Trending hashtags on YouTube can help you discover what’s popular right now. For example, if you find "retro games" is a trending hashtag, you can expect to find a range of videos on this topic to help you create content that aligns with what people are currently interested in, or you can explore the existing videos to see what’s already been covered. 

This guide will explore how to find social media trends or what hashtags are trending on YouTube and why it matters when you’re looking for social media trends to help your content go viral.

One of the best ways to find what’s trending on YouTube is to use a tool like Virlo AI's virality analysis tool. This resource helps you easily identify hashtags that can help you go viral on social media platforms like YouTube.

Table of Content

• Benefits of Using Hashtags on YouTube

• How to Use Hashtags on YouTube

• How to Find What Hashtags Are Trending on YouTube in 5 Ways

• 16 Trending Hashtags on YouTube in 2025

• Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Benefits of Using Hashtags on YouTube

Boost Video Visibility with Hashtags

Hashtags on YouTube, much like those on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, are valuable tools for increasing video visibility and reach. By strategically incorporating relevant and trending hashtags, marketers can expand the audience for their content beyond their subscriber base. Let’s examine a few reasons to use hashtags on YouTube.

Hashtags Help YouTube Understand What Your Video Is About

When you use relevant keywords as video hashtags, you’re giving YouTube more context about your video’s content. This helps YouTube categorize your video accurately and recommend it to users who are searching for similar topics or who have shown interest in related content. Essentially, hashtags act as signals that help YouTube place your video in the right search results and suggested video feeds, increasing the chances of it being discovered by the right audience.

Hashtags Help Expand Your User Reach

Hashtags act as bridges connecting your video to a wider audience on YouTube. When you include relevant hashtags in your video’s title and description, you’re essentially categorizing your content and making it easier for YouTube’s search and discovery algorithms to surface your video to users who are actively looking for or interested in those specific topics. Think of it as casting a wider net to catch the attention of potential viewers who might not have otherwise stumbled upon your content. This increased visibility can lead to more views, engagement, and subscribers.

Hashtags Help You Categorize Your Videos

Hashtags can act as internal organizers for your video content. By using consistent hashtags for specific themes or series within your channel, you create a simple way for viewers to navigate and explore similar content. This can encourage viewers to watch more of your videos, increasing overall engagement and watch time. Think of it as creating a personalized content library within your channel, making it easier for viewers to find the content they’re most interested in.

How to Use Hashtags on YouTube

Don’t Overdo It: Why You Should Use Fewer Than 15 Hashtags on YouTube

Hashtags help YouTube categorize content. The more accurately you label your video, the better. However, adding too many tags can have the opposite effect. If you load a video with more than 15 hashtags, YouTube will ignore all of them. Instead, stick to a reasonable number (like 3 to 5) to help your content get discovered. 

Don't Mislead Your Audience with Irrelevant Hashtags

YouTube lets you use hashtags to help viewers find your content. Using misleading or irrelevant tags to get more views is a bad practice. Not only does it lead to an audience that's confused or dissatisfied when they discover your content doesn't deliver what they expected, but it can also get you penalized or demonetized by YouTube. 

Don’t Use Hashtags to Harass Others

While YouTube allows creators to use hashtags to categorize their content, this feature shouldn’t be used to target or attack specific individuals or groups. Never use hashtags to incite violence against others or to humiliate, intimidate, or bully people. 

Don't Use Hashtags That Promote Hate Speech

YouTube has a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech, and that includes hashtags. Never use hashtags that promote violence against or hatred of any group or individual.

Avoid Sexual Hashtags

YouTube has strict policies about sexual content, and this includes hashtags. Any sexual or explicit hashtags, or those intended to be sexually provocative, can get your video removed. 

Don't Use Profanity or Vulgar Language

Hashtags with profanity or offensive terms can lead to a video being restricted to mature audiences. In some cases, this could even get your video removed altogether. 

Don’t Use Hashtags in the Description

YouTube’s description feature is for ordinary descriptive text, not hashtags. So, don’t use hashtags in your video’s description. If you do, they won’t work properly, and it could hurt your video’s performance. Instead, use the description to provide viewers with useful information about your video.

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How to Find What Hashtags Are Trending on YouTube in 5 Ways

1. Use Virlo for YouTube Hashtags Research

Virlo is an exceptional tool for finding trending YouTube hashtags. The platform helps short-form video creators understand how to make viral content with AI-powered trend analysis. With Virlo, you’ll discover the latest viral patterns, optimal posting times, and winning audio-visual combinations so you can create content that stands out. The tool’s analysis breaks down complex algorithms to simplify your content strategy and help you go viral. If you’re a short-form content creator looking to build a sustainable business through YouTube, Virlo can help you find the viral trends to boost your visibility and audience engagement.  

2. Try YouTube’s Search Function for Hashtags

YouTube’s search function is a straightforward way to find relevant hashtags, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Start by typing the hashtag symbol (#) in the YouTube search bar, along with your niche topic. The search results will automatically generate relevant hashtag suggestions that you can use to optimize your video. 

This method shows you popular hashtags in your industry, helping you understand what’s currently trending. From there, you can click on specific hashtags to explore their reach and popularity. You can even check how many videos and channels are using the hashtag to get a sense of its performance. To expand your research, try searching popular Instagram hashtags to see how they’re performing on YouTube.  

3. Analyze Competitors and Influencers in Your Niche

Another effective method for finding trending hashtags on YouTube is to analyze competitors and influencers in your niche. Start by creating a list of your top competitors and industry leaders. These are the channels that likely have the audience you want to attract. Now, you can begin observing their YouTube activity to uncover relevant hashtags that can help your videos get discovered. 

Use a spreadsheet to take notes and keep your data organized. Focus on what hashtags they’re using. Are their videos engaging with the audience? It’s a cost-free, manual way of monitoring competitors and influencers to find trending YouTube hashtags. Use competitors to extract free data for YouTube competitive benchmarking. Then, focus on influencers to identify new trends and hashtag ideas. 

4. Check Relevant Trending Videos for Hashtags

Another way to find trending hashtags is to check relevant, trending videos. To do this, search for the main theme of your video. For example, we searched for “Internet of Things” to see what hashtags the top-ranked video was using. While you wouldn’t want to use the branded hashtag, you would want to use the two other hashtags in use (this video has over 2 million views!).  

5. Try a YouTube Hashtag Generator

Need to find hashtags in a hurry? YouTube hashtag generators are helpful tools for discovering relevant and effective hashtags to boost video visibility. Try Ahrefs, Aux Mode or Kparser — all of these platforms can generate loads of hashtags instantly based on the term you input. Some generators provide data on hashtag performance, such as search volume and competition, helping creators choose hashtags that can maximize their reach.

16 Trending Hashtags on YouTube in 2025

With the sheer volume of content being uploaded to YouTube daily, it can be tough to keep track of what's trending, especially as trends seem to change overnight. What’s hot one day could be old news by the next. That’s why getting familiar with trending hashtags can help you find and capitalize on the latest YouTube trends, even those you may have missed. 

1. #youtube

This is the granddaddy of all YouTube hashtags, and it’s a great place to start if you’re looking for what's trending on YouTube. Clicking on this hashtag will take you to the latest videos on YouTube, covering any and all topics. If you’re looking for something specific, like a meme or a viral challenge, it’s likely that this video will have a #youtube tag, and starting here will help you find what you’re looking for. 

2. #video

Much like the #youtube hashtag, this tag will help you find the latest trending videos on YouTube. In this case, it might cover something very specific, like a tutorial or a review, that will help you understand the content or give you ideas for your own upcoming video. 

3. #vlog

Vlogs have taken over YouTube, and there’s a good chance that whatever you’re looking for on the platform has a vlog about it. If you want to get up to speed on what’s trending, check out the latest vlogs using the #vlog hashtag. You’ll find personal accounts of what’s going on, and they may even help you come up with ideas for your own upcoming video. 

4. #live

Live streaming on YouTube is more popular than ever, and there’s a good chance that a trending topic has some sort of live stream associated with it. Use the #live tag to find out what’s happening in real-time and to get the latest information on what’s trending before it goes out of style. 

5. #life

The #life hashtag can cover a number of topics, but it’s especially helpful for finding the latest trends in everyday life and what’s going on in popular culture. If you want to get up to speed on what’s trending in the world before it goes out of style, this is a good hashtag to check out. 

6. #youtubechannel

If you’re looking for what’s trending on YouTube so you can create your own content, checking out the latest channels that are producing videos on this topic is a good idea. This is especially true if you’re looking for tutorials or how-to videos. The #youtubechannel hashtag will help you find the latest channels that are covering what’s trending so you can get ideas for your own upcoming videos. 

7. #memes

Memes are a huge part of internet culture, and they often come and go in a matter of days or weeks. If you want to get up to speed on what’s trending in YouTube memes, it’s a good idea to start with the #memes hashtag. This will help you find the latest videos that cover the current memes so you can understand them and even create your own. 

8. #twitch

The #twitch hashtag is especially helpful for finding out what’s trending in the gaming world. Many YouTube gamers are closely associated with Twitch, and they often cross-promote their content on YouTube. If you want to get up to speed on what’s trending in gaming, check out the latest Twitch videos on YouTube using this hashtag. 

9. #viral

If you want to know what’s trending on YouTube, there’s a good chance it’s going viral. Use the #viral hashtag to find the latest videos that are going viral on YouTube. This will help you get up to speed on what’s trending so you can create your own content before it goes out of style. 

10. #lol

The #lol hashtag is another tag that will help you find the latest funny videos on YouTube. If there’s a trending topic, it’s likely that someone has made a joke about it, and that’s what you’ll find using this hashtag. 

11. #trending

Want to know what’s trending on YouTube right now? The #trending hashtag will help you find the latest videos that are currently trending on the platform. This is a good place to start if you’re looking for something specific, as clicking on this hashtag will help you find the latest videos covering that topic. 

12. #newvideo

Has a trending topic or viral challenge caught your attention? Use the #newvideo hashtag to find the latest videos covering that topic quickly. This will help you get up to speed on what’s going on so you can create your own content. 

13. #watchnow

The #watchnow hashtag is another one that will help you find the latest videos on YouTube that cover trending topics. This is especially useful if you’re looking for something specific, as it will help you find the latest videos on that topic. 

14. #explore

The #explore hashtag works much like the #trending and #newvideo hashtags. It will help you find the latest videos on YouTube that are covering a specific trending topic. 

15. #unboxing

If you want to know what’s trending in consumer products, use the #unboxing hashtag. There’s a good chance that whatever you’re looking for has an unboxing video associated with it. Use this tag to find out what’s trending in the world of products before you make a purchase. 

16. #viralchallenge

If you want to know what’s trending on YouTube, there’s a good chance it’s some sort of viral challenge. Use the #viralchallenge hashtag to find the latest videos on YouTube covering these trending topics so you can get up to speed before they go out of style.

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Go Viral with Virlo's Virality Analysis Tool

Hashtags help categorize content on YouTube, making it easier for creators to organize their videos and for users to find them. Using hashtags strategically can improve a video's SEO, helping it rank better in search results and suggested videos. This can lead to increased visibility and more views. 

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 enables you to navigate the ever-changing algorithms to increase your chances of going viral. Go viral with Virlo’s virality analysis tool.

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