Trying to figure out what people are actually searching for on YouTube can feel like a guessing game, right? You churn out great content, but sometimes it just doesn’t get the views you hoped for. That’s where understanding YouTube search volume comes in, and frankly, tools like Semrush can make a huge difference. Think of it like having a secret map to where your audience is hanging out. This isn’t just about throwing a few keywords into your video title and hoping for the best. it’s about a smart, data-driven approach that helps you create videos people are actively looking for. In this guide, we’ll walk through how you can leverage Semrush, alongside other clever tricks, to pinpoint exactly what your potential viewers want to watch, giving your channel a real edge.

Table of Contents

Why YouTube Search Volume Matters More Than You Think

Picture this: you’ve just spent hours, maybe even days, creating an amazing video. You upload it, hit publish, and then… crickets. Sound familiar? It’s a common story, and often, the missing piece is simply knowing what terms people are typing into YouTube’s search bar. YouTube isn’t just a video-sharing platform. it’s the second largest search engine in the world, right after its parent company, Google. With over 2.49 billion people logging in each month as of April 2024, there’s a massive audience out there. But to grab their attention, you need to speak their language.

Reach a Bigger Audience

When you know the search volume for a particular topic, you understand its potential reach. For example, if you find out that “easy healthy dinner recipes” gets 10,000 searches a month, that’s 10,000 potential viewers you could be reaching if your video ranks well for that term. On the other hand, a super niche topic with only 50 searches might be great for a highly targeted audience, but it won’t give you massive growth. YouTube is truly global, with India leading in user count around 476 million as of July 2024, followed by the U.S. around 238 million. Tapping into this global or specific regional interest starts with understanding what they search for.

Create Content People Actually Want

Nobody wants to create content in a vacuum. By researching what people are searching for, you’re not just guessing. you’re responding directly to audience demand. This insight helps you produce videos that resonate, solving problems, answering questions, or simply entertaining viewers in ways they’re actively seeking. It’s like having a direct line to your audience’s desires. This also means you can identify “content gaps” – topics people are searching for but aren’t finding satisfactory videos on. That’s your golden opportunity!

Beat the Competition

Thousands of videos are uploaded to YouTube every hour. Without a smart strategy, your content can easily get lost in the noise. Keyword research, including understanding search volume, helps you identify keywords that your competitors might be missing, or areas where you can create a better video than what’s currently available. It’s about finding your sweet spot, where demand is high enough to be worthwhile, but competition isn’t so fierce that you can’t break through.

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Understanding YouTube Search Volume: The Basics

Before we jump into the tools, let’s get a few key terms straight. These are the foundations of effective keyword research for YouTube.

What is “Search Volume”?

Simply put, search volume is the estimated number of times a particular keyword or phrase is searched on YouTube within a given period usually monthly. A higher search volume means more people are looking for that specific content. Sounds straightforward, right? But remember, high volume doesn’t always mean easy wins. Some tools might shorten the figure e.g., 2,300 becomes 2.3k.

What is “Competitive Rate” or “Keyword Difficulty”?

This metric tells you how hard it might be to rank for a specific keyword. It’s usually a score, often from 0 to 100, where a lower number means less competition and an easier chance to rank. Tools like Semrush’s YouTube app will give you a “Competitive rate,” while others might call it “Keyword Difficulty.” It helps you decide if a high-volume keyword is actually attainable for your channel, especially if you’re just starting out. You want to aim for keywords with a good balance: enough search volume to be worth it, but not so much competition that your video gets buried.

Short-Tail vs. Long-Tail Keywords

This is a concept that applies across all search engines, including YouTube, and it’s super important for your strategy.

Short-tail keywords: These are broad, often one or two words, like “cooking” or “SEO.” They usually have very high search volume but also incredibly high competition. Think of them as the main highway – lots of traffic, but it’s hard to stand out.
Medium-tail keywords: These are a bit more specific, usually two to three words. “Healthy cooking tips” or “YouTube SEO strategy” are good examples. They have moderate search volume and moderate competition, often offering a good balance.
Long-tail keywords: These are very specific phrases, typically three or more words, like “how to make a vegan lasagna for beginners” or “best free YouTube keyword research tool 2024.” While their individual search volume might be lower, they often have much lower competition and a clearer search intent. Plus, people who search for these terms know exactly what they want, meaning they’re more likely to watch your video all the way through if it delivers. For smaller channels, focusing on long-tail keywords can be a fantastic way to gain initial traction and build an audience.

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Semrush and YouTube: A Powerful Combination

Now, let’s talk about how a powerhouse tool like Semrush can truly help you with your YouTube keyword research. While Semrush is widely known for Google SEO, they’ve really stepped up their game for YouTube with specific features.

Getting Started with Semrush’s “Keyword Analytics for YouTube” App

Semrush has a dedicated “Keyword Analytics for YouTube” app within its App Center. This is your direct gateway to YouTube-specific data.

Here’s a quick rundown of how to use it:

Log in to Semrush: First things first, you’ll need a Semrush account. If you don’t have one, they usually offer a 7-day free trial, which is perfect for testing the waters.
Navigate to the App Center: Once logged in, head over to the Semrush App Center. You can usually find a link to it from your main dashboard or via a direct search within Semrush.
Find “Keyword Analytics for YouTube”: Look for the “Keyword Analytics for YouTube” app and click “Get started.”
Enter Your Keyword: In the search bar, type in a broad keyword or topic related to your video idea. For example, “video editing tips” or “digital art tutorial.”
Choose Your Country: Select the country you’re targeting. This is crucial because search trends and volumes can vary significantly by region.
Analyze the Data: The app will then generate a report, showing you a wealth of information.

What You’ll Find in the Semrush YouTube App

Once you’ve entered your keyword, the “Keyword Analytics for YouTube” app will present you with some super valuable insights:

Top Keywords: This list shows you the most popular keywords related to your initial search, along with their estimated search volume. You can often filter this by daily, weekly, or monthly data to see recent trends. This helps you identify what people are searching for right now.
Fast-Growing Keywords: This tab is a goldmine for spotting emerging trends. It highlights keywords that are seeing a rapid increase in search volume, giving you a chance to create content before the competition fully catches on. Imagine being one of the first to cover a trending topic – that’s a huge advantage!
Competitive Rate/Difficulty: For each keyword, you’ll see a competitive rate, which is Semrush’s estimate of how hard it is to rank for that term. This is incredibly useful for prioritizing. If you’re a smaller channel, you might want to aim for keywords with lower competitive rates initially, even if their search volume isn’t through the roof.
Top Videos: The app even shows you the top-ranking videos for specific keywords. This is fantastic for competitive analysis. You can see what kind of content is performing well, how those videos are structured, and even the keywords they are ranking for. This insight helps you understand the current and identify opportunities to create something even better.
Related Keywords: You’ll also get a list of related keywords, expanding your ideas beyond your initial search. These can be great for creating a series of videos or for including in your video descriptions and tags to catch a wider net of searches.

Beyond the YouTube App: Adapting Other Semrush Tools

While the dedicated YouTube app is fantastic, you can also adapt other general Semrush tools for a more holistic content strategy. Remember, YouTube videos often rank on Google too! What is Keyword Search Volume, and Why Does it Matter?

Keyword Magic Tool: This is Semrush’s central hub for keyword research. While it focuses on Google search, it can be a great starting point for brainstorming broad topics. You can plug in a seed keyword and generate thousands of related terms, questions, and phrases. Use this to get a general understanding of a topic’s popularity and different angles before into YouTube-specific research.
Keyword Overview Report: If you have a specific keyword in mind, this tool gives you an in-depth analysis, including global search volume across all search engines, keyword difficulty, trend data, and even current SERP Search Engine Results Page features. While not strictly YouTube, it gives you a sense of overall interest and can inform your video’s broader SEO potential, especially if you want your videos to also appear in Google searches.
Keyword Gap: This is a powerful competitive analysis tool. You can enter your channel’s URL and those of a few competitors to see what keywords they rank for that you don’t. While primarily for websites, understanding competitor’s organic keyword success can inspire video ideas that fill those gaps, assuming there’s also YouTube search volume for those terms.

Free & Alternative Ways to Find YouTube Search Volume

Not ready to commit to a paid tool like Semrush just yet? No problem! There are plenty of free and super effective ways to get a handle on YouTube search volume and trends. These methods are often what I start with before even touching a paid tool.

YouTube Autocomplete & Search Suggestions

This is probably one of the easiest and most overlooked methods. Just start typing something into YouTube’s search bar, and those autocomplete suggestions are basically a peek into what people are actually looking for.

How to use it: Type a broad topic, like “gardening tips.” Watch what YouTube suggests. Then, add a letter e.g., “gardening tips a,” “gardening tips b” to uncover even more ideas.
Why it’s great: It shows you real-time, popular searches directly from the source. These are phrases people are actively typing, so you know there’s demand.
Pro tip: Pay attention to longer phrases here. Those are your long-tail keyword gems!

YouTube Analytics Research Tab

If you already have a YouTube channel, your own analytics are a goldmine! YouTube Studio has a “Research” tab under “Analytics” that’s specifically designed to help creators find relevant keywords.

How to use it: Go to YouTube Studio > Analytics > Research. You can search for terms related to your content or explore what your viewers are searching for.
What you’ll find: This report shows you “High,” “Medium,” or “Low” search volume for terms used by your viewers in the last 28 days. Crucially, it also highlights “Content Gap” tags, indicating topics where users struggled to find a video that met their needs. This is literally YouTube telling you, “Hey, make a video about this!”
Why it’s great: It’s direct, audience-specific, and highlights opportunities where you can genuinely add value.

Google Trends YouTube Search

Google Trends is completely free and incredibly powerful for understanding the popularity of topics over time. The best part? You can filter it specifically for YouTube searches. Master Your Search Visibility with Semrush: A Complete Guide

How to use it: Go to Google Trends, enter your keyword, and then change the “Web Search” filter to “YouTube Search.”
What you’ll find: You’ll see a graph showing the interest in that keyword over time, related queries, and even geographic interest. You can compare up to five keywords to see which has more relative search volume.
Why it’s great: It helps you spot trending topics, understand seasonality, and avoid keywords that are on a downward spiral. It doesn’t give you exact numbers but shows you relative popularity, which is often enough to make informed decisions.

Spy on Your Competitors

This isn’t about copying. it’s about learning! Look at what successful channels in your niche are doing.

How to use it:
- Check their popular videos: What topics consistently get high views? What keywords are in their titles and descriptions?
- Examine their titles, descriptions, and tags: Right-click on a competitor’s video page, view page source, and search for “keywords” or “tags” to see what they’re using. Many browser extensions can also extract tags.
- Analyze their “About” section: Sometimes channels list topics or keywords they cover.
Why it’s great: It gives you direct insight into what’s already working for similar audiences.

Free Third-Party Tools

Several free tools offer some level of YouTube keyword research:

vidIQ & TubeBuddy: Both offer free browser extensions that provide insights like search volume, competition scores, and related keywords directly on YouTube. They also have paid versions with more features.
LenosTube YouTube Keyword Search Volume Checker: This tool claims to fetch data directly from the YouTube platform, offering search volume, trends, and competition. You can check up to 5 keywords in bulk for free.
RyRob.com YouTube Keyword Tool: This tool offers free YouTube search volumes and difficulty ratings. It categorizes search volume levels low, medium, high, very high which can be super helpful.
Keyword Tool Dominator: This free tool generates thousands of keyword suggestions from YouTube’s autocomplete, along with a “Popularity Score.”

Putting Your YouTube Keyword Research into Action

Finding keywords is just the first step. The real magic happens when you weave those keywords into your video strategy effectively. Remember, YouTube’s algorithm cares a lot about content quality and engagement, not just perfect SEO.

Optimize Your Video Titles

Your video title is often the first thing people see, so make it count! Semrush Volume Meaning: Unlocking Your Path to SEO Success

Front-load your main keyword: Try to put your primary keyword near the beginning of the title.
Make it compelling and clickable: Use numbers, power words, or create a curiosity gap to encourage clicks. For instance, “Clean Leather Shoes Fast Without Ruining Them” is way more engaging than “How to Clean Leather Shoes.”
Keep it concise: Aim for around 60 characters to avoid getting cut off in search results.
Avoid clickbait: Be honest about what your video delivers. Misleading titles will hurt your watch time and audience retention in the long run.

Craft Engaging Descriptions

Your video description isn’t just a place to dump links. it’s a critical spot for providing context and naturally including your keywords.

First few sentences are key: Place your main keyword in the first one or two sentences.
Write a substantial description: Aim for at least 200 words to give YouTube plenty of context about your video.
Naturally include related keywords: Weave in secondary and long-tail keywords throughout the description without sounding spammy.
Add value: Explain what your video is about, include timestamps, links to related content, and any other useful information. Timestamps improve user experience, which YouTube loves.
Use hashtags: Add a few relevant hashtags, including your primary keyword, to help with discoverability. Don’t overdo it. 2-3 relevant ones are usually enough.

Use Smart Tags

Tags are still useful for helping YouTube understand your video’s content and can influence when your video appears in related suggestions.

Include your primary keyword and variations: Use exact match and close variations of your main keyword.
Mix general and specific tags: Have a few broader terms and some highly specific ones.
Include synonyms: Think of other words people might use to search for your topic.
Video-specific tags: If it’s a tutorial, include “how-to,” “tutorial,” etc.

Focus on Content Quality & Audience Intent

No amount of keyword research will save a bad video. Ultimately, YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes user experience. If people click on your video and quickly leave, your rankings will suffer.

Deliver on your promise: Your video should genuinely address the search intent behind the keywords you’re targeting. If your title says “easy healthy dinner recipes,” the video better deliver on that!
Engage your audience: Encourage likes, comments, and shares. High engagement signals to YouTube that your content is valuable.
Prioritize watch time: The longer people watch your videos, the better. This tells YouTube your content is keeping viewers hooked.
Optimize beyond keywords: Visually appealing thumbnails significantly increase click-through rates. Good audio, clear visuals, and a compelling narrative are all part of content quality.

By combining the powerful data from tools like Semrush with a human-centered approach to content creation, you’re not just hoping for views. you’re strategically attracting the right audience to your videos.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is YouTube search volume?

YouTube search volume is an estimated number that tells you how many times a specific keyword or phrase is searched on YouTube within a given period, usually a month. It helps creators understand the demand for certain topics, guiding them to make videos that people are actively looking for.

Does Semrush directly show YouTube search volume, or do I need a separate tool?

Yes, Semrush has a dedicated “Keyword Analytics for YouTube” app in its App Center that provides estimated search volume specifically for YouTube keywords. While Semrush’s main keyword tools are for Google search, this specific app is tailored for YouTube.

Is YouTube search volume the same as Google search volume?

No, they are generally different. While there can be overlap, people search differently on YouTube often looking for visual “how-to” guides, entertainment, or reviews compared to Google which might be more informational or transactional. Tools like Semrush’s YouTube app and Google Trends filtered for YouTube provide data specific to YouTube searches.

How accurate is Semrush’s YouTube search volume data?

Semrush’s “Keyword Analytics for YouTube” app provides estimated search volume and competitive rates. Like all keyword tools, these numbers are approximations based on their algorithms and data sources. They are excellent for identifying trends and prioritizing keywords, but shouldn’t be taken as exact, real-time figures. Ubersuggest vs Ahrefs: Which SEO Tool Should You Pick?

Can I find YouTube search volume for free without Semrush?

Absolutely! You can use YouTube’s own autocomplete suggestions, the “Research” tab in YouTube Analytics if you have a channel, Google Trends filtered for YouTube Search, and by analyzing competitors’ videos. Several free third-party tools like vidIQ/TubeBuddy free extensions, LenosTube, and RyRob.com also offer some level of YouTube search volume data.

What’s a good search volume for YouTube keywords?

“Good” search volume is relative and depends on your channel’s size and niche. For smaller channels, a medium search volume e.g., 1,000-5,000 monthly searches, according to some tools combined with low competition can be a great starting point. Larger channels might aim for higher volume keywords. It’s often better to target keywords with a healthy balance of decent volume and manageable competition rather than solely chasing ultra-high volume, super competitive terms.

How often should I do YouTube keyword research?

Keyword research isn’t a one-and-done task. Trends change, new topics emerge, and audience interests evolve. It’s a good practice to revisit your keyword strategy regularly, perhaps monthly or quarterly, especially for new video ideas. Regularly checking “fast-growing keywords” in tools like Semrush can help you stay ahead of the curve.

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