Ahrefs For YouTube Keyword Research: How To Do It
Alright, guys, let's dive into using Ahrefs for YouTube keyword research. If you're serious about growing your YouTube channel, understanding what keywords to target is absolutely crucial. And Ahrefs? It's a powerful tool that can seriously level up your keyword game. Let's break down how to use it effectively.
Why Use Ahrefs for YouTube Keyword Research?
Before we get into the how, let's quickly cover the why. YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, and people are searching for all sorts of content on there. To get your videos seen, you need to understand what people are searching for and optimize your content accordingly. Ahrefs helps you do exactly that, by giving you data-driven insights into keyword popularity, competition, and related terms.
First off, Ahrefs isn't just for traditional website SEO; it's got some fantastic features that are super useful for YouTube. It lets you analyze top-performing videos, discover what keywords they're ranking for, and estimate the search volume for those keywords. This is invaluable because it gives you a real-world look at what's working in your niche.
Secondly, it helps you find keyword opportunities you might not have thought of on your own. By exploring related terms and analyzing competitor channels, you can uncover hidden gems that can drive more views and subscribers to your channel. Think of it as getting a sneak peek into your competitors' strategies and finding ways to improve on them.
Thirdly, Ahrefs provides insights into the competitive landscape. You can see which channels are dominating for specific keywords, how they're optimizing their videos, and what kind of engagement they're getting. This allows you to benchmark your own performance and identify areas where you can improve.
Fourthly, Ahrefs has a really comprehensive suite of tools beyond just keyword research. You can use it for competitor analysis, backlink analysis, and even site audits if you have a website connected to your YouTube channel. This makes it a one-stop-shop for all your SEO needs.
Lastly, the data Ahrefs provides is pretty darn accurate. While no tool is perfect, Ahrefs is known for having some of the most reliable data in the industry. This means you can trust the insights you're getting and make informed decisions about your keyword strategy. It's like having a crystal ball that gives you a glimpse into the future of your YouTube channel.
Step-by-Step Guide to YouTube Keyword Research with Ahrefs
Okay, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Here’s how you can use Ahrefs to find the best keywords for your YouTube videos:
1. Keyword Research with Ahrefs Keywords Explorer
First up, let's talk about using Ahrefs' Keyword Explorer for YouTube keyword research. This tool is super versatile and can help you find a ton of valuable keywords for your videos. The Keyword Explorer is designed to help you discover keyword ideas, analyze their potential, and plan your content strategy accordingly. Let's dive in and see how you can make the most of it.
To start, head over to Ahrefs and open the Keywords Explorer tool. Make sure you select YouTube as your search engine – this is crucial because it tells Ahrefs to pull data specifically for YouTube. Now, think about a broad topic related to your channel. For example, if you run a cooking channel, you might start with something like "easy dinner recipes" or "baking tips." Enter your seed keyword into the search bar and hit enter.
Ahrefs will then generate a list of related keywords, along with data like search volume, keyword difficulty (KD), and click-through rate (CTR). Pay close attention to the search volume – this tells you how many people are searching for that keyword each month. A higher search volume generally means more potential views, but it also means more competition. Also, the Keyword Difficulty score estimates how hard it would be to rank in the top 10 search results for a given keyword. However, keep in mind that KD is primarily designed for website SEO, so take it with a grain of salt when applying it to YouTube. Instead, focus more on the search volume and the competition.
Now, it's time to explore the keyword ideas. Ahrefs offers several different reports to help you find the best keywords. The "Matching terms" report shows you keywords that contain your seed keyword. The "Questions" report is fantastic for finding question-based keywords that you can answer in your videos. These are great for targeting viewers who are actively looking for solutions to specific problems. The "Related terms" report shows you keywords that are closely related to your seed keyword, even if they don't contain the exact words. This can help you discover new angles and topics to cover. The "Also rank for" report shows you keywords that the top-ranking videos for your seed keyword also rank for. This is a goldmine of information because it tells you what other keywords you should be targeting.
As you explore the keyword ideas, start building a list of potential keywords to target. Look for keywords with a decent search volume and low competition. Don't be afraid to get creative and think outside the box. The more diverse your keyword strategy, the more opportunities you'll have to attract new viewers.
2. Analyzing Top-Ranking Videos
Next up, let's talk about analyzing top-ranking videos. This is where you can really dig into what's working for your competitors and find inspiration for your own videos. Analyzing top-ranking videos involves looking at their keywords, tags, descriptions, and engagement metrics to understand why they're performing so well. By reverse-engineering their success, you can identify opportunities to create even better content and outrank them in the search results.
Start by searching for your target keyword on YouTube. Take a look at the top 5-10 videos that appear in the search results. These are the videos that YouTube considers to be the most relevant and authoritative for that keyword. Now, copy the URL of each video and paste it into Ahrefs' Site Explorer tool. Make sure you select YouTube as the search engine. Ahrefs will then generate a report with all sorts of valuable data about that video.
Pay close attention to the keywords that the video is ranking for. You can find this information in the "Organic keywords" report. This report shows you all the keywords that are driving traffic to the video, along with their search volume and position in the search results. Look for keywords that are relevant to your niche and that you could potentially target in your own videos. Also, take a look at the video's tags. These are the keywords that the video creator has used to describe their video. You can find the tags in the video's source code or by using a browser extension like TubeBuddy or VidIQ. Look for common themes and patterns in the tags and use them to inform your own keyword strategy.
Now, take a closer look at the video's description. How has the creator optimized their description for search? Have they included relevant keywords? Have they provided a clear and concise summary of the video's content? Use this information to improve your own video descriptions. Also, pay attention to the video's engagement metrics. How many views, likes, comments, and shares has the video received? What is the video's average watch time? These metrics can give you insights into how engaging the video is and what viewers are responding to. Use this information to inform your own content creation strategy.
3. Competitor Analysis
Alright, let's dive into competitor analysis, which is a crucial step in YouTube keyword research. This involves identifying your top competitors and analyzing their content strategy to find opportunities for your own channel. By understanding what's working for your competitors, you can create even better content and attract more viewers. Analyzing your competitors is like spying on them, but in a totally ethical and productive way!
Start by identifying your top competitors. These are the channels that are creating content similar to yours and that are targeting the same audience. You can find your competitors by searching for your target keywords on YouTube and seeing which channels consistently appear in the search results. Make a list of 5-10 of your top competitors.
Now, for each competitor, head over to Ahrefs' Site Explorer tool and enter their channel URL. Ahrefs will then generate a report with all sorts of valuable data about their channel. Pay close attention to the keywords that the channel is ranking for. You can find this information in the "Organic keywords" report. This report shows you all the keywords that are driving traffic to the channel, along with their search volume and position in the search results. Look for keywords that are relevant to your niche and that you could potentially target in your own videos. Also, take a look at the channel's top videos. Which videos are getting the most views, likes, comments, and shares? What topics are they covering? What format are they using? Use this information to inform your own content creation strategy.
Pay attention to the channel's branding and style. What is their tone of voice? What kind of visuals are they using? How are they engaging with their audience? Use this information to refine your own branding and style. Also, look for gaps in your competitors' content. What topics are they not covering? What formats are they not using? This is where you can find opportunities to create unique and valuable content that will set you apart from the competition. Also, don't forget to check out their social media presence. What platforms are they using? How are they promoting their videos? Use this information to improve your own social media strategy.
4. Refining Your Keyword Strategy
Time to refine your keyword strategy. Once you've gathered all this data, it's time to put it all together and create a refined keyword strategy. This involves prioritizing your keywords, creating a content calendar, and optimizing your videos for search. Refining your keyword strategy is like fine-tuning an engine to get maximum performance.
Start by prioritizing your keywords. Based on your research, you should have a list of potential keywords to target. Now, it's time to prioritize them based on their search volume, competition, and relevance to your channel. Focus on keywords with a decent search volume and low competition. These are the keywords that will give you the best chance of ranking in the search results. Also, make sure the keywords are relevant to your channel and that you can create high-quality content around them.
Next, create a content calendar. A content calendar is a schedule of when you're going to create and publish your videos. This will help you stay organized and consistent with your content creation. When creating your content calendar, be sure to include your target keywords for each video. This will help you stay focused on your keyword strategy and ensure that you're creating content that people are actually searching for.
Once you've created your content calendar, it's time to start optimizing your videos for search. This involves optimizing your video titles, descriptions, tags, and thumbnails. Your video title should be clear, concise, and include your target keyword. Your video description should provide a detailed summary of your video's content and include relevant keywords. Your video tags should be relevant to your video's content and include your target keyword. Your video thumbnail should be eye-catching and relevant to your video's content.
5. Tracking and Measuring Results
Finally, let's wrap it up with tracking and measuring results. This is a critical step in YouTube keyword research because it allows you to see what's working and what's not. By tracking your results, you can refine your keyword strategy over time and ensure that you're getting the most out of your efforts. Tracking and measuring results is like checking the temperature to make sure the cake is baking properly.
Start by tracking your video views. How many views are your videos getting? Are your views increasing over time? If your views are not increasing, it may be a sign that you need to refine your keyword strategy. Also, track your video watch time. How long are people watching your videos? If people are not watching your videos for very long, it may be a sign that your content is not engaging enough. Also, track your video engagement metrics. How many likes, comments, and shares are your videos getting? If your videos are not getting a lot of engagement, it may be a sign that you need to create more engaging content.
Use YouTube Analytics to track your progress. YouTube Analytics provides a wealth of data about your channel and your videos. You can use YouTube Analytics to track your video views, watch time, engagement metrics, and more. Also, track your keyword rankings. Use a tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush to track your keyword rankings. This will allow you to see how your videos are performing in the search results for your target keywords.
By consistently tracking and measuring your results, you can refine your keyword strategy over time and ensure that you're getting the most out of your efforts. This will help you grow your channel, attract more viewers, and achieve your goals on YouTube.
Conclusion
So there you have it – a comprehensive guide to using Ahrefs for YouTube keyword research. It might seem like a lot, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. Remember, the key is to be consistent, stay curious, and always be willing to adapt your strategy based on the data you're seeing. Good luck, and happy researching!