YouTube has now become the biggest video platform overtaking television and other entertainment sources. YouTube users are higher in number as compared to other platforms.
Many people today rely on YouTube for tutorials, product reviews, entertainment, and educational purposes. Considering the vast nature of usability of YouTube, you must know how essential YouTube optimization is.
How YouTube SEO works?
People are unaware of SEO on YouTube and how it works to provide better results. SEO is not only about content and websites it plays a critical role in video marketing and YouTube as well.
Well, your video needs to rank on the top of YouTube for people to click and watch it. We all know YouTube is the second most searched platform after Google, and it is what rankings play a significant role in YouTube as well.
Why Do You Need A YouTube SEO Strategy?
If you don’t have an SEO strategy, let us help you with one. While developing a strategy for YouTube, you need to consider many factors. However, a few simple changes in the way you present your work on YouTube can bring massive changes.
YouTube video optimization can bring many benefits. Some benefits of youtube optimization are:
- Increases traffic on your channel: The more optimized your content is, the more traffic you’ll derive from your channel.
- Improves Ranking: The sole purpose of video marketing and Youtube is to generate higher search engine rankings. We all prefer to watch the top videos on youtube rather than going to the end videos. Youtube video optimization will bring your videos to the top rankings.
- Enhances Conversion Rate: Who doesn’t want better revenue and ROI? It is exactly what SEO does for you. It increases the conversion rate and revenue.
- Brand Awareness: If you are putting in efforts in making videos, you would definitely like to make more people aware of your services and products. It is where video optimization might help you. It hits the right audience, thus, creating better brand awareness.
8 Rocking YouTube SEO Tips
Now that you know how crucial it is to optimize the content on YouTube, let us learn some quick tips and tricks that’ll help you in making a strong YouTube presence.
YouTube Keyword Research
As in other forms of content, keywords play an essential role in YouTube as well. The keywords that are placed strategically in your content will derive better results. The SEO in YouTube works primarily on keyword research.
First, you can generate a list of potential keywords related to your video. Then, simply go to the search bar of YouTube and type these keywords. As you’ll see the preset search results displayed, try to analyze what people are looking for.
For example, you have made a video on Christmas Party Ideas. As you search it on YouTube, you’ll be suggested with keywords like Christmas ideas 2021, Lockdown Christmas ideas, and many more. It will give you a gist of what people are searching for. Now that you’ll know this, you can use those keywords through your video, title, channel, etc. So, keyword optimization is the key to optimization
Optimize your video title
Now that you have found keywords for your YouTube content. We head forward to the next step of optimization. The second step is to find the most popular keyword out of all those you’ve searched and place it in your video title.
When users search for videos, they’ll be more attracted to a video with a gaudy title. Therefore, search keywords, put them in your video title, but in a natural way. Make your title compelling and clear.
Optimizing video titles makes sure your user finds exactly what he’s looking for and is also compelled to watch the video you’re presenting.
Video Description Optimization
Not only your video title but also the video description plays an important role in SEO. The character limit for YouTube video description is 1000 characters. However, you should not write an essay as your main purpose is the video.
As a user searches something on the search tab, the videos that are displayed show only 1-2 description lines, which is about 100 characters. The user will read the further description if he clicks the show more option.
Now that you know those 100 characters are where you need to concentrate, make sure they are well-optimized. An optimized description also helps you to show up in the sidebar.
Don’t forget the About Us page
Many people often overlook the About Us section of YouTube because they think it brings no difference. They are, however, wrong! Your About Us initials are also displayed on the YouTube search results so it is necessary to fill out this section.
You can freely describe your channel and the types of content you create in this section. It will provide value to your subscribers and wanna-be subscribers. Also, try inserting relevant keywords to further optimize this section as well.
Length Of Videos
Just like articles and blogs, the length is critical to YouTube content also. Audience retention depicts how much time viewers spend watching your videos. The longer your video will be, the more time users will be spending watching them.
What many famous YouTubers do is hold some valuable tip, content, or offer to disclose at the end of the video so that the viewer sticks through the entire length of the video. It increases their audience retention and brings a better ranking.
So, ensure you make videos longer than 10 minutes with some surprise for the viewer, in the end, to keep them hooked.
Understanding how youtube search works
YouTube search works in quite a simple way. The YouTube search algorithm utilizes engagement signals from its users. As discussed before, audience retention, watch time of a specific video for a specific query all decide the videos to be displayed on the search tab.
Another important aspect is the relevance of content. YouTube checks real-time feedback according to different viewer’s interests. On this basis, the videos are displayed.
Playlist Creation
Playlists are an optimum part of YouTube. They boost watch time like no other technique. As YouTube automatically moves users to the next video, the watch time increases effectively.
Video threading forms a larger playlist for the viewer. The viewer who came to watch a single video might now watch a set of videos from your playlist. On the other hand, it is always suggested to create a playlist of short videos clubbed together, rather than uploading a single one hour video.
Have You Heard Of Customized Thumbnails?
A relatively new but efficient way of optimizing YouTube is creating thumbnails. Creative video thumbnails act well in YouTube SERPs nowadays. For those who don’t know, YouTube now allows dynamic thumbnails as the user hovers over them.
It gives the audience a preview of the content they’ll be watching. The more attractive your thumbnail will be, the more users might click it increasing your click-through rates. You can add vibrant color schemes, banners, patterns, or combinations of different elements. However, make sure the thumbnail is relevant and matches the purpose of your video.
Final Takeaway
Being a marketer or any other professional, if you are using YouTube but are not benefitting from its features completely, it is time you make some changes. YouTube is a top-notch platform for anyone to drive an audience and earn money.
Optimizing YouTube content can help you in ways you don’t even know. The tips we have suggested are very easy and quick and can be implemented almost immediately to all your YouTube videos. Some other ways of using YouTube SEO are by working on adding captions, subtitles, video cards, channel art, trailer, and many more. If your video content is robust and optimized, your channel will outshine all competitors.