TL;DR
Search reads your title, description, and tags. Use the plain words people type, including common alternates, and you show up where the viewers already are.
You can have a great thumbnail and a strong hook, but if your title and description do not contain the words people type into search, they will never find your content. Keywords are how you connect good work to the people actively looking for it. Getting them right is quiet, high-leverage work.
How to find the right keywords
- 1Search the platform the way a viewer would for your kind of content.
- 2Note the terms in the titles of the videos that come up.
- 3Include the plain word for your topic, not just a clever phrase.
- 4Add common alternate terms people also use for the same thing.
- 5Put your strongest terms in the title, description, and tags.
People use plain, sometimes messy language. Some search "make money with AI," others "AI side hustle," others "faceless YouTube." If your content is any of those, include the words people actually type, not just the one you prefer. Covering the common variants widens your reach.
Where keywords go on each platform
On YouTube, the title and description carry search weight, plus tags and the words you say on screen, which get transcribed. On TikTok and Instagram, the caption, on-screen text, and hashtags do the work. Put the plain search terms where each platform reads them.
Keywords are worth revisiting. If your content is not getting search traffic, swap in a different common term and watch your analytics. A small wording change can put you in front of a search you were completely missing before.
Common questions
How does platform search decide what to show?
It reads your title, description, and tags on YouTube, and your caption, on-screen text, and hashtags on TikTok and Instagram, then matches them against what people type. If the words viewers search are not there, you do not show up.
How do I find the keywords people use?
Search the platform the way a viewer would and note the terms in the titles of the videos that come up. Those are the words people actually type. Mirror them across your title, description, and tags.
Should I include alternate terms?
Yes. People use different words - AI side hustle, faceless YouTube, AI video money - for the same thing. Include the common variants so you show up in more searches instead of only the one term you personally prefer.
Where do keywords go on YouTube versus TikTok?
YouTube reads the title, description, tags, and even your spoken words. TikTok and Instagram read the caption, on-screen text, and hashtags. Put the plain search terms where each platform actually reads them for search.
Is keyword stuffing a good idea?
No. Stuffing repeated or unrelated terms reads as spam and can get your reach limited. Use the real words people type, placed naturally, so the content works for both search and a human reader who has to click.
My content gets no search traffic - what should I try?
Swap in a different common term for your topic and watch your search numbers. A small wording change can surface you in a search you were missing. Also recheck whether the platform itself fits your content.
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