Techniques in Optimizing Video Content for Search
Do you know that more than 500 hours of video content are uploaded on YouTube every minute? In the recent past, video marketing has become an important global content marketing tool amid the rising number of active YouTube users.
With over two billion people using YouTube for entertainment, marketing, or learning, video views account for most internet marketing traffic. And as the video content advances with changing technology, it’s crucial to stay current on the best optimization processes to make your videos stand out and enhance the user experience.
The big question is — is your content showing on the first pages of search engines and video platforms? If not, keep reading this article for tips on how you can optimize your video content for search and reach a large targeted audience.
Integrate Target Keywords
Finding the right keywords is one of the ways to optimize your videos. You can use a keyword planner and choose about six keywords related to your video description and content.
Once you have a list of appropriate keywords, use one to name your video file. The rest of the keywords can feature in the meta tags and video description. Always confirm that the file type is compatible with the intended platform you’re uploading the video.
Create an Engaging and Eye-Catching Thumbnail
Your video’s thumbnail is what viewers first see when a video pops up on search engines. The thumbnail you use determines if the searchers will click on your video or shy away from it. A compelling, visually appealing, and easy-to-read thumbnail encourages people to click on your video.
An effective thumbnail will also reflect your brand and video description without compromising the visual appeal necessary to capture your viewers’ attention. It’s wise to ensure that the thumbnail has as high a resolution as possible, whether zoomed in or out.
Write a Concise, Enticing, and Clear Title
Besides the thumbnail, the video title is another factor that video searchers may focus on. It plays a role in determining whether they click on your video or not, and in turn, if you’ll get views or not.
Always ensure that the title represents what’s in the video content. That’s because it shows your brand is authentic and relevant to what viewers need, meaning they’ll get to enjoy the video since you offer what you’ve promised. Here’s how you can optimize the video title:
- Include keywords naturally while sparking curiosity
- Aim for at least a five-word title, with not more than 70 characters
- Write the most critical information upfront
- Always leave your brand details and episode numbers at the end
Accurate Description and Top-Notch Content
With thousands of competing brands, you can’t afford to compromise on content and video description. Always aim to deliver accurate, high-quality content that’ll keep the harshest of video critics glued to their screens. On the other hand, video descriptions are a type of metadata that ensures searchers find you easily and instantly decide if they will watch your videos or not.
You can use the tips below to optimize your video content and descriptions:
- Use unique and accurate information with relevant keywords
- Begin with the most important content while explaining the intent of the video
- Use hashtags associated with the content
Consider Captions, Transcriptions, and Subtitles
Transcriptions automatically boost the SEO factor, helping drive traffic to your site. Remember that search engines don’t read videos; hence, when you transcribe, use captions, or subtitles correctly; they will crawl over the provided captions and improve your ranking accordingly.
Transcribing also enables you to extend your reach and tap on a vast audience. For instance, you may capture the attention of the deaf.
Insert the Video You Want to be Ranked First
Embedding a video on the focus page will ensure that search engines find and rank it. If you have multiple videos you want to optimize for search, the best thing is to use different pages for each as Google usually stops crawling videos after the first one.
For an optimal user experience and high ranking, ensure that the video is easy to spot by making it the page’s focus. A hidden video will only turn off searchers and not appeal to search engine crawlers.
The Bottom Line
With the increasing popularity of video content marketing, understanding how to optimize video for search is crucial for any business. That’s one of the many tools to use for your overall SEO, a language we understand all too well here at Virtual Surge. Get in touch with us for quality SEO services to increase your brand’s visibility, attract new customers, and generate ROI.