Best hashtags for YouTube shorts: Updated August 2025

Let’s talk hashtags.

Are they the secret sauce to going viral on YouTube Shorts? Probably not.

But can they help you get discovered by the right audience and give your videos an extra boost? Absolutely.

Hashtags are just one more way for your YouTube Shorts to reach the people most likely to engage with them.

But slapping on a random #trending or #fyp isn’t going to cut it. To really make hashtags work for you, they need to align with your niche and audience.

Let’s dive into some trending YouTube Shorts hashtags that can help you target the viewers who’ll actually stick around and care about what you’re creating.

General YouTube Hashtags

1. #youtube
2. #youtuber
3. #youtubechannel
4. #youtubecreator
5. #youtubeshorts
6. #subscribe
7. #youtubevideos
8. #contentcreator
9. #video
10. #shorts
11. #viral
12. #trending
13. #like
14. #youtubecommunity
15. #vlogger
16. #explorepage
17. #videomaker
18. #youtubelife
19. #socialmedia
20. #youtubecontent

1) Gaming

1. #gaming
2. #gamer
3. #videogames
4. #gamingcommunity
5. #gamers
6. #gameplay
7. #ps
8. #xbox
9. #pcgaming
10. #esports

2) Music

1. #music
2. #musician
3. #musicvideo
4. #singer
5. #song
6. #musiclover
7. #instamusic
8. #newmusic
9. #musicislife
10. #livemusic

3) Food & Cooking

1. #food
2. #foodie
3. #nutrition
4. #cookingvideo
5. #recipevideo
6. #foodlover
7. #foodrecipe
8. #recipe
9. #foodvideo
10. #tasty

4) Travel

1. #travelshorts
2. #wanderlust
3. #travelvlog
4. #exploretheworld
5. #backpacking
6. #luxurytravel
7. #travelhacks
8. #solotravel
9. #culture
10. #roadtrip
11. #naturelover
12. #beachlife
13. #travelinspo
14. #travelling
15. #backpacking

5) Fitness & Health:

1. #fitnessshorts
2. #workoutroutine
3. #healthyliving
4. #fitlife
5. #wellnessjourney
6. #yogadaily
7. #crossfit
8. #nutritiontips
9. #homeworkout
10. #gym
11. #selfcare
12. #meditation
13. #bodybuilding
14. #exercise
15. #fullbody
16. #fullbodyworkout
17. #noequipment
18. #exerciseforbeginners
19. #workoutforbeginners
20. #calisthenics

6) Fashion & Beauty:

1. #fashionshorts
2. #styleinspo
3. #makeuptutorial
4. #beautytips
5. #streetstyle
6. #skincareroutine
7. #vintagefashion
8. #haircaretips
9. #nailart
10. #glam
11. #makeup
12. #outfitoftheday
13. #ootd
14. #fashiontips
15. #fashionfinds

7) Technology:

1. #techshorts
2. #gadgetreview
3. #technews
4. #innovation
5. #futuretech
6. #artificialintelligence
7. #blockchain
8. #smartphone
9. #laptops
10. #pc
11. #mac
12. #techgadgets
13. #cybersecurity
14. #technology
15. #techgeek
16. #vr
17. #ar
18. #ai
19. #techreview
20. #unboxing

8) Education:

1. #edushorts
2. #studytips
3. #learning
4. #tutorial
5. #onlinecourses
6. #mathtutorial
7. #languagelearning
8. #historyfacts
9. #learn
10. #students

9) Comedy:

1. #comedyshorts
2. #funnymoments
3. #lol
4. #sketchcomedy
5. #funny
6. #standupcomedy
7. #prankvideos
8. #memereview
9. #comedysketch
10. #funnyfails
11. #comedyvideo
12. #laughing
13. #funnyfails
14. #funnyvideos
15. #memevideo

10) DIY & Crafts:

1. #diyshorts
2. #crafting
3. #handmade
4. #doityourself
5. #creativeideas
6. #homedecordiy
7. #papercrafts
8. #kitting
9. #knittingprojects
10. #upcycling
11. #sewingtutorials
12. #diycrafts
13. #homedecor
14. #craftlover
15. #handcrafted

11) Motivational:

1. #motivation
2. #inspiration
3. #positivethinking
4. #goalsetting
5. #success
6. #mindset
7. #uplift
8. #encouragement
9. #personalgrowth
10. #selfimprovement

12) Photography and Videography

1. #photography
2. #photooftheday
3. #videography
4. #editing
5. #landscapephotography
6. #camera
7. #filmmaking
8. #photoediting
9. #portraitphotography
10. #creativevideos

13) Sports:

1. #sports
2. #athlete
3. #soccer
4. #basketball
5. #football
6. #marathon
7. #trainingday
8. #sportshighlights
9. #workouts
10. #trackandfield

14) Pets & Animals:

1. #pets
2. #animals
3. #doglover
4. #catlover
5. #wildlife
6. #cutepets
7. #puppylove
8. #exoticpets
9. #petsofyoutube
10. #animalvideos

15) Business & Entrepreneurship:

1. #bizshorts
2. #entrepreneurlife
3. #startuptips
4. #marketingstrategies
5. #leadership
6. #business
7. #entrepreneurship
8. #startups
9. #marketingtips
10. #successmindset
11. #hustle
12. #leadership
13. #businessgrowth
14. #personalbrand
15. #ecommerce

16) Art & Design:

1. #art
2. #drawing
3. #digitalart
4. #painting
5. #sketching
6. #graphicdesign
7. #artprocess
8. #watercolor
9. #artistlife
10. #illustration

17) Lifestyle:

1. #lifestyle
2. #dailyvlog
3. #selfcare
4. #homeroutine
5. #familylife
6. #relatablecontent
7. #healthyhabits
8. #simpleliving
9. #lifehacks
10. #personalblog

18) Finance & Investing:

1. #financeshorts
2. #investingtips
3. #moneymanagement
4. #stockmarket
5. #wealthbuilding
6. #finance
7. #investing
8. #wealthbuilding
9. #financialfreedom
10. #moneymanagement
11. #budgeting
12. #savingtips
13. #passiveincome
14. #stockmarket
15. #realestate

19) Parenting & Family:

1. #parentingshorts
2. #familytime
3. #momlife
4. #dadlife
5. #parentingtips
6. #kidsactivities
7. #familyvlog
8. #parenthood
9. #raisingkids
10. #familygoals

20) Science & Education:

1. #science
2. #education
3. #stem
4. #learning
5. #knowledgeispower
6. #sciencefacts
7. #spaceexploration
8. #sciencetoday
9. #edutainment
10. #discoveryscience
    

How to Use Hashtags for YouTube Shorts

Using hashtags on YouTube Shorts is about more than slapping a few trending tags onto your video. To truly make them work for you, it’s important to approach hashtags strategically. Here’s how:

1. Choose Relevant Hashtags

Your hashtags should align with your video’s content, audience, and niche. For example, if your video is a workout tutorial, use hashtags like #fitness, #workout, and #healthylifestyle. Irrelevant hashtags might attract clicks, but they won’t hold viewers’ attention (and YouTube’s algorithm notices.)

2. Mix Broad and Niche Tags

Broad hashtags like #Shorts or #YouTubeShorts can help boost visibility, but they’re highly competitive. Pair these with more specific, niche hashtags to connect with targeted audiences. For example, #Gaming is broad, while #FPSGameplay targets a specific audience. Putting those two together is yet another way for the algorithm to categorize your shorts, and who sees them.

3. Limit the Number of Hashtags

YouTube allows up to 15 hashtags, but you don’t need to use all of them. Overloading your description with tags can dilute their impact, and appear as spammy by both viewers and the algorithm. Aim for 3-8 hashtags that are most relevant to your content and audience.

4. Use Hashtags in the Video Title or Description

Hashtags placed in the video’s description automatically appear above your title, making them more visible. For key hashtags, consider adding one or two directly to the title for maximum impact—but only if they fit naturally.

5. Research Trending and Effective Tags

Use tools like YouTube’s search bar, Google Trends, or social media platforms to identify trending hashtags in your niche. Look at what top creators in your space are using and adapt them for your content.

Are YouTube Hashtags That Important?

The short answer? They’re helpful, but not essential. Hashtags on YouTube Shorts work as a nice bonus. They won’t make or break your video’s success, but they can give it an extra push in the right direction.

Here’s how they fit into the bigger picture:

How Hashtags Work on YouTube

Hashtags help categorize your content, making it easier for viewers to discover videos related to specific topics or trends. When users click on a hashtag, they’re taken to a page filled with videos using the same tag, creating opportunities for your Shorts to appear in front of a targeted audience. But keep in mind, YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes other factors, like watch time, engagement, and click-through rates, over hashtags.

The Real Role of Hashtags

Think of hashtags as a support tool rather than a driving force. They enhance your video’s visibility by linking it to broader conversations or niches, but they won’t fix poor content or low engagement. If your video is already performing well, hashtags can amplify its reach. If it’s struggling, hashtags alone won’t save it.

When They’re Most Useful

1. Niche Targeting: Hashtags are great for connecting with specific communities. For example, #CookingTips or #FitnessShorts can help you tap into audiences searching for those topics.
2. Trending Topics: If your video ties into a current trend, hashtags like #Challenge or #NewMusic can boost discoverability.
3. YouTube SEO Boost: While not as powerful as a well-optimized title, description, or thumbnail, hashtags can support your video’s overall YouTube SEO strategy by adding relevant keywords.

Why They’re Not Critical

YouTube’s algorithm doesn’t rely heavily on hashtags to recommend videos. Factors like viewer behavior, content relevance, and engagement carry far more weight. This means you should prioritize creating high-quality, engaging content with strong titles, thumbnails, and descriptions. Hashtags are just the cherry on top.

The Bottom Line

Are hashtags important? Sure, but in a complementary way. Think of them as one tool in your creator toolkit, not the main ingredient. If you’ve got solid content and a good understanding of your audience, hashtags can help amplify your reach and connect you with the viewers who’ll love your videos.

Create YouTube Shorts with Podcastle

Hashtags can help your Shorts get picked up, but the real impact comes from how they’re made. If your video looks clean, sounds clear, and holds attention from the first second, people are more likely to stick around. That’s where the right editing tools come in.

Podcastle's AI video editor gives you everything you need to shape your content without wasting time or energy on software that gets in the way. It’s simple, flexible, and built for creators who care about quality.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

1. More than 1,000 ultra-realistic AI voices for voiceovers, scripts, or short skits
2. AI-powered tools to fix eye contact, clean up audio, remove filler words, and swap out your background if needed
3. A one-click video resizer that fits your video perfectly to YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Reels, and more
4. A full library of royalty-free music and sound effects to help you set the right pace or mood
5. Stock videos, images, and GIFs to round out your story or fill in what you didn’t shoot

If you’re making Shorts and want a smoother way to bring them to life, try Podcastle.