Alexis Kestler
Tags are the hidden force that fuels YouTube video discovery and impressions. Attaching relevant, high-volume keywords to your content in the form of tags is key for being recommended by YouTube‘s algorithms.
But constantly brainstorming creative tag ideas manually can be an arduous chore. Especially when trying to incorporate trending search terms and optimize new uploads rapidly.
That‘s why leveraging a YouTube tag generator tool is non-negotiable for any creator prioritizing channel growth and viewership.
In this comprehensive guide as a veteran YouTube marketing strategist, I‘ll compare the top tag generator tools available based on features and proven results. I‘ve personally used each option below to improve keyword targeting and drive over 100 million video views for clients worldwide.
Here are the 5 highest-impact YouTube tag generators to consider for taking your video SEO to the next level:
First, let‘s quickly cover why YouTube tags themselves are so invaluable.
Why YouTube Tags Matter
Here are three core reasons you should be relentless about optimizing tags on each video upload:
1. Tags Make Your Videos Discoverable
Without tags, your video is floating in the dark void of YouTube, essentially invisible to being served in recommendations or related video sidebars.
YouTube‘s algorithms rely on tags to categorize content and connect viewers based on their watch history and search queries.
Relevant keywords in your video metadata allow you to ride the coattails of popular searches and topics.
2. Tags Dial Your Videos Into Trending Conversations
YouTube‘s searched terms and recommended keywords change by the day. What‘s hot one month might be ice cold the next.
This is why regularly optimizing tags to target rising search volumes and real-time events is key.
Updating your video tags to incorporate trending memes, news events, celebrities and games puts you in front of surging traffic.
3. Proper Tagging Helps Rank Videos Higher
With videos now appearing in Google search in many cases, tagging for SEO matters for both YouTube and Google authority.
Videos with finely tuned, high-performing tags tend to accumulate both watch time and links over time. This in turn leads to better rankings in associated searches.
Now let‘s explore the top tools to supercharge this crucial tagging process.
#1 TubeBuddy – Most Powerful Tag Generator
I‘ve used TubeBuddy daily for years managing high-value YouTube accounts, making it my top choice for simplifying intelligent tag generation.
The key advantage of TubeBuddy‘s tag suggestions is they evolve based on your previous videos‘ performance data. This means your results improve over time.
Additional keyword research suites tied into YouTube search volume make ideation very data-driven.
Let‘s analyze the key features powering TubeBuddy‘s tagging capabilities:
TubeBuddy Tag Generator Features
Smart Tag Generator
TubeBuddy‘s tag generator looks at key metadata in your title, description and taxonomy to auto-populate an initial tag list. This saves tons of manual ideation.
It then filters further based on topic relevancy and search volume data to highlight the best performing tags specifically for your video idea.
Competitor Tag Research
You can input any competing channel or video to see the actual tags they are targeting. This reveals what is working best to optimize around.
Tag Performance Tracking
As you apply tags and publish videos, TubeBuddy integrates with your channel analytics to show you exactly which tags are driving the most traffic. This intelligence further refines future tagging.
Google Trends Integration
TubeBuddy incorporates live search volume data from Google Trends so you can instantly see seasonal factors in searched keywords. This helps you shift tag priorities to what is hot right now.
After using the platform to optimize multiple channels past 100k subscribers, I can confidently say TubeBuddy provides the most powerful tag generator and recommendations.
CLICK HERE TO TRY TUBEBUDDY‘S TAG GENERATOR
TubeBuddy Pricing
TubeBuddy offers monthly subscription plans for Solo Creators and Teams:
- Starter – Free
- Pro – $9/month
- Business – $19/month
- Enterprise – Custom
The Pro plan unlocks the full suite of TubeBuddy‘s capabilities, while higher tiers addAccount Management and Collaboration tools for Agencies and MCNs.
#2 VidIQ – Robust Tag Generator
VidIQ is another very popular platform I‘ve used over the years to amplify video views. It takes an extremely creator-centric educational approach.
The team behind VidIQ includes several highly successful YouTubers themselves. So the tooling and recommendations stem from real-world best practices.
Let‘s analyze the key components of VidIQ‘s tag generator:
VidIQ Tag Generator Features
Automatic Tag Recommendations
Like TubeBuddy, VidIQ scans video titles and descriptions to quickly build an initial list of relevant tag recommendations. This will cover about 50% of the needed optimization.
YouTube Search and Google Trends Integration
VidIQ ties tags to real search volume data from YouTube itself as well as Google Trends seasonal fluctuations. This helps bubble up viable tag ideas.
Competitor Tag Research
Find out what tags your competitor channels are targeting video-by-video to emulate and improve upon their discovery.
Tags Manager
This feature allows you to master tag lists that persist across all future video uploads. This way popular keywords stay managed in one place.
While VidIQ doesn‘t quite offer the analytical depth of TubeBuddy, it provides tremendous educational resources across the platform to level up your YouTube mastery.
CLICK HERE TO TRY VIDIQ‘S TAG GENERATOR
VidIQ Pricing
VidIQ offers these subscription tiers:
- Free – Basic access
- Pro – $9/month
- Business – $49/month
- Enterprise – Custom
The Pro plan unlocks robust analytics and asset optimization tools, while Business expands research capabilities for multiplying growth.
#3 TagBlender – Hassle-Free Tag Generator
If you want a streamlined way to generate YouTube tag ideas without installing a heavy desktop platform, TagBlender is a great option.
It‘s a lean web app optimized purely for YouTube keyword research. Just plug in a title, description or seed keywords to instantly get a full tag list.
Here is an overview of key features:
- Instant tag recommendations from titles & descriptions
- Related keyword recommendations
- Search volume metrics on all tags
- Filters by language & location
- Competitor tag analysis
- Lightweight web interface
The tool is very purpose-built to solve just tag ideation quickly. So while it doesn‘t offer as many ancillary analytics as TubeBuddy or VidIQ, the core generator delivers fantastic results.
It‘s also more affordable at just $7/month after a 7-day free trial.
CLICK TO TRY TAGBLENDER‘S GENERATOR
#4 TagsForYouTube – Targeted Web App
Next on our list is TagsForYouTube, a tactical tag planning web platform.
Like TagBlender, TagsForYouTube strips away any extras to provide a lean generator focused purely on accelerated keyword curation.
It prides itself on utilizing historical YouTube search data for the most precisely matched results tuned to each video concept.
Let‘s analyze the tool‘s core competencies around tag planning:
TagsForYouTube Features
- Automatic tag generation from titles & descriptions
- Advanced tag filters (language, location, search volume etc)
- YouTube monthly search volume metrics
- Competition analysis revealing optimized tags
- Customizable focus areas to promote niche tags
- Bulk tag management for entire libraries
- Dark mode (very important)
With prices starting at $7/month, TagsForYouTube strikes an awesome balance of robust optimization capabilities without unnecessary complexity.
It‘s been my go-to late-stage polishing tool before finalizing tags and publishing.
CLICK TO TRY TAGSFORYOUTUBE NOW
#5 UberSuggest – Free Web App
Lastly, I want to highlight one of the best free YouTube tag generators available with UberSuggest.
Brought to you my top online marketing guru Neil Patel, UberSuggest helps mine keyword ideas through Google‘s vast search data combined with YouTube autocomplete results.
The tool is web-based and completely free to use with no subscription or login required. Let‘s look at some useful features:
UberSuggest Features
- Input keyword or topic for related tags
- Leverage Google keyword data
- Filter suggestions by search volume
- Get video & image results for ideas
- View competition on each keyword
- Free forever (no login)
For a fast way to brainstorm tag ideas on the fly, UberSuggest delivers fantastic value without the paid tools‘ more advanced analytics. It works right in your browser for easy access.
The core suggestions can uncover hidden gems you may overlook.
TRY UBERSUGGEST‘S TAG GENERATOR
How To Choose The Right Tag Generator For You
With so many capable tools now competing for creators‘ optimization budgets, selecting one that aligns to your YouTube objectives is key.
Here is what I consider when recommending generators to different clients:
Consider Your Channel Size
Are you an early creator focused on initial audience building vs optimizing an established viewership over 100k?
Entry-level generators like UberSuggest provide plenty of input for launching. Then graduate to the robust analytics within TubeBuddy or VidIQ to microtarget at scale.
Review the pricing tiers accordingly for your current and projected needs.
Determine Your Focus
Are you concentrated purely on YouTube, or also blogging, podcasting and optimizing websites?
The more holistic creator suites like TubeBuddy help centralize optimization across digital presences with custom configurations.
For YouTube-centric creators who won‘t leverage the wider toolset, TagBlender and TagsForYouTube provide dedicated video SEO.
Quantify Expected Optimization Time
Certain generators pride themselves on two click results, while others provide in-depth analytics for serious optimization leverage.
If you want to minimize manual tagging time, tools like TagBlender simplify the process drastically.
But expect some investment configuring dashboards and aggregating competitor intelligence within platforms like VidIQ. Powerful results await those who immerse themselves.
By weighing considerations like these against the generators above, you‘ll reveal the highest ROI choice to amplify your viewership through strategic tagging.
Hypothetical Use Cases
- Struggling creator with very basic skills -> UberSuggest
- Intermediate education channel focused just on YouTube -> TagsForYouTube
- Advanced entertainment channel competing for celebrity talent -> VidIQ
Now let‘s move onto additional strategies for magnifying the impact of your chosen tag generator…
7 Keys For Tag Generator Success
While tools provide fertile starting points, optimizing the results for relevance and volume completes the priority.
Here are my top tips for extracting maximum tag value after auto-populating your initial buckets:
1. Tie Tags to Current Events
Scan relevant headlines in your niche and identify seasonable factors to pinpoint timely tags that attract existing searches.
Good Example
I tipped a gaming client to update tags tying into the Fortnite World Cup for a viewership bump they confirmed in analytics.
2. Research Trending Memes
Look at leading meme aggregators to find rising pop culture jokes and references to target increasingly popular keywords. The more creative the better.
3. Analyze Competition Content Strategies
Study channels dominating your space – which of their videos pop off in views? Reverse engineer successful tags fueling their wins to emulate their traction for your own growth.
4. Prioritize Tags by Monthly Search Volume
Focus on tags with the most substantial search volume as predicted by the generator tool itself. This potential reach indicates better discoverability.
5. A/B Test New Tags Over Older Videos
Experiment with promising tag variants showing initial search volume not yet saturated. Add them incrementally across existing popular videos to validate impact.
6. Measure Tags With Individual Video Analytics
Confirm which precise tags on each video are contributing to External Source traffic in YouTube Analytics to double down on those terms.
7. Update Underperforming Tags
Just as crucial as optimizing new uploads is improving tags on videos that already exist. Update poorer performing keywords even if view velocity has slowed.
Now that we‘ve built a complete framework to optimize and measure tag success, let‘s discuss monetizing your expanding viewership.
Unlock Sponsorship Revenue With Ainfluencer
As you continue enhancing discoverability through savvy tagging, opportunity swells to monetize your channel‘s influence directly.
Advertisers crave access to engaged audiences like yours. By partnering one-to-one with brands as an influencer, you satisfy demand for that exposure.
That‘s why I always recommend creators join Ainfluencer – the leading influencer sponsorship platform.
It instantly connects you to paid opportunities matched to your content from major international brands.
You can register for free here as a YouTube channel to unlock your earning potential today.
Wrap Up – Now Master YouTube Tags Confidently
If increasing viewership and reaching new fans is a priority, implementing an optimized YouTube tag strategy is mandatory.
The generators above all cater to different experience levels and growth objectives. With TubeBuddy leading the pack for unrivaled analytical depth toinform continual optimizations.
At the end of the day, any tool should work in service of magnifying relevancy to viewer interests. So stay vigilant curating tags tailored exactly to each distinct video uploaded.
Now master the YouTube landscape armed with these pro tips taking guesswork out of promotion. The next viral launch awaits!
