YouTube keyword search
Type a topic below and this YouTube keyword search lists the phrases YouTube autocompletes for it, plus the how-to, best, for and vs versions. Those are real searches, in the order YouTube suggests them. Pick one and put it in the title, the first 25 words of the description, and the first tag. Free, no sign-up.
By Nicolae Maties · Updated
Research tools stop one step before publish
Queries like best free youtube keyword research tool assume the bottleneck is finding phrases. For most small channels the bottleneck is packaging: you already know the niche, but the title is cute instead of searchable.
Do lightweight research (autocomplete, competitor titles, comments), pick one primary phrase, then Enhance title/tags so the keyword is not buried.
YouTube keyword research in 20 minutes
- 1
Search your topic above
The tool lists the autocomplete lines from the YouTube search box, so you do not have to type each variation yourself. Those are real queries.
- 2
Read the titles that already rank
Open 5 videos in the same cluster. Write down repeating phrases, not their view counts.
- 3
Pick one primary keyword
Specific enough to win (garlic butter pasta) not so broad you cannot compete (food).
- 4
Lock it into metadata
Put it first in the title and first in tags. Enhance with iutu.be if the draft is still vague.
Low competition vs no demand
- A phrase with zero searches is easy to rank and useless.
- Long-tail (“how to fix squeaky office chair without wd40”) often converts better than a head term.
- Competition on YouTube is titles + thumbnails + retention, not just keyword difficulty scores.
Keyword tools vs this workflow
Dedicated keyword suites
Volume estimates help when you pick topics for the quarter.
iutu.be
The search on this page lists autocomplete phrases with no volume estimates. The extension then writes the title, description, and tags around the phrase you pick. Free daily, or $25 once.
Optimize the next video in YouTube Studio
The iutu.be extension adds Enhance buttons next to title, description and tags. Review the rewrite, apply it, publish. Free every day — or $25 once for unlimited.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do a YouTube keyword search?
Type the topic in the search at the top of this page, or in the YouTube search box, and read the autocomplete lines. That YouTube keyword search is free. Then put the phrase you would actually type into the title.
Does this show search volume?
No. YouTube does not publish how often a phrase is searched, and tools that show a number are estimating it. This page shows what YouTube itself suggests, in its own order, which tells you the phrase is typed often enough to be suggested.
Where do the keyword suggestions come from?
From YouTube’s search autocomplete, for English searches in the United States. The tool asks for your phrase and four common versions of it: how to, best, for, and vs.
How do I find low competition keywords on YouTube?
Look for specific problems with few recent videos and comments asking follow-ups. Then package the title around that exact problem.
Should tags match the keyword exactly?
First tag should. The rest should be variants and related phrases, not a second topic.