How to Choose Tags for YouTube Shorts

Choosing the right tags for your YouTube Shorts can feel like a small detail, but it’s a powerful way to give the algorithm clues about your content and help the right viewers find you. This guide will walk you through exactly how to select strategic tags, breaking down what matters, what doesn’t, and how to find the keywords that will get your Shorts seen. We’ll cover everything from brainstorming initial ideas to analyzing what’s already working for top creators.

Why Tags Still Matter for YouTube Shorts

There's a debate in the creator community about whether tags are still relevant for YouTube Shorts. Since most Shorts views come from the Shorts shelf - an endless, algorithmically-driven feed - some argue that discovery is based purely on watch time and engagement, not search. While engagement is absolutely the primary driver for the feed, ignoring tags is a missed opportunity.

Think of tags as an insurance policy for your content's long-term visibility. Here’s why they matter:

• They provide essential context. Tags are one of the key metadata points you give YouTube. Along with your title and description, they help the algorithm understand what your video is about. A Short with a title like "You Won't Believe This!" offers zero context. Tags like "magic tricks," "card tricks," and "street magic tutorial" tell the algorithm exactly who might want to see it. This initial context helps your Short get seeded to an initial test audience. If that audience engages, YouTube pushes it out further.
• They help you show up in regular YouTube search. Not all discovery happens on the Shorts shelf. Viewers still use YouTube’s main search bar to find answers and entertainment. If someone searches for "how to repot a monstera plant," a well-tagged Short can appear right alongside long-form videos, giving you another chance to be discovered.
• They connect your content over time. By using consistent tags related to your niche and brand, you help YouTube create associations between your videos. This can increase the chances of your other Shorts being recommended after someone watches one of yours.

So, while tags might not be the single most important factor for Shorts virality, they are a foundational part of a smart YouTube strategy that costs you nothing but a few minutes of your time.

The Three Types of Tags You Need to Use

A good tagging strategy isn't about cramming as many keywords as possible into the tag box. It’s about using a balanced mix of different tag types to cast both a wide and a narrow net. To keep it simple, think of your tags in three distinct categories.

1. Specific Tags (The "What")

These are the core keywords that describe exactly what is happening in your video. They are the most important tags because they provide the clearest context. Think of them as the headline for your content. If you had to describe your video in two to five words, what would you say?

Your goal here is to be precise. The more specific you are, the better YouTube can match your video with a highly interested viewer.

• Example (Cooking Short): A video showing how to make scrambled eggs.
  • Good and specific tags: "how to make fluffy scrambled eggs," "creamy scrambled eggs recipe," "perfect scrambled eggs," "scrambled eggs hack"
• Example (Gaming Short): A clip showcasing a clutch win in Valorant.
  • Good and specific tags: "valorant clutch 1v5," "valorant jett ace," "valorant clips," "insane valorant gameplay"
• Example (DIY Short): A video on creating a hanging planter.
  • Good and specific tags: "diy macrame plant hanger," "how to make a hanging planter," "easy diy home decor," "5 minute crafts"

2. Broad Tags (The "Category")

Broad tags are the higher-level category or niche keywords that place your specific video within a larger field of interest. While a specific tag targets someone searching for an exact solution, a broad tag targets someone browsing a general topic.

These tags help YouTube understand the overarching community or interest group your content belongs to. They provide the general context that helps your Short get discovered by people who are interested in your niche but aren't looking for that exact video.

• Example (Cooking Short): Continuing with the scrambled eggs tutorial.
  • Broad Tags: "cooking," "easy recipes," "breakfast ideas," "5 minute recipes," "kitchen tips"
• Example (Gaming Short): The Valorant clutch clip.
  • Broad Tags: "gaming," "fps games," "valorant," "pc gaming," "esports"
• Example (DIY Short): The hanging planter video.
  • Broad Tags: "diy ideas," "home decor," "crafting," "gardening," "indoor plants"

3. Channel/Branded Tags (The "Who You Are")

These tags are unique to your channel. Using them consistently creates a digital footprint that helps YouTube link all of your content together. This can increase the likelihood of your videos being recommended back-to-back, encouraging binge-watching sessions.

At a minimum, you should always include your channel name as a tag. If you have recurring series or segments, create a unique tag for them as well.

• Your channel name (e.g., "awesome recipes")
• Variations of your channel name (e.g., "awesomerecipes" with no space)
• Names of any series you run (e.g., "monday munchies," "tasty tuesdays")

A good rule of thumb is to dedicate about 50% of your tags to being specific, 30% to being broad, and 20% to your branded tags. This creates a solid, balanced structure for every Short you upload.

How to Find the Best Tags for Your Shorts: A Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you know what kinds of tags to use, where do you find them? You don't have to guess. Here’s a simple process to generate a powerful list of tags for any Short.

Step 1: Start with Your Core Subject

Before you go searching anywhere, start with your own brain. Watch your finished Short and write down 5-10 words or phrases that describe it. Don't overthink it. What's the main idea? What question does it answer? What problem does it solve? This "seed list" will be the foundation for your research.

Step 2: Use the YouTube Search Bar Autocomplete

YouTube's search bar is your best friend. Start typing one of your seed keywords into the search bar and see what suggestions pop up. This autocomplete feature shows you what real people are actively searching for. It's a goldmine of tag ideas.

For example, if you start typing "skincare routine," YouTube might suggest:

• "skincare routine for acne"
• "skincare routine for beginners"
• "skincare routine for glowing skin"
• "korean skincare routine"

Add any relevant suggestions to your tag list. These are proven terms that audiences are using.

Step 3: Analyze Similar High-Performing Shorts

Find a few Shorts that are similar to yours and have a lot of views. You can't see the tags they've used directly on the video page, but you can learn a lot from them. Pay close attention to the keywords they use in their titles and descriptions. These are strong indicators of how they’re positioning their content. Are they using phrases you hadn't thought of?

For a deeper dive, you can use browser extensions like VidIQ or TubeBuddy. These tools will show you the exact tags used on any public YouTube video, taking the guesswork out of your competitor research. Create a free account, install the extension, and a tag list will appear on the video page. Never copy someone's tags exactly, but use them for inspiration and to find keywords you might have missed.

Step 4: Don't Forget General Short-Form Tags

Finally, always include a few standard, high-volume tags to signal to YouTube that your content is a Short and to give it a general category.

• Always include: #shorts. While YouTube automatically identifies vertical videos under 60 seconds as Shorts, using the tag is a confirmed best practice.
• Also consider: #youtubeshorts, #shortsvideo.
• Add a category tag if relevant (e.g., #comedyshorts, #gamingshorts, #lifetips, #tutorial).

Common Tagging Mistakes to Avoid

Just as important as knowing what to do is knowing what not to do. Avoid these common pitfalls that can hurt your visibility rather than help it.

• Keyword Stuffing: Don't just fill the 500-character tag limit with dozens of disconnected words. The goal isn't to use as many tags as possible, it's to use the right ones. A tight, focused list of 10-15 highly relevant tags is far more effective than 40 vaguely related ones.
• Using Misleading Tags: Never add a popular but irrelevant tag to your video just to try and get views (e.g., putting "MrBeast" or "Taylor Swift" on your video about gardening). This is a violation of YouTube's Community Guidelines and can lead to strikes against your channel. The algorithm is smart, it looks at user behavior. If people click on your video and leave immediately because it's not what they expected, this sends a negative signal that will harm your video's reach.
• Ignoring Hashtags: Tags and hashtags serve slightly different purposes but work together. Tags go in the dedicated "tags" box during your upload process and are mainly for the algorithm. Hashtags (like #DIYproject) should be placed in your video's description. YouTube highlights the first three hashtags from your description above your video's title, making them highly visible to viewers. It's a good practice to include 2-3 important hashtags in your description for discoverability.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right tags for your YouTube Shorts is an easy way to give your content the best possible chance to find its audience. By blending specific, broad, and branded tags, you’re providing a clear roadmap for YouTube's algorithm to understand, categorize, and recommend your videos to the viewers most likely to enjoy them.

Thinking strategically about your content is a full-time job, and we know that managing calendars across different platforms can feel like a chore. We built Postbase to simplify that process. Our visual planner lets you schedule and organize your YouTube Shorts, TikToks, and Reels all from one dashboard, saving you from having to bounce between different apps. This lets you dedicate more time to the creative part: making videos people love to watch.