Looking to improve your video search SEO? Maybe you are looking to start implementing a video content strategy and want to know where to begin. Follow along and see what actions to take, where to start, and what kinds of video search SEO services we can provide.
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Benefits of Video SEO
When it comes to consuming information or entertainment online there is no medium more popular than video content. With internet speeds constantly improving, video content has become not only accessible but preferred. It is estimated that by 2022, video content will account for 82% of all consumer internet traffic. Whether you are looking for instructions, reviews, news, or more chances are video is how you will consume that information.
If you are a business or organization who promotes themselves online video content is key to drawing in potential clients and keeping them engaged with you online as well as with your products or services. Video content can improve viewer retention and offer another way for you to promote yourself online.
Beyond the benefits of a video content, videos also offer another link for search engines to draw from. Regardless of if this video is listed on your website, YouTube, or another video sharing site having video content can allow for your name to show up even more due to the added search results of having video links.
There are many ways to implement video SEO and these actions can lead to a multitude of desirable objectives. If you haven’t considered a video content strategy or are looking to revive an old one, these methods might help you in driving web traffic through a different avenue.
Which Video Platform Should I Use?
When it comes to uploading video content online there are many options. Whether you post videos directly to your own website or use a video hosting site there are a lot of options that all have their own benefits and detriments.
YouTube
The most popular option by far is YouTube. YouTube has consistently reported as the second most visited website on the internet, the first being Google. Due to this overwhelming popularity there is already a huge, built-in, audience that can discover your videos on the site. YouTube is owned by Google which helps in cross platform promotion. YouTube videos have a greater chance of showing up in Google search results, both as link and actual video options.
While YouTube has a lot of benefits they aren’t the absolute perfect solution. With YouTube being so popular there is a lot of competition to take on. As of May 2019, more than 500 hours of video content were uploaded each minute. Most subjects often already have multiple videos covering the topic. While that doesn’t mean your video can’t overtake those competitors in success, it does emphasize the importance of video SEO services in order to give your video the best chance at reaching audiences.
Another detriment of using YouTube is that they can keep web traffic off of your own website. Once videos are indexed on YouTube it will often keep users attention focused on YouTube rather than your own website. While you can embed YouTube videos on your own site, discovery of YouTube videos is mainly done on their website.
Alternatives To YouTube
There are other video hosting websites outside of YouTube as well. Sites like Vimeo have been long standing video sharing options that have their own unique audiences to YouTube. While you will run into some of the same issues found with YouTube, it can be beneficial to use different platforms to broaden your reach.
Social Media
Social media sites also offer their own video hosting options. Facebook and Twitter allow users to upload videos and share them with their already established audiences. This can be a simple solution to your video hosting problem. It is easy for videos to “go viral’ and reach new audiences on these platforms.
The main issue with having video content on a social media site is how fast information travels on these sites. This is not a good option if you would like to archive content, as it can be hard to find after a while. The best option of sharing video content directly on social media sites is to share videos that have a limited shelf life.
Videos such as announcements or previews for events or products can greatly benefit from being shared on social media; as they can reach intended audiences quickly. But videos such as instructional lessons will get lost after time. In this case it is more useful to repost content to keep it in the minds of your followers.
Personal Website
From a personal website SEO standpoint the best option is to host videos on your own website. By hosting your own videos you can provide web crawlers with more information to index about your own website and keep visitors interested and engaged with your site. This may sound like the best option but it is not for everyone.
Video hosting is a big endeavor. Video files can take up a lot of space and the amount of bandwidth needed to display smooth running videos can be costly. Not everyone will be able to use this option and it really depends on what kinds of resources you have at your disposal.
Ultimately, it will be beneficial to use multiple video hosting options. That way you can reach the widest possible audience; just be sure to minimize the detriments when possible.
Video SEO Keyword Research
Keywords are truly the “key” to SEO. Just like in general SEO strategies, keywords are quintessential to video SEO. Keywords allow a system like YouTube to better inform their algorithms to make sure that search results are more relevant.
Keyword research is a necessity when it comes to optimizing video content. These keywords can be added to your YouTube channel, specific videos, video descriptions, and video titles; they inform all aspects of a video, it is important to have the right focus placed on them. These keywords can even inform future video concepts.
Your discipline or area of interest will greatly inform the keywords you choose. By Looking at related terms, frequent search queries, and trending topics you can start to get a good idea of what you should include.
Building a list of keywords can be a difficult but necessary task. This is an ongoing process that requires taking into account multiple sources in order to find a solid list.
The first place to start is taking a look at the YouTube and Google search autocomplete results. Autocomplete results are often the most searched subjects. These results can be great keywords for videos as they will clue YouTube and Google’s algorithms into the fact that your video should be a result for that search query.
Going one step further, a great way to build a list of quality keywords is through keyword aggregate systems. Browser extensions such as Keywords Everywhere can help better inform your decision when it comes to which keywords to choose. Programs such as these can show you which search terms and queries are most popular and other keywords often associated with them.
How To Use Keywords in Video SEO
Once you have your list of keywords you can start using them to your advantage. There are many uses for keywords when it comes to optimizing video content. Keywords should be used while writing a videos title. A video title should be both enticing and informative. Finding the balance between getting someone to click and letting them know what the video is about can be a tricky task but one that will benefit the video immensely.
Keywords should also be used in the writing on the video description. Sites, such as YouTube and Vimeo, often have a description section for video which allow for the creator to provide further information on the video’s contents. When writing a video description keywords should be used to better inform these site’s crawlers, so that they can recommend your videos more often and to the right audiences.
These videos sites will also have keyword sections which allow for a creator to paste a list of keywords associated with each video. This can be an easy task compared to writing a video title and description but one that shouldn’t be overlooked. Make sure specific keywords are listed related to each specific video but also have general keywords that relate to your business or industry.
Putting keywords in your video title, description, and keyword sections are all direct uses but keywords can also be used for video ideation. If you are just getting into making video content this can be a great place to start. Once you have started to notice some popular search queries and subjects it would be beneficial to make video content based around these subjects. This way you can have a video available next time someone searches for that query.
Add Links to Your Videos
If you want to up your video SEO strategy, make sure to add plenty of links to your videos elsewhere on the internet. Just make sure to follow video link best practices.
Optimize Your Videos with SEO Design Chicago
When understanding video SEO there is a lot to cover. SEO Design Chicago has the knowledge and expertise to provide you with answers to your questions as well as SEO services. Contact us to learn more about how we can help your business reach new audiences and rank higher in video searches.
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