/home/1344152.cloudwaysapps.com/qrctjezdsw/public_html//wp-content/uploads/2024/09/iStock-1456701233.webp

How to Optimise the Titles of Your YouTube Videos for SEO

17th January, 2025

Your YouTube titles, along with your thumbnails, are the first thing a viewer will see before they click on your video. If these factors don’t instantly show what your video is about and why it answers their search query, then they’ll move on. To get your videos in front of the right viewers – and to get them to click – you need YouTube title SEO.

At MinMxD, we have a history of helping creating reach their full potential, using all the strategies to ensure your channel can thrive. In this article, we’ll dive into YouTube SEO – what it is, how to do it, and the impact it can have on your channel and its growth.

Find out more and build your strategy by getting in touch today!

What is an SEO Title for a YouTube Video?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation – a common practice used to increase the discoverability of content on the web by targeting keywords and phrases that your audience are searching for. By putting the way your audience looks for things first, you’re more likely to end up with your video in front of them.

Between YouTube and Google, SEO works a little differently. There are many ways for your video to appear in front of someone on YouTube, whether that’s through the search bar, on the feed page, in the recommended videos sidebar, or even from Google itself.

Due to this, it is hard to pin down the exact formula for what makes the best YouTube title, as each of these spaces have their own considerations.

An SEO title for a YouTube video specifically targets YouTube’s search function. It includes keywords that relate to both the video and common viewer queries, is structured in a way that draws viewers in, and provides a clear demonstration as to what the video is about.

What does an SEO Title Look Like?

Good SEO Title: Top 10 Tips to Improve Your Rank in LoL

Poor SEO Title: Wow! These Hacks to DESTROY Your Competition

In the above examples, the good title shows clearly what the video is about (10 tips), what it will do (improve your rank), and what it relates to (League of Legends). Meanwhile, the poorer title gives a vague, clickbaity option that doesn’t actually describe the video content. While this type of title can still fit into your overall strategy, it’s not what you want if you’re looking to optimise your YouTube titles for SEO.

Discover other affordable ways of promoting your videos >

Why Optimising Your YouTube Title is Critical

Growing your channel isn’t a simple process. It requires hard work, dedication, and talent. Even with all that, if no one sees your video, it’s hard to succeed.

YouTube title SEO aims to turn that around, providing a simple way to get your video in front of your audience. Targeting the keywords they search means you’re more likely to show up when they come looking, and if your video covers what they’re after, you may have just gained a follower for life.

Higher Search Rankings

Of course, even without YouTube title SEO, you will still appear in the search results. However, the difference here is whether you’re showing up on page 1 or page 100. A user isn’t likely to scroll past the first 10 videos in a search before they either give up, or find what they’re after. You need to make sure your video is in these top 10 to stand a chance, and this is exactly what YouTube title SEO helps you to achieve.

More Clicks

A more descriptive title means viewers will have a better idea about what the video will cover before they click on it. While an enticing mystery does have its place, its important to be clear when trying to get new viewers onto your channel.

Not only will clear SEO titles boost the number of relevant viewers that click on your video, but it should also boost your average watch time as people are less likely to click away due to the video not being what they’re after.

Better User Engagement

If a viewer feels satisfied that your video has met their need, they’re more likely to respond with positive engagement such as liking the video, commenting, subscribing, or even just watching it through to the end. These metrics play their own part in the YouTube algorithm and getting your video out there, so it’s a snowball effect that for some eventually leads into content going viral.

Even on a smaller scale, better user engagement leads to further opportunities and greater reach for you as a content creator. It shows people are enjoying the content you’re putting out, and helps you build both your confidence and your revenue.

Take your YouTube SEO to the next level with our guide to optimising thumbnails for SEO >

How to Find the Right Keywords for Your Video

Finding the right words is the first step to optimising your YouTube title for SEO. You can do this in a number of different ways:

  1. YouTube Studio. In YouTube’s own studio, you should be able to find and analyse metrics for keywords that have brought people to your channel. Taking these words into consideration is a great first step to boosting your discoverability.
  2. External Tools. As well as the internal resource, there’s plenty of external tools you can make use of to boost your reach. While these are often paid, you can usually see quick returns, and they’ll typically offer a free trial so you can see if its for you before you fully commit.
  3. Search Recommendations. Even searching for your topics in the search bar can prove a useful tactic. While this won’t give you metrics, the search bar will autosuggest things that people commonly search related to your topic. This can give an idea as to how people are searching, helping you build a YouTube SEO title to match.
  4. Competitor Research. Finally, looking at your competitors is an invaluable source of information for title structure. You don’t want to copy them exactly, but seeing what they’re doing and how they’re finding success can offer insight into methods you can use for yourself.

Top Tips for Success with YouTube Title SEO Optimisation

To help you succeed with your YouTube SEO efforts, here are some top tips that beginners to the field may not know about:

  • Always place your primary keyword towards the front of your video title. This helps users more quickly identify that your video is for them. For gaming content creators, a good option is to include the game name in brackets at the start, e.g. [FIFA].
  • Pay attention to your title length – YouTube titles have a limit of 100 characters, but around 60-70 characters is the optimal number for your YouTube SEO.
  • Don’t overuse keywords. While is can be appealing to put keywords everywhere you can, especially when you’ve spent lots of time searching for them, this will end up having a negative impact on your YouTube SEO. Place them strategically, and you will soon see results.
  • Avoid clickbait where you can. This can be a good tactic to get people on your video in the short term, but if you’re looking for long term growth, then you need to create video titles that get the right people on your videos. Aim for measured and calculated, rather than quick and flashy.

Partner with MinMxD to Enhance Your Growth

Now that you know how and why to optimise your YouTube video titles for SEO, the next step is to partner with someone who has the time, resources, and industry insight to identify the right avenues and strategies for your growth.

At MinMxD, our dedicated and highly experienced team can help you with your YouTube SEO efforts, boosting not only the quality of your titles and the research behind them, but the growth of your channel as a whole, while also cutting back the time you spend on anything other than your creative passions. To find out more, get in touch today!

Learn why YouTube demonetises videos – and how to avoid it >

Explore ways to improve the accessibility of your gaming content >