How to Find Keywords for YouTube (Free Methods That Work)

You can find good YouTube keywords for free by using what YouTube and Google already show you: YouTube search autocomplete, the Research tab in YouTube Studio, titles of competitor videos that did well, Google Trends with the YouTube Search filter, your comments, and transcripts of competitor videos. Collect the phrases in one simple sheet, pick one main keyword per video, and use it in your title, first description lines and spoken intro.

Paid keyword tools can help, but you do not need them to start. Below are six free methods, step by step, with Indian examples.

What a good YouTube keyword looks like

A keyword is the phrase a viewer types. A good one for your video has three things:

1. Real demand. People actually search it (autocomplete and Trends show this).
2. A clear intent your video answers. "bgmi sensitivity settings" wants settings, not a montage.
3. A fair chance for your channel. If every top result is from channels 100 times your size, look for a more specific version.

Specific phrases (long-tail keywords) are often the best bet for small and mid-size channels. "Best phone" is huge and crowded. "Best phone under 20000 for gaming" is smaller, clearer and easier to win.

Method 1: YouTube search autocomplete

This is the most useful free tool you have, because it shows what real people type on YouTube.

Steps:

1. Open YouTube in a private or incognito window, so your own history does not shape the results.
2. Type your topic slowly, for example "share market".
3. Note every suggestion: "share market for beginners", "share market kaise sikhe", "share market news today".
4. Add a letter after your topic: "share market a", "share market b", and so on. Each letter opens new suggestions.
5. Try question words before the topic: "how to", "kaise", "kya hai", "best", "vs".

The Hindi letters trick

Many Indian viewers type in Devanagari or in Roman Hindi. Try both:

• Type your topic and add a Hindi letter: "शेयर मार्केट क", "शेयर मार्केट स".
• Type Roman Hindi helper words after your topic: "kaise", "kya hai", "ke liye", "sikhe", "full video".
• Switch your keyboard to Hindi and type the topic itself: "भजन", "हनुमान चालीसा".

You will often find that the Roman Hindi version has more suggestions than the Devanagari one for some topics, and the opposite for others (devotional topics often show more in Devanagari). Our guide on Hindi and Hinglish YouTube SEO explains how to use both in titles.

Method 2: The Research tab in YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio has a Research tab inside Analytics. It shows what your viewers search for on YouTube and lets you search any topic to see related searches.

Steps:

1. Open YouTube Studio, go to Analytics, then the Research tab.
2. Look at "Your viewers' searches" to see topics your own audience looks for.
3. Search your topic and note related searches.
4. Look for "content gaps", searches where viewers are not finding good videos. These are great ideas if you can answer them well.

This is the closest thing to official keyword data YouTube gives you, and it is based on your audience, which makes it more useful than a general list.

Method 3: Competitor titles that overperformed

Find 5 to 10 channels in your niche of a similar size. On each channel:

1. Open the Videos tab and sort by Popular.
2. Look for videos that got far more views than that channel's usual.
3. Write down the main phrase in each title.

A video that does much better than its own channel's average usually hit a topic people want. Do not copy the title. Note the topic and the words, then make a better video on it.

Method 4: Google Trends with the YouTube filter

Google Trends can show search interest on YouTube specifically.

Steps:

1. Go to Google Trends and type your keyword.
2. Change "Web Search" to "YouTube Search".
3. Set the country to India (or a state, if your audience is regional).
4. Add a second keyword to compare, such as "bhajan" vs "bhakti song".
5. Check "Related queries" at the bottom for rising phrases.

Trends shows relative interest, not exact search counts. It is best for comparing two phrases, spotting seasonal topics (festivals, exams, budget day, a new game update), and catching rising searches early.

Method 5: Your comments (and competitors' comments)

Viewers tell you what they want in plain words. Read the comments on your last 10 videos and on popular videos in your niche. Look for:

• Questions: "bhai low end phone ke liye settings batao"
• Requests: "please make a video on SIP vs FD"
• Confusion: "I didn't understand the tax part"

Each repeated question is a keyword and a video idea. Write it in the words people used, then check it in autocomplete.

Method 6: Transcripts of competitor videos

Titles show the main keyword. Transcripts show every sub-topic a successful video covers, which helps you plan chapters and catch phrases people use.

Steps:

1. Pick a competitor video that did well on your topic.
2. Paste its link into our free YouTube Transcript tool.
3. Read the transcript and list the sub-topics and repeated phrases.
4. Check which sub-topics are missing or weak. That is where your video can be better.

This is research, not copying. Use the transcript to understand the topic, then write your own script.

A simple keyword sheet template

Put everything in one sheet (Google Sheets is fine). One row per keyword idea.

Keyword	Source	Script	Intent	Competition (low/med/high)	Video idea	Status
bgmi sensitivity settings 2026	Autocomplete	Roman	Wants settings	High	Best settings for 3 phone types	Planned
bgmi sensitivity low end phone	Comments	Roman	Wants settings for cheap phones	Medium	Low-end phone settings guide	Idea
share market kaise sikhe	Autocomplete	Roman Hindi	Beginner learning	High	7-day beginner plan	Idea
sip vs fd	Comments + Trends	English	Comparison	Medium	SIP vs FD with real example	Scripting
हनुमान चालीसा	Autocomplete	Devanagari	Wants to listen	High	Full chalisa with lyrics	Published

How to use it:

• Competition: search the keyword on YouTube and look at the top results. If most are from much bigger channels and are recent, mark it high.
• Pick one main keyword per video. Put close variations in the description and tags.
• Review the sheet weekly. Move ideas to Planned when you have a strong angle.

Free tool: Once you have your keyword, turn it into ideas with our YouTube Title Generator and a starting tag list with the YouTube Tag Generator.

How to use your keyword once you have it

1. Title: put the keyword near the start, in a natural sentence.
2. Description: use it in the first one or two lines. Follow our YouTube description template.
3. Spoken intro: say it in the first 30 seconds, so it is in your captions.
4. Chapters: use sub-topics from your research as chapter names.
5. Tags: main keyword first, then variations. Read do YouTube tags still matter before spending long on these.
6. Thumbnail: show the result or stakes, not the keyword text.

For the full picture of how these pieces fit together, see our YouTube SEO guide for 2026. And if you want a title, description and tags made for one video, try the free YouTube SEO tool.

Want it done for you? Our YouTube SEO service handles keyword research, titles, descriptions and tags for every upload. Or book a free call.

Related guides

• YouTube SEO in 2026: the complete guide
• Do YouTube tags still matter in 2026?
• A YouTube description template that ranks
• How to write YouTube titles

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free YouTube keyword tool?

YouTube search autocomplete and the Research tab in YouTube Studio are the best free starting points, because both are based on real YouTube searches. Google Trends with the YouTube Search filter is useful for comparing phrases.

How many keywords should one YouTube video target?

Pick one main keyword per video and use a few close variations in the description and tags. Trying to target several unrelated topics in one video usually weakens all of them.

Should I search keywords in Hindi or English?

Search in every way your audience types, including English, Roman Hindi and Devanagari. Autocomplete often shows different suggestions for each, and the right choice depends on your niche.

Are long-tail keywords better for small channels?

Usually yes. Specific phrases have fewer competing videos and a clearer intent, which gives a smaller channel a better chance to show up and satisfy the viewer.