Video content is not a passing trend. In fact, businesses are wholeheartedly embracing it, especially after realizing the impact it has on your search engine optimization results. For businesses and digital specialists, videos help boost SERP rankings by lowering bounce rate, increasing click-through rates, and improving backlink profile, among others.
According to tech analyst and Forbes writer Mark Templeman projected that online video traffic will account for 80% of all consumer Internet traffic in 2019. Saying in Forbes that "Videos have a compelling way of fostering engagement, yielding results like click-throughs, shares, lead generation, and sales." In related findings by Hubspot, 83% of consumers will likely share the content with their network, if it is specific to their interests.
Also, the leading video content platform YouTube works seamlessly with the world's most powerful search engine. Google will show results to YouTube before any other platform as its search algorithms match. If you want to rank high on Google SERPs, uploading content on YouTube is your golden ticket.
Optimize your visual content to boost your traffic, engagement, and conversion rate with these video SEO tips:
- Use video analytics as your compass
- Do extensive keyword research
- Create compelling and keyword-driven titles
- Use relevant descriptions
- Create compelling tags
- Use high-resolution thumbnails
- Post content relevant to the host page
- Create fresh, engaging, and informative content
- Upload only in high resolution
- Go for high-quality audio
- Include closed captions
- Boost your subscriber base
- Post and share your videos at the right time
- Embed your videos in blog posts
- Use the Playlist feature
- Link your video in your email signature
- Make mobile-friendly content
- Accelerate your loading time
- Earn backlinks to your website
- Keep your videos short
- Make informative webinars
- Develop engaging tutorials
- Upload quality social videos
- Post-effective product demo videos
- Make more vertical content
Create quality video content that will place your website and social media pages on the map. Here are 25 video optimization tips for your 2019 SEO game plan.
1. Use video analytics as your compass
Video analytics will show you where you are and where you should be going. For instance, it provides invaluable information on audience retention or the length of time people watch your video before exiting. Audience retention is the main ranking factor, and it will help you in creating the right content for your audience. YouTube Analytics lets you know what's working and what's not. Use it as a compass in developing new content and monitoring on-going performance.
2. Do an extensive keyword research
Keywords will direct people to your videos, so it is a must to use accurate ones. List down potential keywords related to your video then use YouTube's autocomplete to identify the frequently-used keywords people use for video search. YouTube will then show long-tail keyword suggestions that you can use.
3. Create powerful and keyword driven titles
Video titles should not only be eye-catching, but they must also be interesting. Be careful not to sound like click-bait. Your titles should reflect the real content of the video. The titles must contain your target keywords to aid with your SEO and should have at least a minimum of 5 words.
4. Use relevant descriptions
When creating content, keep in mind that you are competing against countless content online. Stand out by knowing how to execute and optimize video description. YouTube only displays the first 157 characters out of 5,000; so make sure it contains your target keywords and call-to-action statement.
5. Create compelling tags
Never take tags for granted, as these can effectively optimize your video content. Similar to titles and descriptions, create tags that accurately describe the content and its topic. These must be related to your targeted keywords. The YouTube search bar can help you choose the right tags to use. Other tools you can use for tags and keyword research are Soovle, Ahrefs, and SECockpit.
6. Use high-resolution thumbnails
A video thumbnail can greatly influence a person's decision to view your content. Similar to a book cover, viewers judge a video by its thumbnail. Ditch the auto-generated still with something customized. Custom thumbnails are “dedicated, professionally shot, professionally edited images, designed to tease you about what's inside the video,” according to content strategist Rob Wilson.
Go for high-resolution thumbnails showing human faces that connect with your viewers. Another SEO tip is to add titles and tags containing related and relevant keywords.
7. Post content relevant to the host page
The contents in your pages must be cohesive. If a page is about various types of orchids, do not post a video about general gardening tips. Each of your contents must apply specifically to the content of its host page.
If you want to share a webinar of yours in let’s say Search Engine Journal or Search Engine Land, the video content you must share is under the topic of SEO, or at least related to Digital Marketing like PPC, Content Marketing, or Web Development.
8. Create fresh, engaging and informative content
Create content for people, not for search engines. Always upload fresh, engaging, and informative content. Quality is the most important ranking signal to YouTube and Google's algorithm.
What is quality content? Google sets out the basic principles and a list of specific guidelines on what you should not do, but nothing is categorically stated as definite rules in creating quality content because it still depends on who you are addressing it to.
For example, Gen C, also known as the Youtube Generation spends 66% of their time watching online videos compared to TV. They are empowered by technology to search authentic content across all platforms and all screens whenever and wherever they want. If you want to appeal to certain age groups and markets, then create material based on your selling point, branding, and what you believe is valuable to your content’s target market.
9. Upload only in high resolution
A high-resolution video is preferred by search engines, highly flexible in the encoding and playback processes, and improves user experience.
For free content, the recommended resolution is at least 1280 px x 720 px for a video with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and at least 640 px x 480 px for a 4:3 aspect ratio.
10. Go for high-quality audio
Poor audio can easily discourage viewers from playing videos and negatively affect your SEO rankings. To yield the highest quality for playing audio on YouTube, use only the supported formats (MP3, PCM, AAC, and FLAC), the minimum audio bitrate for lossy formats (64 kbps) and the minimum audible duration (33 seconds).
11. Include closed captions
YouTube has a global reach. Making your videos consumable to a wider audience can lead to higher user engagement and higher SEO ranking. Consider using closed captions (CC) which provides a video transcript. CC can also help increase your viewership and accurately index your content for SEO.
12. Boost your subscriber base
A strong subscriber base can boost your video SEO. Encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel and receive updates on new uploads by inserting a call-to-action at the end of every video. You may also include this in the description and add a widget on your website.
13. Post and share at the right time
Posting video content is about timing. For a higher SEO ranking, upload relevant content that keeps up with the latest trending searches. Some topics are highly searched on certain months (such as health insurance in January and barbecue or BBQ in July). You can use Google Trends to identify the best time to upload your video content for your audience.
14. Embed your videos in blog posts
The most effective way to integrate your content with YouTube is by embedding your videos in your blog posts. A post is more appealing and engaging with a video. You can also reuse old videos by linking them from new blog posts. Check out YouTube guidelines in embedding videos and playlists to a blog or website.
15. Use the Playlist feature
Playlists tend to rank higher than standalone videos in SERPs. This YouTube feature helps keep viewers clicking through related videos, increasing the view count, and encourages your viewers to stay longer on your page.
16. Link your video content in your email signature
User engagement measured by the comments and shares in your videos is a powerful ranking signal. You can further boost this by linking your content in your email signature, sharing it with your subscriber or customer base. After all, they are the ones who are the most interested in receiving news and updates from you.
17. Make mobile-friendly content
With 67% of the global population using mobile phones, it is a no-brainer that all your content must be mobile-friendly. Remember to use a player that is viewable across devices. The player size should adjust to the screen size. It is also advisable to use a bold splash screen image that is visible in any device size and visually appealing.
18. Accelerate your loading time
A mobile video that loads slowly will only increase your bounce rate and hurt your rankings. You can accelerate the load time of your videos by reducing the size of the images, animations, and audio. Use formats that can pack videos into small file sizes without sacrificing quality. Choose MP4 and WebM for YouTube.
19. Earn backlinks to your website
Backlinks or inbound links represent a vote of confidence from one website to another. You can earn backlinks by adding a link to your blog or website in the video description. You can also contact other high-authority sites to promote your content with a link that leads back to your video or host page.
If you need assistance, there are different backlink monitoring tools you can use. The most popular ones are Majestic, Ahrefs, and SEMRush. But if you’re looking for other options, there link analysis tools like SE Ranking, SEO Spyglass, and Linkio that check your website backlinks and give valuable insight for your SEO strategy.
20. Keep your videos short
According to a recent study, 73% of business videos were less than 2 minutes long. This is in response to the demand for briefer videos. Today's users have dwindling attention span. They want concise, informative, and entertaining content. Keep your messages short and sweet. For YouTube videos that are neither webinars or tutorials, a 2-minute length is ideal.
21. Make informative webinars
Webinars, or interactive online seminars, are among the most popular types of videos in 2019. A webinar can include at least one presenter talking, slideshows, images, and other visuals. Participants, who can be based anywhere, can send their questions in real-time. These videos can help establish your brand and generate leads and new business.
22. Develop engaging tutorials
Tutorial videos have launched a number of careers on YouTube. These are especially effective with health and wellness products. Tutorials are highly consumable content that can help boost user engagement and deliver an actionable message. One tip is to upload tutorial videos side-by-side with how-to articles related to the content. You should also choose the right topic for a tutorial. Go for how-tos that will allow you to show off the visual aspect of a product or a service. Tutorials are perfect for cooking and home repairs.
23. Upload quality social videos
A social video is targeted content that lasts for about 60 seconds. It tells a single story, usually with one big message in an entertaining way. Its main goal is to drive engagement. About 80% of social content is consumed via mobile phones; so it is a must to optimize your videos for mobile viewers. Effective content must be brief. Facebook social videos should run for a maximum of 60 seconds; for Twitter, 45 seconds; and for Instagram, 26 seconds. Keep in mind that social media video content is meant for instant gratification.
24. Post-effective product demo videos
Demo videos are becoming increasingly popular these days. They aim to teach your customers about your product by providing an overview of several of its features. People typically watch product demos to help them decide whether to buy a product. It is essential to keep these informative videos direct to the point, highlighting the important areas.
25. Create more vertical content
Vertical videos have been the trend in video marketing in recent years mainly because most people browse the Web while holding their phones vertically. Vertical content is now widely embraced in major social networks, including Facebook and Snapchat. Interestingly, vertical videos on Snapchat are watched 9 times more than their horizontal counterparts.
If you have three seconds to grab a visitor’s attention, would you use a 1,000-word article or a 30-second video? People are bombarded with so much content online that it is imperative to prioritize those that will deliver messages in the briefest yet most appealing way. Only videos can be precise and entertaining without taking too much of the consumer’s time and effort.
Keep in mind that while going viral is good for your exposure, it is the sustainable engagement that matters to your content marketing strategy. Aspire to increase your conversion instead of attaining 15-minute fame. The right SEO techniques will lead the way. Jumpstart your digital marketing game plan with video optimization.
Do you have other video marketing ideas?
