In the world of digital marketing, ranking your videos on YouTube can seem like a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Many SEO tools promise to help, but often they’re more hype than substance. In this article, I’m going to show you the strategies that work—specifically, how to use the YouTube keyword tool effectively to get your videos ranked at the top. It’s not about following every trend but doing things the right way.
The Problem with Most YouTube Tools
If you’ve ever tried using popular SEO tools like vidIQ or TubeBuddy, you’ve probably seen mixed results. For instance, vidIQ might give a video a score of 32 out of 100, indicating high competition, yet my video ranks at the top despite these figures. That’s because most tools aren’t designed to work with the current YouTube algorithm. They’re outdated, focused more on traditional website SEO rather than the needs of content search engines like YouTube.
Why YouTube SEO Has Changed
The key to success on YouTube is understanding that it’s no longer a platform that simply ranks based on keywords alone. When Google first started, SEO was all about getting your website to rank for certain keywords. But now, YouTube has shifted into a content-focused search engine, and this shift has changed the way you need to approach SEO.
To put it simply: the rules have changed, and to rank high, you need to create content that aligns with YouTube’s newer algorithm—one that’s built to help users find the most relevant videos, based on their search intent.
The Importance of Title and Keywords
A critical part of ranking your video is crafting the right title. You need to start with a “leaf title,” a term I use to describe a very specific question or query that your target audience is asking. When you perform keyword research, think about the types of questions your viewers are typing into the search bar. For instance, let’s say you create a video answering the question, “How to discipline a child who lies and steals?” If you target that question, you’re already on the right path.
YouTube automatically transcribes your videos, so as long as you focus on answering that specific question in your video content, YouTube will be able to understand exactly what your video is about. This is far more powerful than stuffing your video description or tags with irrelevant keywords.
Forget About Tags—Focus on Questions
Many people ask about the “tags” section on YouTube, thinking it’s where the magic happens. But YouTube itself has stated that they no longer pay much attention to the tags. It’s much more important to focus on the content you’re creating. Keywords in the title and the video description matter more than ever.
In fact, adding irrelevant tags can even hurt your ranking. So, when filling out your video information, don’t worry about the tags. Instead, focus on answering the right questions that your audience is actively searching for.
The Power of The Leaf Strategy
I’ve seen incredible results by using a strategy called The Leaf Strategy. This approach focuses on identifying the very specific questions your target audience is asking. By answering these questions in your videos, you’re positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your field. It’s a proven method that allows your content to rise to the top of YouTube search results.
For example, when you search for terms like “how to get business credit with poor personal credit” or “how to buy vacant land in Florida,” you’ll notice that top-ranking videos come from people like Noelle Randall or Brent Bowers. These content creators have mastered the art of answering very specific questions, which is exactly how you should approach your own video creation.
Scaling Success with YouTube
To show you how this works, I’ve created an additional video where I dive into the specifics of keyword research for YouTube. By using this approach, you’re not just aiming for views—you’re attracting quality leads. People who are searching for answers to these questions are your ideal customers, and by providing them with the content they’re looking for, you build trust and drive traffic to your business.
The results speak for themselves. Not only does this strategy help your videos rank higher, but it also positions you as an expert, making it easier to convert viewers into leads.
Conclusion
Ranking videos on YouTube isn’t about following the latest trends or relying on outdated tools. Instead, it’s about answering the right questions—the ones your audience is actively searching for. By using the Leaf Strategy, you can create a content funnel that attracts high-quality leads and ranks your videos at the top of YouTube. Forget about the hype—focus on the content that truly resonates with your audience.
For more detailed insights into the Leaf Strategy, check out my video YouTube SEO: The Leaf Strategy, and start optimizing your content the right way.
