Video search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of enhancing your video content to rank on the search engine results pages (SERPs). With video optimization, your goal should be to build links to increase organic traffic to your website, boosting conversions. To meet that goal, there are a few key aspects to take into consideration. The YouTube SEO experts at Zero Gravity Marketing (ZGM) are here to explain how you can become a video SEO pro:
Metadata is just as important, if not more critical, in a video succeeding online than the content within them. What we mean by metadata is all of the information you would include with your video so the search engines can recognize and rank it. This covers everything from the title and description to the hashtags.
Since YouTube is a video search engine, you should approach what metadata you implement strategically by beginning with keyword research. If you work with a video marketing agency, SEO strategists can conduct this research and see what your audience is interested in and how they word their video searches. From there, they can implement their expertise and decide what digital marketing strategy is best for your company.
Google Ads Keyword Planner is a great tool to check the potential utility of the keywords you might want to use as metadata. When you look up the keyword you’re thinking of using, see whether the Keyword Planner shows any videos for that word on their first page of results. If they do, you’re on the right track.
Whether you use YouTube or another platform to host your videos, you will be allowed to include a description. A description can consist of an actual YouTube transcription of the video itself, enabling the search engines to come as close as possible to actually watching the video. Transcriptions are a fantastic opportunity to include high-volume keywords that site visitors might use to search for your video category. Don’t just stop there; all text options like closed captions and subtitles are an area where you should take advantage of SEO, too.
The best way to attract favorable search engine attention is to create content that your viewers feel inspired to share with their friends. Increasing numbers of inbound links (people clicking a link to your site from a post where another person shared your content) are what bumps your video up into that all-important first page of search results. You can boost your ranking by encouraging friends to like, comment, and subscribe to your video content and include a call to action (CTA) at the end of your video to do the same. Keep in mind that engagement goes beyond YouTube; embed your videos on-site or within blogs and promote your content via email. There are many ways to use social sharing in your YouTube marketing plan as the ultimate SEO fuel.
The search engines don’t mess around when it comes to SEO rules. When you follow best practices and create quality content, you will be recognized with a great ranking. If you don’t, you will wind up on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th page of Google with poor search results. To leverage your marketing campaign, make sure you aren’t abusing keywords, you’re creating great content, and regularly updating your website. If you repeatedly use the same keywords, don’t produce relevant blogs, or fall behind on website activity, you won’t be happy with the SEO outcome. By working with marketing experts who have YouTube video SEO services, they can keep these aspects on track, so you don’t have to.
As we mentioned, before your video ends, urge viewers to like the video, comment on it, and subscribe to your channel. The social momentum will take a bit of time to get rolling, but a strong CTA will nudge a few more crucial early sharers into action, and your website will see a rapid and stunning rise in popularity. The best CTAs are brief and promote urgency to get users to act fast.
Video content is continually being created, so you need to ensure you have a one-up against the competition in the search engines. However, having compelling content is only the beginning: High-level video SEO tools will make sure your effort to create and post your unique content will translate readily into an increasing web of leads. To do so, you need to work with experts who can personalize a video SEO strategy for your business. Contact ZGM today to learn more about our YouTube video SEO service!