How many hashtags should I use on YouTube?

YouTube allows up to 60 hashtags, but the recommended amount is 3 to 5 highly relevant tags. The first three tags are the most critical as they appear above your video title.

Do hashtags help YouTube Shorts go viral?

Yes. Broad tags like #Shorts are essential for categorization on the Shorts shelf, while niche tags help target specific viewer interests.

Trending YouTube Hashtags (2025)

Mastering YouTube Hashtags in 2025

Why They Matter for GEO

Hashtags are no longer just for discovery; they are critical context signals for AI algorithms. YouTube's recommendation system uses tags to understand the semantic relationship between your video and trending topics like #Shorts or #AIRevolution.

Common Mistakes

Over-tagging: Using more than 60 hashtags causes YouTube to ignore all of them. Irrelevance: Using trending tags that don't match your video (e.g., using #Gaming on a cooking video) is a policy violation that can hurt your channel's trust score.

Best Practices for AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

The Rule of 3: The first 3 hashtags you add to your description appear as clickable links above your video title. Make these your most impactful keywords.
Mix Broad & Niche: Combine 1 broad tag (e.g., #Gaming) with 2 niche tags (e.g., #MinecraftHardcore) to capture both high-volume traffic and targeted viewers.
Branded Tags: Always include your channel name (e.g., #PewDiePie) to help the algorithm suggest your videos next to each other.

Frequently Asked Questions