Trending YouTube Hashtags: Boost Engagement & Dominate

YouTube hashtags are the best-known secret that helps discover your content, boost engagement, tease, and please the almighty YouTube algorithm in the hopes of a better ranking, more views, and, consequently, more money in the bank.

Let’s learn more about trending YouTube hashtags, how to find and use them effectively, and some cool pro tips to make your content stand out in a universe of content shenanigans.

What Are Hashtags And Why They’re The Bee’s Knees?

Hashtags on YouTube work similarly to other platforms—they categorize content and make it discoverable. 

Using relevant hashtags increases the chances of your videos appearing in search results and recommendations. And if you’re strategic, your ranking will also benefit from those

Always take these advantages of using trending hashtags: 

  • Discovery Power 

Hashtags make your videos discoverable by grouping similar content. 

For example, if you post a travel vlog, using #TravelVlog can help travel enthusiasts find your video.

  • Increased Reach 

A well-placed hashtag can put your video in front of thousands of viewers looking for related content.

  • SEO Boost 

YouTube’s search engine uses hashtags to understand your content better. Strategic hashtag use can positively impact your video’s ranking.

Hashtag Ideas For YouTube Shorts Creators

Categories Hashtags
Generic - All Categories #YouTube #Vlog #Video #Trending #Shorts #Tutorial #HowTo #ContentCreator #Lifestyle #Review #Shorts #youtubeShorts #trending #viral #upstalks #youtube #youtubeLife #shorttricks #shortstalks #youtubevault
SaaS #SaaS #SoftwareSolutions #CloudComputing #Automation #TechIndustry #SaaSBusiness #StartupGrowth #TechTrends #DigitalTransformation #AI #SaaStips #saasbusinessideas #cloudtech #techtrends #startuplife
Gaming #Gaming #GamePlay #Esports #GameLife #FPS #RPG #GamingShorts #Streamer #BattleRoyale #Ranking #gamingclips #streaming #gamingtips #gameplay #gamergirl #gamingnews #gamingcommunity #onlinesgaming #animenews
Movies #Movies #FilmReview #Cinema #Blockbuster #MovieScenes #BehindTheScenes #MovieClips #ShortFilm #Cinemalovers #hollywood #cinephiles #netflixers #cinemalife #filmmakingtips #cinefans #moviescinema
eCommerce #eCommerce #OnlineShopping #DigitalMarketing #ShopNow #OnlineBusiness #ShopSales #TrendingProducts #ecommercehacks #eCommerceLife #Onlineshop #producttips #producthighlight #eComlife #retail #socialhacks #ecomlife #digitalboost #buysellhub
Travel #Travel #Wanderlust #TravelVlog #HiddenGems #Adventure #SoloTravel #TravelTips #TravelGuide #Backpacking #TravelStories #bucketlists #vacay #traveladdicts #hiddengems #roadtrips #vacationtips
Tech #Tech #Gadgets #GadgetReview #Innovation #AI #Science #Engineering #TechnologyTrends #LatestInTech #DigitalTrends #techstack #gadgetgeeks #smarttechnews #digitalsolutions
Health and Wellness #Health #Fitness #Wellness #SelfCare #MentalHealth #FitnessJourney #HealthGoals #WellnessGoals #Yoga #nutritionalhacks #healthytips #nutritionlife #fitlife #mentalhealthawareness

Finding Trending YouTube Hashtags: Tools and Tips

You must know what’s hot and what’s not before finding the tags that fit your content to make the most of trends.

Tools for Finding Trending Hashtags

  1. YouTube Search Suggestions: Start typing a word related to your niche in YouTube’s search bar, and see what autocomplete suggests.
  2. Google Trends: Use this tool to spot trending topics and see how they perform over time.
  3. Hashtag Generators: Websites like TubeBuddy and VidIQ offer hashtag research features to help you see trends in your niche.
  4. Competitor Analysis: Check out what hashtags top creators in your space use and ride that wave!
  5. Use a YouTube Summarizer like Chrome extensions or Gling’s YouTube Title Generator

The Art of Video Titling: Catchy Yet SEO-Friendly

Gling offers valuable insights through its How to Add Titles YouTube Videos guide, providing creators with intelligent suggestions that balance visual creativity and SEO optimization.  

Gling’s Title Suggestions vs. Traditional Title Creation

Task Traditional Method Gling’s Advantage
Video Editing Manual editing processes Automates time-consuming editing tasks
SEO Optimization Manual keyword and title research Provides insights into keywords, tags, and titles for improved discoverability
Analytics & Insights Basic analytics with limited data Tracks viewer behavior to inform content creation strategies

Pro Tip: Use a mix of high- and low-competition hashtags and multi-target.

5 Tips On How to Use Trending YouTube Hashtags Effectively

1. Be Relevant

Only use hashtags that are directly related to your content.  

2. Be Strategic

  • In Titles: Place one or two hashtags in the video title when relevant.
  • In Descriptions: Use three to five hashtags that represent your content.

3. Be Creative

Broader hashtags (like #Shorts) offer mass visibility but more competition. Adding niche hashtags (e.g., #TravelVlogThailand) ensures your video connects with a more specific audience.

4. Be Brief

YouTube recommends limiting yourself to 15 hashtags per video. More than that, it can lead to spam detection.

Pro Tip: Test different combinations of hashtags on similar videos to see which set yields the best results.  

5. Be Smart 

Using Gling’s title tool to add hashtags to the video through the title tool pumps up your hashtagging and messaging even more for optimal reach. 

Check out our article on the Gling Blog on how captions and subtitles can aid your YouTube journey

Top 10 Trending YouTube Hashtags for 2024

Rank Hashtag Description Use Case
1 #Shorts Used for YouTube Shorts content. Boosts visibility quickly. Short, engaging videos (under 60 seconds).
2 #Vlog Covers personal video diaries and behind-the-scenes content. Travel, daily life, personal experiences.
3 #Gaming Huge for gaming videos—reviews, streams, gameplay. Game playthroughs, esports content.
4 #HowTo Used for tutorials and instructional content. DIY, educational, and explainer videos.
5 #Music Covers anything music-related, including original tracks. Music videos, covers, concerts.
6 #Travel For travel content, destinations, and guides. Travel guides, adventures, vlogs.
7 #Reaction Popular for reaction videos. Reacting to viral or cultural events.
8 #ASMR Relaxation and sensory videos. Whispering, tapping, satisfying sounds.
9 #Motivation Inspiring stories and uplifting content. Life coaching, inspirational talks.
10 #Food All things food—recipes, reviews, and mukbang. Cooking tutorials, food challenges.

Best Practices for World Hashtag Domination

  1. Research and Update Regularly: Hashtags trend quickly, so stay updated.
  2. Monitor Competitors: See which hashtags perform best for your competitors.
  3. Mix Trending and Evergreen Tags: Trending hashtags increase immediate reach, while evergreen tags (like #Vlog or #Gaming) keep your content searchable long-term.
  4. Monitor Your Hashtag’s Performance: tweaks are important when working towards “making the algorithm.”
  5. Use Gling´s AI: free up quality time for researching hashtags while Gling takes care of the lengthy work. 

Countdown: Top 5 No-Nos to Avoid When Using Hashtags

5. Don't Overload Your Description

Using too many hashtags looks spammy. Stick to 3-5 highly relevant ones.

4. Don't Ignore Niche Tags

While broad tags attract more views, niche tags help build an engaged audience.

3. Don't Use Irrelevant Hashtags

This can hurt your reach and credibility. Stick to what matches your content. Don’t ride a different trend. It can make you look unprofessional. 

2. Don't Use Expired Tags

Don’t rely on old hashtags if they’ve lost popularity. What worked last month isn’t necessarily working this week. 

1. Don't Focus Only On Trends

Evergreen hashtags keep your content discoverable over time. Classics never die! 

3 Pro Tips For Using Trending Hashtags On YouTube 

  1. Use 2-3 Highly Relevant Hashtags 

Shorts benefit from specific tags because they have a shorter visibility window.

  1. Leverage Popular Challenges

Participate in trending challenges and use their tags for more exposure.

  1. Keep It Dynamic 

Change hashtags as new trends emerge.

Sample Case Study for Travel Vlog & Hashtag Mix Table

Context: Maria, a travel vlogger, decided to optimize her YouTube Shorts, focusing on her recent backpacking adventure in Spain. 

She wanted to maximize her video's discoverability using a strategic mix of broad, niche, and trending hashtags.

Hashtag Strategy

Broad Hashtags

#Travel

#Vlog

#Shorts

Niche Hashtags

#BackpackingSpain

#BudgetTravelTips

#HiddenGemsBarcelona

Trending Tags

#Wanderlust

#TravelGuide2024

#SoloTravel

Implementation

Maria uploaded a series of Shorts documenting her journey through Barcelona's hidden spots, sharing budget-friendly travel tips and unique experiences. 

The suggested hashtag mix is as follows:

Suggested Video Title: "Exploring Hidden Gems in Barcelona #Travel #HiddenGemsBarcelona #Shorts"

Description: Included detailed descriptions of her experience, incorporating hashtags like #BackpackingSpain and #BudgetTravelTips.

Result Estimate

Immediate Engagement: Within 48 hours of posting, the video will potentially experience a 30% increase in views compared to her previous uploads.

Audience Growth: New subscribers could increase by 15% due to the video's reach among niche travel enthusiasts.

Traffic Sources: YouTube Analytics could reveal many views from hashtag searches, with #HiddenGemsBarcelona and #SoloTravel driving the highest engagement.

Key Takeaway

Combining broad, niche, and trending hashtags will help Maria reach a wider audience while maintaining relevance to her content theme. 

This strategic mix allowed her to maximize visibility, engage a dedicated travel-loving audience, and tap into the broader appeal of trending tags like #Wanderlust.

Pro Tip: For ongoing success, monitor hashtag performance and mix in new trending tags relevant to current travel seasons or popular destinations.

Note: These are approximate percentages based on general knowledge of hashtagging, social media behavior, and a topical approach to illustrate how a hashtag strategy can benefit your marketing goals.

Example: Sample Hashtag Mix for a Travel Vlog

Broad Hashtags Niche Hashtags Trending Tags
#Travel #BackpackingSpain #Wanderlust
#Vlog #BudgetTravelTips #TravelGuide2024
#Shorts #HiddenGemsBarcelona #SoloTravel

How to Add Hashtags to Your YouTube Shorts

Behold a step-by-step guide to finding popular hashtags and adding them to your videos for optimal engagement and visibility:

Step 1: Research and Choose Relevant Hashtags

Start by identifying hashtags that resonate with your content. 

Mix broad, widely used tags with more niche-specific ones to reach a bigger audience while engaging with your target demo. 

Tools like YouTube’s search suggestions, Google Trends, and hashtag generator tools are ideal for discovering trending hashtags.

Pro Tip: Check out the hashtags that top creators in your niche are using and draw inspiration from them to boost your reach. This is called Benchmarking, not stealing! Wink-wink. 

Step 2: Add Hashtags in Your Video Description

When you upload your YouTube Short, you’ll have a field to enter a description. This is where you can place your hashtags.

  • Start by typing the # symbol, followed by the keyword or topic that aligns with your video.
  • YouTube often suggests popular hashtags as you type, making it easier to select trending options.
  • You can also include a few personalized or branded hashtags to give your content a unique touch.

Pro Tip: Focus on including the most relevant hashtags first, as only the initial few will appear in search results and previews. 

Using close to 3-5 hashtags is generally a best practice to keep your tagging concise and compelling.

Step 3: Save and Publish Your Video

After you’ve added your selected hashtags, save your description and publish your YouTube Short. 

Once your video is live, your hashtags will appear at the bottom of your description.

Pro Tip: Monitor the performance of your hashtags over time. 

If certain tags are not generating the desired engagement, don’t hesitate to tweak them based on current trends or changes in audience interests.

Finally, Don’t Overpack Hashtags In Your Shorts (Pun Intended)

By researching and using Trending YouTube hashtags wisely, you can attract new viewers, improve your reach, and build a dedicated audience

Ready for an extreme makeover for your YouTube channel? Head to Gling.ai’s blog for more tips on video optimization, AI tools, and unique functionalities to make your life easier. 

Voilá! You’re well on your path to YouTube domination. 

Have fun!