If you’ve ever felt frustrated by SEO tools that promise YouTube rankings but don’t deliver, you’re not alone. In this post, I’m going to show you exactly what to look for in a YouTube keyword tool—and how to use it to get your videos ranking fast.
In fact, if your video isn’t ranking within a day or two after uploading, something’s off. So let’s fix that by walking through the five key features your keyword tool must have.
The 5 Ingredients Every YouTube Keyword Tool Must Have
- Thoroughness: Your tool needs to pull from a large database. The more comprehensive your results, the better your keyword options.
- Question Filter: Filter for questions your audience is already asking. This makes your video more likely to get found.
- Word Count Filter: Look for long, specific search phrases—typically 8 words or more—for better targeting and faster ranking.
- Search Volume: Focus on keywords with at least 10 monthly searches. These are easier to rank for and often ignored by competitors.
- Convenience: The best tools combine all of the above in one place, so you’re not wasting time piecing together multiple platforms.
My Favorite YouTube Keyword Tool
I use SEMrush’s Keyword Magic Tool. It checks all five boxes. You can try it free for 2 weeks at herokeywordtool.com.
Low Search Volume Isn’t Bad
Even if a keyword shows “0” searches, it may still bring traffic. It usually means fewer than 10/month—and those are highly specific, valuable queries.
Proof This Works: A Real-World Example
One of my clients, Jay Townsend, ranks #1 and #2 for “become politician” on YouTube. We track every keyword, analyze rankings, and optimize from there. By targeting long-tail, low-competition questions, we keep stacking wins.
From Keywords to Leads
The goal is leads, not just views. That means aligning your keyword, video content, and free offer. Lead them from a search to your solution.
Want the Full Strategy?
Now that you know how to find the right keywords, go learn the rest of the strategy. I call it the Leaf Strategy, and I explain it all in this video.
