Once upon a gaming marathon, I found myself captivated not just by the on-screen battlegrounds, but by the idea of sharing my virtual escapades on YouTube. The notion of turning my joystick juggles into a thriving channel was electrifying.
Yet, as I embarked on this quest, I stumbled upon a dragon I hadn’t foreseen – getting my content to be seen amidst the dense forest of gaming channels was no easy feat. I knew there were fellow gamers out there, much like you, facing this same beast. It’s not just about creating epic content, but about forging the key that unlocks the gateway to viewers. And that key, my friend, is keyword research.
As a content marketer, I’ve helped many businesses grow their Youtube channel audience. And now, I want to help you do the same thing for your YouTube Gaming channel.
In this article, I’ll be talking about:
- The essence of gaming niche keyword research and its importance for a budding YouTube channel.
- The mystical yet simple realm of keyword research, aiming to turn a gaming hobby into a coin-generating journey.
- A step-by-step scroll to unearthing keywords that could skyrocket your channel’s visibility like a perfectly aimed arrow zipping through a horde of orcs.
The wisdom encased in the following conversation is akin to a potion concocted to aid you in your YouTube odyssey. Every query explored, and every answer forged is a step closer to morphing your channel from a hidden cottage in the woods to a castle beheld by legions. So, unsheathe your swords, and march forth into the enlightening dialogue below, for the realm of YouTube is ripe for conquering!
Fancy Reading this article ad free? I know I would! Get access to the ad-free version of this article on Patreon here by signing up for my 7-day FREE trial.
What is keyword research on YouTube?
Venturing into the YouTube gaming sphere is an exciting prospect. It’s a space brimming with potential to turn your gaming hobby into a money-making channel. But to get there, one of the crucial steps is performing gaming niche keyword research. This is how you ensure that the content you create is what gamers are actively searching for.
Keyword research involves finding the right terms or phrases that gamers are likely to type into the YouTube search bar. For instance, if you are into Minecraft, you’d want to know whether gamers are searching for “Minecraft building tutorials” or “Minecraft castle builds” more. This way, you can tailor your videos to match what your audience is looking for.
There are tools available, like TubeBuddy, that can significantly ease this process. They provide insights into how often certain phrases are searched, and how high the competition is for those terms. For example, a term with high search volume but low competition is a sweet spot for your channel to gain visibility.
“Keywords (also known as “SEO keywords,” “keyphrases,” or “search queries”) are words and phrases that users type into search engines to find information on a particular topic.”
SemRush
By selecting the right keywords and using them in your video titles, descriptions, and tags, you increase the chances of your videos being found, watched, and followed. Over time, as you gather more viewers and subscribers, the potential to earn money from your channel through ads, sponsorships, and merchandise sales also increases.
So, while the idea of keyword research might seem a tad technical amidst the creative and thrilling journey of gaming, it’s a vital step towards growing your channel and making money from your gaming passion on YouTube.
Why is Keyword Research Vital for Gaming YouTube Channel Success?
let’s dive into the gaming universe of YouTube, but through a slightly different lens this time – the lens of keyword research. Now, I know, it might sound a tad dry compared to the adrenaline-pumping action in a heated game, but hear me out. If you’re dreaming about making a living from your gaming channel, then keyword research is one of your best buddies on this quest.
So, what’s the big deal with keyword research? Well, imagine you’ve spent hours, maybe days, crafting a killer video of your epic battles in “Call of Duty.” You upload it, waiting for the views to roll in… and crickets. It’s like hosting a mega party but forgetting to send out the invites. That’s where keyword research comes into play. It’s how you send out those digital invites to your channel.
“Keyword research helps you find which keywords are best to target and provides valuable insight into the queries that your target audience is actually searching on Google.”
HubSpot
When fellow gamers hit up YouTube looking for some “Call of Duty” action, they’re gonna type in specific phrases. Keyword research helps you figure out what those phrases are. Is it “Call of Duty epic battle” or “Call of Duty warzone win”? Finding and using the right keywords is like having a cheat code that propels your video in front of the right eyeballs.
Now, the gaming space on YouTube is a bit like a crowded arena, and to stand out, you need every trick in the book. By honing in on the right keywords, you’re not just shooting in the dark; you’re strategically aiming your content towards a crowd that’s already interested in what you’re serving up.
But hey, it’s not just about getting folks through the door; it’s about building a loyal tribe. When people find exactly what they’re looking for on your channel, thanks to your on-point keywords, they’re more likely to hit that subscribe button. And more subscribers mean a better chance at monetizing your channel. It’s a snowball effect; the right keywords get you more visibility, more subscribers, and ultimately, more opportunities to make money from your gaming passion.
And the cherry on top? There are nifty tools like TubeBuddy or Keywords Everywhere that can help simplify this keyword quest, making it less of a grind and more of a strategic game move.
So while diving into keyword research might feel like stepping away from the gaming action for a moment, it’s a powerhouse move to ensure that your gaming channel isn’t just a fun hobby, but a growing, money-making venture.
Boost Your Gaming Channel’s Views With this FREE and EASY Keyword Research Process to Find Trending Topics
Conducting keyword research for your YouTube gaming channel is actually a breeze. Below, I’ve detailed the exact method I’ve employed to expand multiple channels for clients over the years, and it has always propelled their channel growth significantly. Seriously, this one trick could be the difference between a channel that flops, and one that catapults you into a CareerGamer status. Let’s delve in.
I suggest you follow the method as is first, so use my example. In this case, my example will be about finding new trending topics for FIFA 23. Then once you are comfortable with this FREE keyword method, start applying it to your own topics.
The Ingredients
Every good recipe needs a list of ingredients and tools you’ll need to complete the recipe successfully. And this Keyword research Recipe or Process is corporate land is no different, Let’s take a look at what you’ll need.
- Incogneto browser window.
- Your computer and an internet connection (You can do it on a phone, but it’s easier on a computer)
- Google Sheets (You’ll want a basic Google Sheet to collect your data. You can find the basic sheet I use for this guide here)
The Method.
Follow the following method to learn how to perform FREE keyword research that will skyrocket your channel’s growth.
1: Kickstart this process by opening a fresh Google sheet, or by copying my sheet here. If you choose to pen a fresh Google sheet. Do the following.
- Add “Date” to the top of the first column
- Add “keyword Title” to the top of the second column.
- Add “Discovery Search Term” to the top of the third column.
Remember, this is kept intentionally simple as this is just the discovery phase.
2: Next, we want an ****incognito browser window. If you’re on Windows and using Google Chrome, just right-click on the icon on the taskbar and select “New Incognito Window”. A fresh window will pop open.
3: Navigate to YouTube. Ensure you’re not logged in. You shouldn’t be, thanks to the incognito window, but it’s worth checking.
4: Hit up the search bar located at the very top of the YouTube home page. This is where the magic unfolds.
5: Start by typing the following into the YouTube search bar: “How to”. Observe how YouTube instantly rolls out auto-complete suggested searches below the search bar. This should be across many and varied topics that have nothing to do with FIFA 23. Hold off on these for now, I’ll explain more shortly.
6: Next, input the name of the niche, topic, or game you’re targeting next to “How to”. In this example, I’m using the game FIFA 23 as my target. You can use your own game, niche, or topic once you’ve completed this guide. Your search bar should now read “How to FIFA 23”.
Notice that YouTube’s Search suggestion algorithm now offers very specific search suggestions surrounding FIFA 23. The beauty here is that each of these suggestions represents actual terms real people are typing into YouTube, seeking solutions.
Alright, let’s refine these suggestions further.
7: To whittle down the suggestions further aiding you in picking a video topic you can actually rank for, insert letters before or after the main topic in the YouTube Search Bar. For instance, type in “How to A FIFA 23”. You’ll see that the search suggestions become even more precise, which is excellent for pinpointing search terms that could potentially reel in a hefty amount of channel views yet aren’t heavily contested.
8: Don’t halt at “A”. Venture through the entire alphabet for potentially hundreds of video ideas. For instance, type in “How to B FIFA 23”, “How to C FIFA 23”, “How to D FIFA 23”, and so forth.
With each different letter, a new array of suggestions will be unveiled, each representing a cluster of YouTube users craving your video solutions to their queries. However, there’s one more step you can take to really zero in on those channel-growing topics you crave so much.
9: The objective now is to uncover even more specific search terms, and yet again, this is SIMPLE and FREE to do. Begin by adding a second letter next to the current letter before or after the topic term.
For instance, adding a second letter before the topic term: “How to AB FIFA 23”. Note that I tossed in an extra B after the A, massively narrowing down the suggested terms.
For example, I stumbled upon the keyword: “how to get player name above head FIFA 23”, a very targetable keyword for a small channel.
Here’s an example of a second letter after the topic term: “How to A FIFA 23 B”. Notice the “B” after the topic while retaining the A before the topic. This method will unveil completely different potential keywords compared to the first method. For instance, I found the neat keyword: “how to be a goalkeeper fifa 23”, another highly targetable keyword.
10: Next you want to get into the habit of recording all your data.
Open up your Spreadsheet, or copy my one here. First, add the Today’s date in the “Date” column. This will show you exactly when this keyword was discovered.
Next, add the keyword that YouTube search is suggesting that you’d like to target in the first column of your spreadsheet under the “Keyword Title”. In this example, it would be “How to make Abidal in FIFA 23”
Next, under the “Search Term” column, copy across the actual search term you typed in to find that suggested keyword. So, in this case, copy across “How to AB FIFA 23”.
This spreadsheet now contains three key pieces of information
- A record of the date you found the keyword.
- The suggested keyword that your video would potentially target and that you can analyze later.
- A record of the search term you typed into the YouTube search bar to find the suggested term.
11: Now that you’ve gone through the FREE keyword research method, it’s time to revisit it, this time using your own topic to find keywords. Remember to grab a copy of my spreadsheet before you start. Keep an eye on my version of the spreadsheet, as it will be updated over time with more details.
And that’s it! In the future, I’ll be whipping up new articles that’ll dive into the steps you need to tackle once you’ve wrapped up your initial keyword research. For example, I’ll peek at competition analysis, and take a deep dive into initial video appraisal and analysis.
There’s loads to look forward to! So make sure to bookmark this page right now. Or, zip on over to my Patreon to snag instant access to all my templates, tutorials, guides, and the cool processes I’ve used to boost other clients’ YouTube channels.
Why you might want to use a Keyword Research tool like Tubebuddy
Ah, the digital realm is much like an expansive game world, filled with tools and hacks to level up your YouTube channel. While the hack we discussed is like a starter pack, tools like TubeBuddy are akin to those rare, epic gears you find that significantly boost your stats, making the grind towards YouTube success a whole lot smoother.
But I just want to be clear: you do NOT need tools like TubeBuddy to be successful. But tool like TubBuddy offer two benefits:
- They save you time in finding keywords and discovering other ways to succeed.
- They provide you with data that enables you to make more good decisions than bad. The more good decisions you make, the faster your progress. For example, a tool like TubeBuddy can give you an idea of how many people are searching for a particular search term. As you can imagine, a term being searched 10,000 times a month has the potential to speed up channel growth far faster than a keyword that is searched 100 times per month.
But generally, everything you can do in a paid tool, you can do for free.
With that in mind, here are some compelling reasons why shelling out a mere $6 for TubeBuddy could be a game-changing investment:
- Efficiency: TubeBuddy is like having a powerful mage in your party that automates many mundane tasks. It offers a suite of tools that streamline your keyword research, saving you time and effort which you can channel into creating killer content.
- Data Insights: Much like a wise sage offering insights, TubeBuddy provides detailed analytics and data that can help you understand your channel’s performance, what’s working, and where you can improve. It’s like having a crystal ball that guides your YouTube strategy.
- Keyword Suggestion: The keyword suggestion feature is akin to having a treasure map that leads you to golden keywords. It provides an array of relevant keyword suggestions, making the process of discovering high-ranking keywords a breeze.
- Competitor Analysis: It’s crucial to know the moves of other players on the battlefield. TubeBuddy allows you to peek into your competitors’ strategies, understanding what keywords they are ranking for and how you can outmaneuver them.
- SEO Optimization: Much like a blacksmith fine-tuning your armor, TubeBuddy helps in optimizing your video SEO, which is crucial for getting your videos ranked and seen by your target audience.
- A/B Testing: The ability to A/B test your video thumbnails and titles is like having the power to foresee which strategies would fare better in the real YouTube battlefield before diving in sword-first.
The initial $6 investment for TubeBuddy could lead to a treasure trove of benefits, potentially earning you back a thousandfold as your channel grows and thrives. With TubeBuddy, you’re not just playing the YouTube game; you’re strategizing to dominate it. So why linger in the shadows when you could be basking in the spotlight? Equip yourself with TubeBuddy, and embark on an epic quest towards YouTube stardom.
Final Words and Summary
Our quest through the labyrinth of keyword research has revealed its paramount significance in growing a gaming channel on YouTube. It’s akin to finding the right runes to unlock a grand treasure chest of viewers and subscribers. Here are the keystones we uncovered in our conversation:
- The importance of gaming niche keyword research in navigating the YouTube battlefield successfully.
- Turning a gaming hobby into a coin-generating adventure by harnessing the power of the right keywords.
- The magical concoction of using specific tools like TubeBuddy for keyword discovery.
- A step-by-step explanation of a simple yet potent keyword research hack to boost channel views.
- Harnessing the essence of specificity and relevance in keywords to attract a loyal tribe of fellow gamers.
The scroll of knowledge unfurled in our dialogue is the compass you need in the vast seas of the YouTube gaming realm. Now, shall we venture into the ‘What Next?’ to ensure the flames of enlightenment continue to blaze?
What Next?
I always fancy leaving you with a quiver full of actionable arrows to launch once you’re done soaking in the lore from our discussion. Here are five tasks to embark upon, fortified with the newfound wisdom from our conversation:
- Dive into a session of keyword research using the outlined hack, targeting the game you’re most passionate about.
- Employ tools like TubeBuddy to delve deeper into the keyword abyss, finding those gems waiting to be discovered.
- Craft a video imbued with the discovered keywords, ensuring they resonate through the title, description, and tags.
- Make a copy of my spreadsheet here and start finding keywords on YouTube’s search bar, jotting down the plethora of video ideas it unveils.
- Measure the impact of your keyword-imbued videos over time, adjusting your strategy like a shrewd battlefield tactician to ensure continued growth.
- Reach out to other CareerGamers, share your experiences, learn from theirs, and continue sharpening your keyword research blade for the battles ahead.
Now, gird your loins for the actionable quests ahead and prepare to delve deeper into the dominion of YouTube gaming glory!