The Ultimate Guide To Video SEO

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about video SEO. Whether you’re looking to boost your video rankings on YouTube or Google, you’ll find valuable insights and practical tips here. From optimising titles and descriptions to using the right keywords, this guide will help you enhance your video visibility and reach a wider audience. Keep reading to discover effective strategies for ranking your videos successfully.

CHAPTER 1: Video Keyword Research

Video keyword research is different from research for text-based blog posts for two main reasons.

Reason #1: Most views come from YouTube suggesting videos, not from search engines. While optimising for YouTube and Google search is important, only about 15-25% of video traffic typically comes from search.

Reason #2: Users search differently on Google and YouTube. A keyword might have 100,000 monthly searches on Google but only 50 on YouTube. Conversely, a keyword that is very popular on YouTube may have much lower search volume on Google.

Now, let’s look at five effective video keyword research techniques.

YouTube Suggest

This works like Google Suggest. Type a keyword into YouTube’s search bar, and you’ll see a list of suggestions. This feature shows you what people are actually searching for.

TubeBuddy Tags

TubeBuddy is a free extension that reveals the tags your competitors use for their videos. After installing the extension, visit a competitor’s video and click the “tags” tab to see their video tags and ranking data.

VidIQ Keyword Search

VidIQ is a useful tool for YouTube keyword research. Sign up and enter a keyword to receive a list of related keywords and helpful metrics that identify low-competition, high-volume terms.

YT Cockpit

YT Cockpit is designed specifically for YouTube keyword research. Enter a seed keyword to see suggestions and metrics like search volume and CPC. It also evaluates competition by showing video length, likes, and comments for each ranking video.

YouTube Studio Stats

YouTube Studio is great if your channel has some traction. It shows keywords you already rank for. Access this data through the “Analytics” section, focusing on “Traffic Source: YouTube Search.” Use this information to optimise existing videos or create new ones based on those keywords.

Now that you have a list of keywords, the next step is to create a great video, which I’ll cover in Chapter 2.

CHAPTER 2: Create Great Videos

To rank well on YouTube, your videos need to stand out. But what does “great” really mean? It’s defined by several important metrics:

Session Time
Watch Time
Audience Retention
Engagement
Click-Through Rate (CTR)

By focusing on these factors, you can improve your chances of appearing at the top of search results. Let’s break down each metric and how to create videos that perform well.

Total Watch Time

Total Watch Time (TWT) is a crucial ranking factor. It refers to the total minutes your video is watched. You can find this data in YouTube Studio. To boost your TWT, consider making longer videos. For instance, if you have a 12-minute video versus a 4-minute one, the longer video will generally accumulate more watch time if viewers watch a similar percentage of both.

Audience Retention

Audience retention indicates the percentage of your video that viewers watch. The more they watch, the better. Here are tips to improve audience retention:

– Focus on the First 15 Seconds: This part is vital. If you can engage viewers quickly, they’re more likely to stay.

– Analyze Peaks and Valleys: Review your audience retention reports to identify what keeps viewers engaged and what causes them to drop off.

– Use Pattern Interrupts: Incorporate changes or surprises in your video to reset viewer attention and keep them watching.

Session Watch Time

Session Watch Time measures how long viewers stay on YouTube after watching your video. To enhance this metric, consider creating playlists. This way, if someone watches your playlist, it increases your session watch time. Additionally, include links to your other videos and your channel at the end of each video to encourage viewers to keep watching.

User Engagement

Engagement is another key factor. YouTube looks for active interactions, such as likes, comments, shares, and subscriptions. Here are some ways to boost engagement:

Encourage Comments: Ask viewers specific questions to prompt them to comment.
Clear Subscription Call-to-Action: Include a straightforward request for viewers to subscribe to your channel.
Respond to Comments: Engaging with comments can encourage more interactions, leading to higher engagement rates.

Now that you have a solid video, it’s time to optimise it for keywords. That’s what Chapter 3 will cover.

CHAPTER 3: Video Optimization

When it comes to video SEO, simply creating great content isn’t enough. You also need to optimise your video for the keywords people use on YouTube and Google.

Video Title

Your video title should achieve two goals:

Include your target keyword.
Maximise click-through rate (CTR).

To optimise your title, simply incorporate your target keyword once.

Video Description

Aim for a description of at least 200 words. A longer description helps YouTube better understand your video’s topic, which can improve its chances of being suggested alongside other videos.

YouTube Video Tags

Tags are less important than they used to be, but it’s still good practice to use them. Include about five relevant tags, making sure one is your target keyword.

Say Your Target Keyword in Each Video

YouTube can understand what you say in your video, so include your target keyword a couple of times to help reinforce the topic.

Upload a Transcript

Providing a transcript can help YouTube fully grasp your video’s subject matter, increasing the chances of it appearing in suggested videos.

Optimise Your Video for CTR

CTR is a significant ranking factor. If many users click on your video for a particular keyword, it may boost your ranking. Here are some ways to optimise for CTR:

Compelling Title: Make your title attractive while including your target keyword.
Eye-Catching Thumbnails: Create custom thumbnails that stand out.
Attention-Grabbing Description: The first 125 characters of your description should encourage clicks.

Now that your video is optimised for keywords, let’s look at another crucial factor: channel authority.

CHAPTER 4: Channel Authority

Your channel’s authority affects how your videos perform on YouTube. Videos from established channels tend to rank higher than those from new ones. Here’s how to build your channel’s authority.

Your Channel’s Branding and Messaging

Clearly define how your channel stands out. If visitors don’t understand your purpose, you may lose potential subscribers. A consistent message will attract the right audience.

Your Channel Header

Include your channel’s slogan in your header for brand consistency.

Animated Logo

An animated logo helps reinforce your brand message. Include your slogan to strengthen recognition.

About Page Description

In your channel’s about page, include your slogan and relevant keywords to improve search visibility.

Playlists

Create playlists that reflect your channel’s focus. Optimise these playlists for long-tail keywords to improve their ranking.

Number of Subscribers

While it’s unclear if more subscribers directly impact rankings, popular channels typically receive more views, which benefits performance. Here are ways to increase your subscriber count:

Channel Trailer: Create a short trailer that explains who you are, why viewers should care, and what makes your channel unique.

Ask for Subscriptions: Encourage viewers to subscribe at the end of each video, especially if they’ve watched to the end.
Link to Your Channel: Include a link to your YouTube channel on your website and social media profiles.

CHAPTER 5: Ranking Videos in Google

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to rank your videos in Google.

The Key to Ranking Videos

Google prioritises certain keywords for video results, which I call “Video Keywords.” To rank your videos, you need to target these keywords. If you optimise your video for a keyword that doesn’t have existing video results, it will be very difficult to rank.

For instance, “how to clean an iPhone” is a good example of a video keyword.

Finding Video Keywords

To identify Video Keywords, search for your potential keyword in Google. If there’s at least one video in the top 10 results, that’s a good sign. If not, you may need to choose a different keyword.

Pro Tip: The top 3 positions in Google get 55% of clicks, so focus on keywords with video results in those spots.

How to Rank YouTube Videos in Google

Once you’ve created a YouTube video around a Video Keyword, how do you get it to show up in Google? The key is to make a high-quality video and optimise it. After that, focus on getting backlinks to your video. The more quality backlinks you have, the better your ranking will be.

I’ll explain how to promote your videos in the next chapter.

Ranking Self-Hosted Videos in Google

If you self-host your videos on your site, like using Wistia, it is possible to rank them, but it’s much harder than ranking YouTube videos. In fact, 82% of video results on Google come from YouTube, which is expected since Google owns it.

However, here’s how to rank self-hosted videos:

Put the Video at the Top of Your Page: Place your video at the top to show Google it’s the main content.
Publish a Transcript Below Your Video: A transcript helps search engines understand your video better. Make sure it’s easy to read to improve dwell time and reduce bounce rate.
Use Video Schema: Both Google and Bing support Video Schema markup. Here’s what you need:

Keyword-Rich Video Title: Avoid generic titles; instead, use something like “5 Ways to Rank Videos in Google.”
Video Description: Include a brief description with your target keyword.
Video Duration and Upload Date: No description needed for these.
Eye-Catching Thumbnail: Make sure your thumbnail stands out in search results.

You can set up schema manually, but it’s easier to use Wistia or the Yoast WordPress plugin for videos.

Now that your video is live, it’s time to promote it.

CHAPTER 6: Video Promotion Strategies

Every minute, 400 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube. With so much content available, even your best videos need effective promotion. In this chapter, I’ll cover how to promote your videos.

Announce New Videos to Your Email List

Whenever you publish a new video, notify your email subscribers. This is straightforward but effective. Your subscribers gain access to new content, and your video gets quality views.

These initial views can help your video appear on more YouTube homepages, leading to even more views.

Pro Tip: YouTube now prioritises videos on users’ homepages over search results, so optimising your videos for this is essential. Check your video’s performance by going to YouTube Studio Analytics: “Reach Viewers” → “Traffic Source Types” → “Browse Features.”

If your video is well-made and optimised, it should show up on homepages after some promotion.

Share Your Videos on Social Media

While sharing on social media may seem obvious, it can still generate interest. Promote your video on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Pro Tip: Encourage your social media followers to subscribe to your YouTube channel. If they follow you on social media, they’re likely to subscribe easily.

Embed Videos in Your Blog Posts

Embedding videos helps your ranking for two reasons: they serve as a YouTube ranking signal and create a backlink to your video. Don’t hesitate to embed your top videos in blog content, as this can significantly increase views, especially if you have fewer subscribers.