevant keywords in it, and that can include hashtags, but do not include more than a single hashtag in the title, and try to make the hashtag sound natural in it. Your video title is essential, so if you include the most important hashtag related to your video in the title, you are clarifying the nature of your video.

If you have a video series, you can use a branded hashtag in the title to make it easy to find the videos. In this case, you are building your channel or series around your branded hashtag. Having a hashtag in the title of your video will make it clickable from your video page.

Hashtags in the video description

Your YouTube video description is the other place you can add hashtags. In this case, you would include the hashtags at the bottom of the video description. You will still want to use your video summary and keywords, links, sources, and other optimization information, then add the hashtags. This way, people can still read the summary first without sifting through the hashtags before they get to the summary. When using hashtags in your video descriptions, use the keywords that may seem out of place in the video title or that you are having a little trouble working into the video description.

If you put hashtags in the video description, they will be displayed above the title of the video; unless there is a hashtag in the video description.

Best hashtag practices

Now that you know the reasons for using hashtags in your YouTube videos, let’s take a look at some of the best practices to help you implement them strategically. Every social network has its own practices to observe to use them best and help boost your SEO.

Use three to five hashtags per video

YouTube allows you to put up to 15 hashtags in your video description, and Google will ignore every hashtag in the video if you use more than 15. You can use one or two in your video title, though one usually looks better than two. Keep in mind that just because you can put 15 hashtags in your video description does not mean that you should. Hashtags can be overused, so try to only use three to five hashtags in your video and go for the most relevant tags available. Creating a branded hashtag is always a good idea, because it will link anyone who searches for your business to other social media networks and your website.

What hashtags to use?

The three most important hashtags in your YouTube videos are your branded hashtag, popular topics that are related to your video content, and locations.

Research before you hashtag

To ensure that you are using the right hashtags, take some time to search for them before you use them. You do not want to include a bunch of hashtags in your posts that have nothing to do with your industry or the video; those can make you look like a spammer. You can use YouTube to search for the trending hashtags related to your video. To do this, just type in your keyword or topic and see what comes up.

What not to do

YouTube has some policies about hashtagging that you need to be mindful of when using them in your videos.

As stated above, if you use over 15 hashtags, the platform will ignore every hashtag in the video.
Do not post hashtags with content that is misleading or not related directly to your content.
You cannot use hashtags that have the intent of bullying, intimidating, threatening, or harassing a group of people or an individual. This extends to using hashtags with hate speech in them.
If you include profanity in your hashtags, your video might be given an age restriction or removed entirely.
Hashtags with sexual content will be removed.

Conclusion

Now that you have a basic understanding of the importance of hashtags on YouTube, you can begin strategically adding them to your videos. These can help boost your views, extend your reach, and help boost the SEO for your videos. The art of the hashtag can be difficult to master, but Seattle Digital Marketing has experts who know how to deploy them properly. Contact Seattle Digital Marketing today to get started!

Jasmin Scott

23:51 04 Feb 22

Over the past year, I've had the pleasure of working with the team at Seattle Digital Marketing and its been an excellent experience. As a business owner in the beauty industry, marketing can be overwhelming while trying to run a business. The team was able to gain a genuine understanding of my services and clientele and put together an effective advertising campaign. Their Metric Pro technology and perimeter ads have increased my business and eliminated my need to worry about marketing. They are always very responsive, efficient, and organized. I would strongly recommend Seattle Digital Marketing to anyone looking for help to grow their business.

Andrew Tallent

22:15 03 Jan 22

This year, Seattle Digital Marketing is an important aspect of our digital marketing campaign. They've been fantastic to work with, providing insight into various techniques and tracking campaign results. They are always aware of when they need to make adjustments, and I definitely suggest working with them!

ChiaoChiao

18:50 09 Jan 21

Best SEO firm in Seattle. We owned seven Thai restaurants and Seattle Digital Marketing was completely different with their approach. From the moment we visited their offices we knew that these guys know what they are talking about. They're owned by a software firm and they actually have engineers and coders at work behind the scenes. We don't know what they did with our website, but they are all ranking number one on Google and Bing. They designed them in such a way that people with mobile phones can easily contact us and find us.Great Seattle digital marketing firm, we highly recommend them.

Earl Worthy

23:44 29 Sep 20

My Goodness these guys know branding and seo.No one comes close and they have a software firm.down the hall!my website is literally 1 on Google and they turned me around.Pricey but worth the money!

Riley Mitchell

20:23 11 Aug 20

These guys are my go-to company for web design, social media, and digital marketing. They redesigned redesigned my website and I'm very happy with how it turned out. We immediately noticed the increase in calls.Its always a pleasure working with these fine folks, I wholeheartedly recommend Seattle Digital Marketing.

Tim Johnson

17:12 03 Jul 20

I have tried so many firms and so many companies but this company did everything they said they were going to do and backed it up with a sweet website and something they did to the code on my site makes it rank for all of these different keywords.Phil redesigned my brand and managed to get me featured in Seattle Metro. Good company that is at the top of their game. Lot's of employees running around with Google badges, probably a good clue.

Fred Harrelson

16:56 26 May 20

I contacted Seattle Digital Marketing to help me get the word out for my nutrition supplements that I've been perfecting for the last few years. From the beginning they were upfront and honest about potential challenges. They are real marketing gurus who stand behind their work. I am glad I chose them to help me take my business to the next level. Business is great, I've been featured in magazines, on my local news station and several radio stations. I was even invited to be a guest speaker at The Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo this year, all thanks to them. I highly recommend Seattle Digital Marketing to anyone who needs an effective marketing strategy, they're fantastic!

Adam Carlin

16:47 26 May 20

We worked with Seattle Digital Marketing to brand and get press coverage for my wife's new medical practice. We knew that a solid PR campaign would need to have as much positive press as possible. Not only did they deliver, they did it in style. We had several reporters reach out to us regarding our opening. The day we opened there was even a local tv crew who showed up. Couldn't be happier with all the work Seattle Digital Marketing did for us. They are smart, professional and work wonders out of their little retro office in Bellevue. Thanks so much guys!

Cedric Snead

16:42 26 May 20

These guys are amazing! The crew at Seattle Digital Marketing worked tirelessly to get us featured in big name magazines. They are real go-getters that know how to make things happen. They crafted our stories in a way that engaged journalist and earned media coverage for our business. Thanks to their knowledge and experience we now have been featured in 3 major magazines.We are well taken care of by our team at Seattle Digital Marketing. I highly recommend this crew of PR super stars!