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You can use tags on YouTube to help others discover your videos.
- YouTube tags are keywords that you can select for your own videos, and if they are properly associated with your video, it will help others find your content.
- When people search for videos with keywords, tags are used by YouTube's algorithm as it considers what content to serve.
- The more carefully selected your tags are, the more likely people are to find and watch your videos.
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When it comes to connecting a suitable audience to a video on YouTube, the most important text written about the video is usually the title and description.
These are the words potential viewers will see as they weigh whether or not to watch the clip. Nearly as important, however, are the unseen keywords known as tags.
Here's what you need to know about tags on YouTube.
What tags are on YouTube, and how to use them to get your videos discovered
Tags are words that describe or relate to a given video, and that would likely be used in a search conducted by a person, or found to be associated with the video by an algorithm.
When you add the right tags to your video, you increase the chance that other YouTubers will find and watch it.
You should include related tags that are more general, along with a few specific tags that pertain directly to your video.
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An example of relevant tags you might add to your YouTube video.
So, for a video about a toddler feeding tuna to a cat, you would want to consider the tags "cats," "toddler," and "pets," as well as something more specific, like "tuna fish" or "treat."
How to add tags to your own YouTube video
1. Log into your YouTube account and then click the camera icon on the top right corner of the screen.
2. Select "Upload video" from the dropdown menu.
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Start by uploading your video to YouTube.
3. Choose the video you wish to upload, then begin the upload process.
4. Name the video and give it a description.
5. Add between five and 15 relevant tags to meet YouTube best practices, separating tags with commas. Adding more than 15 will cause YouTube to ignore all tags on the video.
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Add your tags to the YouTube video.
6. Click "SAVE" to complete the upload.
Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
How to verify your YouTube account, so you can upload videos longer than 15 minutes and customize thumbnails
How to see a list of your YouTube subscribers on a computer or mobile device
How to create your own YouTube channel for personal use, or a Brand Account for business
How long a YouTube video on your channel can be, depending on if your account is verified