If you’re just starting your YouTube channel, one of the biggest challenges is competition. Big creators dominate broad, popular keywords, making it nearly impossible for new channels to rank. The secret to success? Focus on keywords and topics that have real search traffic but lower competition.
This strategy allows small and new channels to get discovered faster, build momentum, and attract the right audience. Here’s how to do it step by step.
1. Use YouTube Autocomplete (Free Hack)
YouTube’s own search bar is one of the best tools. When you type a keyword, YouTube suggests phrases based on real user searches.
Example:
- Type “workout.” You’ll see suggestions like:
- “workout music”
- “workout dumbbell”
- “workout at home”
- …
You can use these suggestions, or you can type more to get more specific suggestions, like “workout at home”, You’ll see suggestions like:
- workout at home for beginners
- workout at home full body
- workout at home for belly fat
- …
Each of these is a long-tail keyword: more specific, less competitive, but still has strong demand.
👉 Pro Tip: Start your titles with these exact phrases. It matches what viewers are typing.
Keep in mind: The more specific the keyword, the smaller the search volume—but also the lower the competition. As a new channel, you don’t need to chase the biggest, trendiest keywords right away. Instead, focus on narrower, more specialized audiences who are highly likely to click and engage with your content.
Over time, as your channel gains authority and influence, you can start balancing between search volume and competition. In other words:
- At the beginning → prioritize low competition + niche relevance.
- Later on → expand gradually toward higher search volume keywords once you have an engaged subscriber base.
👉 Think of it like climbing a ladder: first secure smaller wins, then aim for bigger markets.
2. Use TubeBuddy or vidIQ for Keyword Scoring
These tools are designed for creators and show you:
- Search volume (how many people look for it).
- Competition level (how hard it is to rank).
- Overall keyword score (balancing both).
Strategy:
- Look for high volume, low competition.
- Even better, aim for “fair” opportunities: decent traffic, but still achievable for small channels.
👉 Example: “YouTube SEO” might have high volume but high competition. But “YouTube SEO for small channels 2025” could have medium volume and low competition—a sweet spot.
3. Speed Matters: “Strike First” With Time-Sensitive Content
In YouTube SEO, there’s one principle that often beats everything else: Speed is power. If your content is related to news, commentary, product launches, or reviews, timing can decide whether your video gets buried or goes viral.
When a trending topic breaks, YouTube’s algorithm doesn’t yet have many videos to recommend. That means even small channels have the chance to appear at the top of search results if they publish fast. Later, when big creators join in, the algorithm already recognizes your video as one of the earliest and continues showing it to users.
In other words, some hot keywords actually start with zero competition. At the very beginning, the search volume may be small, but because almost no one has covered it yet, your video faces little to no competition. As the product explodes in popularity or the event gains momentum, search volume skyrockets, and suddenly, that same keyword becomes extremely valuable.
👉 If you can correctly predict these rising trends and act quickly, you’ve essentially discovered a short-term keyword “gold mine”: high search volume with low competition. For small channels, this is a rare window where speed creates authority, and authority brings long-lasting traffic.
Example:
- When ChatGPT first became publicly known in late 2022, very few creators uploaded tutorials or commentary. Those who did in the first week—no matter how small their channels were—saw their videos rank at the top. Later, as the topic exploded, those early videos accumulated millions of views.
- Similarly, during Apple events, early uploads about “iPhone 16 leaks” or “WWDC 2025 summary” dominate search before big tech YouTubers publish their polished versions.
👉 Lesson: Trends = temporary windows of low competition. If you can predict them, you don’t just ride the wave—you own it.
Example 1: iPhone Launches
Tech creators who cover Apple events know this rule well. If you’re waiting until after the keynote to start writing your script, you’re already late. Smart creators prepare baseline drafts in advance using leaks, rumors, and expectations. The moment Apple reveals official specs, they update the video quickly and upload within hours. Early videos often dominate search results for keywords like “iPhone 16 hands-on” or “iPhone 16 features explained.”
Example 2: Breaking News Commentary
During political events or celebrity controversies, the first few hours are crucial. For example, when YouTube changed its monetization rules in 2023, smaller commentary channels that published breakdown videos within the first 12 hours gained hundreds of thousands of views, because people were searching for explanations before larger media outlets reacted.
Example 3: Hot Product Reviews
In the gaming niche, being first with a review or performance test can set your video apart. When a new console or game launches, early reviewers—even small channels—can capture search queries like “PS6 first impressions” or “Zelda 2025 gameplay review”. Later videos, even from bigger creators, often struggle to outrank those early uploads.
👉 The lesson: if your content is time-sensitive, being early beats being perfect. Publish fast, then refine or follow up later. Over time, as your audience grows, both speed and authority work together, giving you dominance in search results.
4. Leverage Google Trends
Google Trends isn’t just for websites—it works for YouTube too. It shows how search interest changes over time.
How to use it:
Compare keywords：
like two keywords: “YouTube SEO tips” vs. “YouTube algorithm 2025.”
Fine-Tuning Keyword Selection
Choosing the right keyword isn’t just about search volume today—it’s about predicting what will matter tomorrow. If you want to focus on a field like AI tools, you can search it in Google trends to Check the “Related Queries” Section.
You’ll see two categories: Rising and Top
- Rising shows keywords that are suddenly gaining traction, even if the current search volume is small. Some will fade quickly (short-lived hype), but others may steadily grow into major keywords.
- Top shows the highest-volume keywords right now. These are harder to rank for, especially if you’re a new channel, but they tell you where the mainstream audience is.
Instead of targeting these keywords directly, small channels should treat them as a starting point. Use them to explore related searches and uncover more specific, long-tail keywords. By creating content around these detailed keywords, you’ll face less competition while still tapping into the broader trend.
Think of “Rising” keywords like venture capital investments—you don’t know which one will blow up, so spread your efforts.
- Create multiple quick videos on different “Rising” queries.
- If one of them takes off, it could bring massive traffic, even if your channel is small.
5. Niche Down + Target Specific Audiences
The smaller your channel, the narrower your focus should be. Combine your niche with a specific audience segment.
- Broad: “Cooking recipes.” (too competitive)
- Niche: “Vegan recipes.” (better)
- Niche + audience: “Quick vegan lunch recipes for college students.” (perfect for small channels).
👉 This makes your content highly discoverable to the right people.
6. Analyze Competitors’ Missed Opportunities
Check other channels in your niche:
- Which videos are performing well?
- What topics haven’t they covered yet?
- Are there unanswered questions in their comment sections?
👉 Example: A big tech channel reviews the iPhone 16. Thousands of comments ask about battery life after one week. A small creator jumps on this and uploads “iPhone 16 Battery Life Test After 1 Week”. Result? Thousands of views and new subscribers—because they filled a gap.
7. Case Study: Winning With Low-Competition Keywords
A small gaming channel struggled to rank for “Minecraft guide.” Competition was insane. Instead, they pivoted to:
- “Minecraft survival tips for beginners”
- “Best Minecraft seeds 2025 for survival mode”
These long-tail topics had lower competition. Within two months, their videos consistently ranked on search and suggested feeds—bringing in their first 5,000 subscribers.
Final Thoughts
If you want to grow a new or small channel, don’t fight big creators head-on. Instead:
- Use YouTube autocomplete for long-tail ideas.
- Check keyword scores with TubeBuddy/vidIQ.
- Spot trends early with Google Trends.
- Niche down + target a specific audience.
- Fill the gaps big channels leave behind.
👉 Rule of thumb: Don’t chase the biggest keywords—own the smaller ones. They’ll bring you steady traffic, authority, and eventually, the chance to rank for bigger topics.