YouTube Hashtags vs Tags: What Is the Difference?
Updated
YouTube hashtags are visible and clickable, while tags are a hidden field of related terms. Here is how each one works, their limits and how to choose both.
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What is the difference between YouTube hashtags and tags?
Hashtags are words that start with # and appear in a video's title or description. Viewers can see them and click them to open a page of videos with the same hashtag. Tags are a hidden field in the upload settings. Viewers cannot see them, and YouTube says they play only a minor role in how a video is discovered.
YouTube hashtags
- Where they go: in the title or the description. Hashtags in the description appear as links above the title.
- How many are shown: only the first three hashtags from the description appear above the title.
- The limit: if a video has more than 15 hashtags, YouTube ignores all of them for that video, so stay well below it.
- Best use: a few specific, relevant hashtags that describe the topic or series, such as #sourdoughbread. Do not add unrelated trending hashtags.
YouTube tags
- Where they go: in the tags field when you upload or edit a video (under the show more option in YouTube Studio).
- The limit: 500 characters in total.
- What they are good for: YouTube says tags can help when people commonly misspell your topic. Beyond that, the title, thumbnail and description matter much more.
- Best use: your main phrase, a couple of close variations and common misspellings. There is no reason to fill all 500 characters.
Keywords, hashtags and tags together
Keywords are the phrases viewers search for. You place them in visible fields (title, description, script). Hashtags and tags are two extra ways of labelling the video. A simple routine works well: find the main phrase with the free YouTube keyword generator, write it into the title and first lines of the description, add two or three relevant hashtags, and put the same phrase and one or two variations in the tags field. For the research step, see our guide to YouTube keyword research.
How to choose hashtags
- Use the main phrase of the video as the first hashtag, without spaces.
- Add one broader topic hashtag and, if you make a series, one hashtag for the series.
- Check that the hashtag page shows videos that match your topic.
- Keep it to three, since only three are displayed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between YouTube keywords and tags?
Keywords are the phrases viewers search for, which you place in your title, description and script. Tags are a hidden field of related terms and misspellings.
Do YouTube tags still matter?
Only a little. YouTube says tags can help with commonly misspelled topics, but the title, thumbnail and description matter much more.
How many hashtags can I use on YouTube?
Up to 15 hashtags work; if you use more, YouTube ignores all hashtags on the video. Only the first three from the description appear above the title.
What is the YouTube tag character limit?
The tags field accepts 500 characters in total.
Where do I add tags on YouTube?
In YouTube Studio, open the video details and expand the show more section to find the tags field.
Related tools and guides
- Free YouTube keyword generator
- Long-tail keyword research tool: back to the main LongTailLab tool
- All keyword research guides