Businesses are using videos more and more often to maximize their SEO efforts. Video content has many advantages over written articles. They’re often more engaging and easier for most people to understand. Videos are also better at catching your audience’s attention and keeping their interest. Here’s a few tips that are sure to make your videos more findable on search engines.
Your video is ready to publish. What’s the next step? You will need to decide whether to host your video on YouTube or directly on your website. Many businesses choose to host videos on YouTube because it’s free and easy to use. It’s also easier to rank on YouTube as the platform already has a massive following. However, self-hosting also comes with a plethora of benefits.
If you do decide to post on YouTube, you’ll want to consider YouTube’s unique algorithm that they use to rank videos. The platform takes a number of factors into consideration, such as how often a video is viewed, how long someone views a video, the number of comments and subscribers, how often a video is added to a playlist, and how often a video is embedded on the internet.
Incorporate Keywords
One of the best ways to boost SEO is with keywords. Keywords tell web bots what your video is about. Therefore, make an effort to include keywords in your video’s title, description, and tags. With the right keywords, you also have a better chance at ranking high on Google and YouTube. If you’re not sure which keywords to incorporate, take a look at this short guide to choosing keywords for SEO.
Write a Catchy Title
The title of the video is what draws people in. Create a catchy title that is both SEO-friendly and will stand out amongst similar videos. Try to place your keywords towards the beginning of the title. For example, if you’re aiming for the phrase ‘learn to swim’, write something like “Learn to Swim in 10 Easy Steps.”
Include a Detailed Description
Bots cannot actually watch your video. Therefore, you need to include relevant information in the description. Write keyword-rich content that will get your video recognized and ranked high on the search engines.
Add Tags
While they may seem insignificant, tags play a major role in SEO. Use important keywords and key phrases in your tags to tell the bots how your video should be categorized. Tags also help your target audience find your video when they search for certain keywords.
Create a Sitemap
When you create a video, you want it to be indexed right away. Creating a sitemap can make it happen. When you create a video sitemap, you’re showing people that your video is on your website as opposed to other platforms like YouTube.
Having a high-quality video is key to achieving quality SEO results. When you have a great video, more people will watch and share your content, resulting in natural links and embeds across the internet. Make your video stand out with custom thumbnails, rich snippets, and titles that will have people clicking to see what you have to offer.