How to rank on YouTube search results?

[RisingAdmin]

I want my videos to show up when people search for specific topics but i can never seem to rank higher than page 2 or 3. my videos always get buried under bigger channels

Is there a way to rank in youtube search as a small channel or is it basically impossible to compete with established channels?

What SEO strategies actually work for ranking in search?

[LenaVlogs]

Honestly, search traffic is overrated for most channels. suggested videos and browse features drive way more views once you get momentum

that said, search is good when you're starting out because it's one of the few ways to get views without an existing audience

The secret to ranking isn't SEO tricks, it's making videos that answer the search query better than anyone else. youtube tracks user satisfaction - if people search for something, watch your video, and don't search for that topic again, youtube knows your video solved their problem

compare your video to the top 3 results for your target keyword. is yours actually better? more thorough? better explained? if not, you won't outrank them no matter how much you optimize

also look at the search volume. some keywords have almost no searches so even if you rank #1 you'll only get like 10 views per month. focus on keywords that actually have decent search volume (use tools like TubeBuddy to check this)

and be patient. new videos take time to rank. sometimes i don't rank until 2-3 months after posting as the algorithm figures out if my video is actually good

[SocialBee]

You can definitely rank as a small channel but you need to target the right keywords. you're not going to outrank established channels for broad topics

instead of trying to rank for "how to edit videos" try "how to edit videos in davinci resolve for beginners 2025" - way more specific and less competition

here's my strategy for ranking in search:
1. use super specific long-tail keywords that bigger channels haven't covered
2. make sure the keyword is in your title (as close to the beginning as possible)
3. say the keyword multiple times in the first minute of your video
4. include timestamps in your description

Also youtube search results are based on relevance AND performance. even if you optimize perfectly, if people click away after 20 seconds you won't rank. your video needs to actually be good and deliver on what people searched for

i get about 35% of my views from youtube search by focusing on specific questions people ask. it's the best traffic source for small channels because it's consistent and predictable