How to Choose the Best Hashtags to Use On YouTube Shorts

The rapid rise of YouTube Shorts has created new opportunities for creators to gain exposure and connect with audiences. Getting started can feel overwhelming. There's a lot to tackle, from figuring out what type of content to create to how to get seen. One key component of video SEO is using the right hashtags. This blog will showcase the best hashtags to use on YouTube Shorts to help you get discovered and grow your channel. Keep reading to find YouTube Shorts ideas.

As you read, you’ll discover how to identify viral trends for short-form content, so you can create engaging videos that will resonate with audiences. Virlo’s virality analysis tool can help you achieve this goal by quickly uncovering trending topics and hashtags for YouTube Shorts to help you get started. 

Table of Contents

• Benefits of Using Hashtags on YouTube Shorts

• How to Find Hashtags for YouTube Shorts

• How to Choose the Best Hashtags to Use on YouTube Shorts

• Best Practices for Using Hashtags on YouTube Shorts

• Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Benefits of Using Hashtags on YouTube Shorts

Algorithm Understanding: Hashtags Send YouTube Shorts Contextual Clues  

Hashtags signal to YouTube what your Shorts are about. This helps the algorithm categorize your content and recommend it to relevant users.  

Search Results: Hashtags Boost Visibility on YouTube Searches  

When users search for specific hashtags, your Shorts will be more likely to appear in the results, increasing your chances of getting views.  

Feed Recommendations: Hashtags Improve Your Odds of Getting Suggested  

Hashtags can help YouTube show your Shorts to users who are interested in related content in their “For You” feed.  

Broader Reach: Hashtags Connect You With New Audiences  

Hashtags can connect your Shorts with audiences beyond your existing subscriber base, potentially expanding your viewership.   

Community Building: Hashtags Foster Connections With Like-Minded Viewers  

Using relevant hashtags, you can connect with like-minded viewers and foster a community around your content.

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How to Find Hashtags for YouTube Shorts

Virlo helps short-form content creators crack the code of virality through AI-powered trend analysis. Our platform combines creator insights with advanced analytics to identify winning content patterns, optimal posting times, and successful audio/video combinations that help your content stand out in today's fast-moving social landscape. Perfect for independent creators looking to build a sustainable side business, Virlo takes the guesswork out of content strategy. We analyze the latest viral trends and help you understand when to post and what combinations of elements drive engagement. Whether you're just starting or looking to optimize your existing content, Virlo helps you navigate the ever-changing algorithms to increase your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo's virality analysis tool.

Tap Into YouTube’s Trending Page

YouTube’s Trending section highlights the latest viral content. Analyze Shorts from popular creators on this page, and take note of the YouTube hashtags they use. If a tag consistently appears in multiple trending videos, it’s worth trying in your own content strategy.

Utilize YouTube’s Search Bar 

Type keywords related to your niche into the YouTube search bar, and autocomplete will suggest previous user queries. While they won’t always be hashtags, they’re still a valuable source of inspiration.

Study Competitor Videos for Hashtag Ideas

Look at videos from top creators in your niche. If you notice that a specific phrase frequently appears in their high-performing Shorts, adding it to your videos could help attract similar audiences.

Discover Hashtags in YouTube Analytics

YouTube Studio provides insights on which hashtags drive the most traffic to your videos. If you see specific keywords leading to more views and engagement, double down on those while experimenting with new ones.

Join Online Creator Communities to Learn About Hashtags

Social media groups, forums, and creator communities are great places to discover trending hashtags. Engaging with fellow influencers can give you insider tips on what’s working for others, helping you stay ahead of trends.

How to Choose the Best Hashtags to Use on YouTube Shorts

Hashtags on YouTube Shorts help categorize your content, get discovered in hashtag feeds, and improve your chances of getting featured on the Shorts shelf or Explore page. 

Use a Mix of Hashtag Types 

When choosing hashtags, combine different kinds to reach a wider but relevant audience. Here are the various types of hashtags and how they help: 

• Niche-specific: These hashtags target users interested in a particular niche. For example, #FitnessShorts or #CryptoTips can be used to reach users interested in fitness or cryptocurrency. 

• Trending hashtags: These help you tap into popular trends for a visibility boost. For example, using #Viral, #LifeHack, or #Challenge can help your Short get discovered. 

• Content-specific: These describe exactly what’s in the video. For example, use #LegWorkout or #DIYNotebook to detail what your Short is about. 

• Branded hashtags: These help build brand identity and loyalty. Use your channel name or a unique tag like #OpusAI to help your audience identify your content. 

Research Hashtags Before Using Them 

Before using hashtags, research them to make sure they align with your content. Here’s how: 

• YouTube Search: Type hashtags in the search bar to see what content appears. Choose those that match your video content and have engagement. 

• Competitor Analysis: Look at top-performing Shorts in your niche and note their hashtag strategy.

• Use Hashtag Analytics Tools: Tools like TubeBuddy, VidIQ, or Opus Clip’s own AI insights (if available) can show hashtag popularity and trends. 

Be Relevant Over Random 

Avoid stuffing hashtags. Only use those directly relevant to your video. YouTube's algorithm penalizes misleading tags. 

Use 3–5 Effective Hashtags 

More is not always better. Stick to 3–5 relevant hashtags: 

• 1 trending 

• 2 niche-specific 

• 1 content-specific 

• 1 branded (optional)

This balance keeps your Shorts clean and discoverable.  

Leverage Location or Language Hashtags (If Relevant) 

If your content is targeted toward a specific region or language group, add localized tags like: 

• #UrduComedy 

• #PakistaniVlogger 

• #LahoreFood 

Test and Iterate 

Hashtag performance can vary. Track your video analytics to see what’s working: 

• Look at the traffic sources in YouTube Studio. 

• Check which hashtags drive views. 

• Double down on what works. 

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Best Practices for Using Hashtags on YouTube Shorts

YouTube suggests using a small number of hashtags to ensure relevance and avoid over-tagging. Specifically, if you use more than 15 hashtags on a single video, YouTube will ignore all of them. So, to optimize visibility without overwhelming the content, use 3 to 4 relevant hashtags per video.

Relevance is Crucial: Stay on Target

Ensure that every hashtag you include is directly related to your video’s content. Using unrelated or misleading hashtags can violate YouTube’s metadata policies and may hurt your video’s performance. 

Placement of Hashtags: Where Do They Go? 

Hashtags can be placed in the video title or description. However, putting them in the description is generally preferred, as it keeps the title clean and focused. The first three hashtags appear above the video title when added to the description, making them more visible to viewers. 

Be Cautious of Potential Downsides: Don’t Let Hashtags Hurt Your Video

While hashtags can increase discoverability, they also present clickable links that may lead viewers away from your video to other content. This could potentially reduce your video’s audience retention. Therefore, use hashtags judiciously to balance discoverability with viewer engagement. Virlo helps short-form content creators crack the code of virality through AI-powered trend analysis. Our platform combines creator insights with advanced analytics to identify winning content patterns, optimal posting times, and successful audio/video combinations that help your content stand out in today's fast-moving social environment. 

Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Hashtags help categorize content on YouTube and other social media platforms. They allow creators to reach specific audiences and get discovered by users interested in particular topics. For example, a short about baking that uses the hashtags:

• #baking

• #cookies

• #recipe

It can help the video reach users interested in baking who may not follow the creator. Instead of just showing the video to the creator's subscribers, the goal is to get the video recommended on YouTube’s algorithm's baking page. To boost your YouTube Shorts performance, explore the best hashtags to reach your target audience.  

Best YouTube Shorts Hashtags: A Short List 

• #Shorts: Use this hashtag to make your short video discoverable. YouTube uses this tag to categorize your video as a Short. 

• #YouTubeShorts: This hashtag serves a similar purpose as #Shorts. Use it to help users understand that your video is a Short, which may help them know what to expect. 

• #Viral: Everyone wants their next video to go viral. This hashtag can help get your content in front of users interested in trending and viral videos. 

• #Trending: Like #viral, this hashtag will help you get discoverability for your Short among users looking for content on current trends. 

• #Comedy, #Recipes, #HowTo, etc.: These are niche-specific hashtags. If your video has a specific focus, find the best niche hashtags to help target your audience. Use tools like All Hashtag or Hashtagify to research popular options. 

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