YouTube Tags vs Hashtags: What's the Difference and What Works Better?

If you've been uploading YouTube videos, you've probably seen two different ways to categorize your content: tags (added in the video details section) and hashtags (added with # in titles or descriptions).

Both help YouTube understand your content. But they work very differently. Using them incorrectly — or using the wrong one when you need the other — can hurt your channel's growth.

This guide explains exactly what each one does and how to use both strategically.

What Are YouTube Tags?

YouTube tags are keywords added to your video in the Video Details section when you upload or edit a video. They are NOT visible to regular viewers — only to YouTube's algorithm.

Where tags appear: YouTube Studio → Video Details → Tags field (bottom of page)

Example tags for a cooking video:

• biryani recipe
• chicken biryani
• how to make biryani
• Indian food
• rice dishes
• dum biryani

Tags tell YouTube's algorithm what your video is about. YouTube uses them to:

1. Rank your video in search results for related queries
2. Show your video in the "related videos" sidebar
3. Categorize your content into topic clusters

Tags are invisible to viewers. The audience watching YouTube never sees your tags.

What Are YouTube Hashtags?

Hashtags on YouTube are the #symbol followed by a word or phrase, added to:

• Your video title (appears as clickable blue text)
• Your video description (first 3 hashtags appear as clickable text above the title in mobile view)

Example hashtags: #biryani #recipe #indianfood #cooking #chickendinner

When viewers click a hashtag, they see a feed of all YouTube videos using that same hashtag — which is excellent for discovery by new audiences.

Hashtags are visible to viewers. Anyone watching can see and click the hashtags.

Tags vs Hashtags: Key Differences

| Feature | Tags | Hashtags | |---|---|---| | Visibility to viewers | ❌ Hidden | ✅ Visible | | Where added | Video Details section | Title or Description | | Format | Words or short phrases | #keyword (no spaces) | | Clickable? | No | Yes | | Character limit | 500 characters total | No strict limit | | Helps with YouTube search? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (limited) | | Creates browsable feed? | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |

How Tags Affect Your Ranking

Tags primarily help with YouTube search ranking and related videos discovery.

YouTube Search

When someone searches "biryani recipe," YouTube looks at the titles, descriptions, and tags of videos to determine relevance. If you have "biryani recipe" as a tag, YouTube recognizes your video as relevant to that search.

Related Videos

YouTube shows your video in the "Up next" or "Related videos" section of other videos. Tags help YouTube identify which other videos are similar to yours. Videos with matching tags may be shown as "related" to each other.

The Tag Decline

In recent years, YouTube has stated that tags are a less important ranking factor than they used to be. Titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and watch time now matter more. But tags still provide value, especially for:

• Misspellings of your main keyword (if people misspell "biryani" as "biriyani," a tag for that misspelling can catch those searches)
• Related topic discovery
• Establishing your video within a content niche

How Hashtags Affect Discovery

Hashtags primarily help with hashtag feed discovery and trending topics.

Hashtag Feeds

When a viewer clicks a YouTube hashtag, they see a dedicated feed of videos using that hashtag. If you use popular hashtags in your niche and your video has good thumbnails and titles, you can attract viewers who were browsing that hashtag — even viewers who had never heard of your channel.

Mobile Display

On the YouTube mobile app, the first 3 hashtags from your description appear as clickable text above your video title. This is prime real estate that many creators ignore.

Trending Hashtags

If a topic is trending (like #WorldCup during a major tournament), adding that hashtag can temporarily boost visibility if your video is relevant.

The Best Strategy: Use Both

The smartest creators use both tags and hashtags for maximum coverage:

Tags: Use 10-15 relevant tags covering your main topic, related topics, and common misspellings.

Hashtags: Add 3-5 hashtags to your description. Put them at the very end of your description. Use 1-3 in your title if they're naturally relevant.

How to research good hashtags:

1. Search your main topic on YouTube
2. Look at what hashtags top-performing videos use
3. Use our YouTube Tag Extractor to see competitor tags
4. Start with 3-5 that specifically describe your video's topic

Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using irrelevant hashtags for views Adding #shorts to a 15-minute video or #viral to every video regardless of topic. YouTube penalizes tag/hashtag stuffing and irrelevancy.

Mistake 2: Adding 30+ hashtags YouTube recommends using fewer than 15 hashtags. If you use more than 60, YouTube may IGNORE all your hashtags. Quality over quantity.

Mistake 3: Only using broad hashtags #food for a cooking channel attracts billions of competing videos. Mix broad hashtags with specific ones like #chickendinner or #easybiryanirecipe.

Mistake 4: Forgetting hashtags entirely Many creators fill out tags carefully (good!) but completely ignore hashtags (missed opportunity). Both channels of discovery are valuable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use the same hashtags every video?

For channel-branding purposes, 1-2 consistent hashtags per video are good (like your channel name as a hashtag). But specific content hashtags should be different for each video based on the topic.

Can I use hashtags in my title without the description?

Yes! A hashtag in the title appears as blue clickable text. It's visible and can drive hashtag feed traffic. However, don't make your entire title a string of hashtags — it looks spammy and hurts CTR.

My tag extracted from a competitor video says "#cooking." Is that a tag or hashtag?

If it has a # symbol, it's a hashtag, even if extracted from the tags section. Some creators accidentally add hashtags to their tags section. Use our YouTube Tag Extractor to see the exact tags a video uses.

Conclusion

Both YouTube tags and hashtags serve your channel's growth — in different ways.

• Tags = Signal YouTube's algorithm for search and related video discovery
• Hashtags = Create clickable discovery feeds and visible branding

Use both intelligently: 10-15 relevant tags in the details section + 3-5 relevant hashtags in descriptions. Research competitor strategies using SmartToolsWala's YouTube Tag Extractor. And always prioritize a great title and thumbnail — they matter more than any tag or hashtag!

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