The role of YouTube in digital marketing cannot be denied. Not only is it one of the most popular social media platforms, but it’s also the second-most-used search engine, after Google. This makes it an effective and important channel for brands to reach buyers and grow sales.

To understand what’s trending on YouTube, we need to look at what sort of queries users are carrying out on the platform—in other words, the top YouTube searches. This will give you a better idea of what’s popular, which you can then incorporate into your video marketing strategy on YouTube.

Start selling online now with Shopify

Start your free trial

Top YouTube searches in Q3 2023

According to the latest data, in Q3 2023, the query “song” topped the list of the most popular searches on YouTube. This is followed by “movie,” which has a search index of 63 against an index of 100 for “song.”

The data does not classify the top YouTube searches by the absolute search volume each keyword receives on the video-sharing platform. Instead, it ranks them according to the search volume of a keyword relative to the top-performing query. This means that, with an index of 63, the search term “movie” received 63% of the total search volume received by the top-ranking keyword on YouTube, “song.”

→ Click Here to Launch Your Online Business with Shopify

“Video” ranks third on the most popular searches on YouTube. With an index of 42, this search term received less than half of the search volume received by the top query, “song.” This is followed by search terms “songs” and “how to.” Both are in joint fifth place with an index of 34 each. 

Number six on the list of the top searches on YouTube in Q3 2023 is “DJ,” with an index of 23. Search terms “love” follows, with an index of 20. The queries “cartoon cartoon” and “film” are next in joint eighth, with an index of 19. “Cartoon” rounds out the list of the 10 most popular searches on YouTube in Q3 2023. It has a search index of 18.

As a video-sharing platform, it’s no wonder all of the top searches on YouTube pertain to music, shows, and movies. This is an important YouTube trend to keep in mind when marketing on YouTube. Knowing how users interact with YouTube can also give you more insight and help to guide your strategy. For instance, in 2024, the average time spent on YouTube is expected at 48.7 minutes per day.

Start selling online now with Shopify

Start your free trial

Want to learn more?