How YouTube hashtags work, and which ones are worth using
· viralshooter
Hashtags are keywords that start with #. On YouTube, each one links to a page of other videos that use the same hashtag, so viewers who like one video can find more like it. (YouTube Help)
This guide covers where hashtags show, the rules that matter, and how to pick ones that help.
Where hashtags appear
You can add hashtags to a video's title or description, when you upload a video or record a Short. Type # and YouTube suggests popular hashtags as you go.
- Hashtags in the title and description become links to a page of videos sharing that hashtag.
- From the hashtags in your description, YouTube shows up to three that it considers most engaging next to your title. The rest still appear in the description.
The rules that matter
YouTube's hashtag policies are short, and breaking them can hide your hashtags or remove the video:
- No spaces. Join words together: #TwoWords or #twowords.
- Don't over-tag. If a video has more than 60 hashtags, YouTube ignores every hashtag on it. Over-tagging can also get the video removed from your uploads or from search.
- Stay relevant. Hashtags unrelated to the video count as misleading and can get it removed.
- No harassment, hate, sexual or vulgar hashtags. These can lead to removal or age restriction.
- No keyword dumps. Ordinary descriptive tags or repeated sentences in the description are still prohibited.
Hashtags that break the rules won't show below your content and may be removed.
Hashtags vs tags
They are different things. Tags are hidden keywords you add in YouTube Studio. YouTube says tags "play a minimal role" in a video's discovery, and are mostly useful when your topic is commonly misspelled. Your title, thumbnail and description matter more. (YouTube Help)
How to pick hashtags that help
- Start specific. A hashtag for your exact topic (#sourdough) connects you with people looking for it. Very broad ones (#video) put you among everything else.
- Keep it to a few. Since only three show next to your title, put your best ones first in the description.
- Match what is actually charting. Look at which hashtags videos in your niche use when they reach the charts, and borrow the ones that fit your video honestly.
- Check them before you post. Click a hashtag to see the page it leads to. If those videos aren't like yours, pick another.
See which hashtags the charts use
viralshooter lists the hashtags shared by the most channels on the YouTube charts we track in 20 countries, with generic ones like #shorts left out. Open any hashtag to see the videos using it.
FAQ
How many hashtags should I use on YouTube?
As many as are genuinely relevant, usually a few. More than 60 and YouTube ignores all of them. Only three show next to your title.
Do hashtags help a video get views?
They connect your video to a page of similar videos and help viewers find it. They don't replace a good title, thumbnail and description.
Are hashtags and tags the same?
No. Hashtags are visible and clickable; tags are hidden keywords that YouTube says play a minimal role in discovery.