Did you know that video content is expected to rise above 3.5 billion by 2023? (source) That’s precisely about half of the world’s population. Probably, this is enough to make you think and realize the importance of video content shortly. 

As you know, most of the audience prefers visual content rather than written blog posts. Since finding your website at the top of search engines is more valuable than ever, it’s essential to look at the mechanisms that make this possible. 

In this context, it wouldn’t be wise to say that you won’t need video SEO strategies since the video is an integral part of any successful marketing plan.

Are you looking for a way to improve your video SEO? Check out this guide for everything you need to know. It’ll focus on what exactly video SEO is and the strategies to rank it higher online. 

What is Video SEO?

To begin, video SEO optimizes your video content to increase its ranking on search engine result pages. In addition, it aims to generate organic video-driven traffic from search engines and video sites. 

Companies who have implemented video SEO have seen increased views on their videos, more engagement with their video content, and improved lead conversions due to its effectiveness in targeting potential customers. Overall, video SEO is a great way to increase the reach of video content by making it more visible at the top of the first page of search engine results.

Well, spare yourself the trouble and stick to the following Video SEO strategies for ranking higher.

Video SEO: Guide for Higher Ranking

 

• Create unique thumbnails 

Thumbnails are a great way to draw viewers’ eyes away from competing videos and towards yours. Creating unique thumbnails that stand out from the crowd is an effective way to grab attention and ensure that more people click on your video instead of someone else’s. 

Make sure your thumbnail is eye-catching and accurately reflects what viewers will see when they watch the video; otherwise, you could end up with high bounce rates and low engagement with your content. 

Related: Tips for creating enticing thumbnails for your videos

• Optimize your video metadata 

Optimizing your metadata is vital to increasing your visibility on SERP features such as Google Videos and YouTube. Ensure your metadata—including titles, descriptions, tags, and categories—is optimized for search engines and users. 

This includes keeping titles concise but keyword-rich, including keywords throughout descriptions, adding tags, and choosing appropriate categories for each video. For best results, it helps to use tools like Moz’s Keyword Explorer or Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool to ensure that you use the most effective keywords in each piece of metadata.  

• Create quality content 

The first step in creating effective video SEO is to create quality content. Your video should be well-researched and relevant to the topic that you are covering. 

Additionally, all videos should include a clear call-to-action (CTA) so that viewers know what action to take after watching the video. This could be subscribing to a newsletter or visiting a webpage related to the topic of your video. 

• Include video transcripts 

Video transcripts are essentially written versions of spoken dialogue within a video. Transcripts make it easier for search engines to index a page since they have plain text content to parse through. 

This increases visibility for organic and voice searches since transcripts allow voice search bots like Alexa and Google Home to read a summary of what’s said in a video before playing it back for users. Finally, by including transcripts with each video, you can ensure that more people will hear about (and watch) them.  

• Cross-promotion on different platforms

Regarding platforms and promotions, no matter what platform you choose to post your video on, it’s always best to cross-promote it on other social media platforms to increase your SEO ranking. 

This can create awareness of the video and engage potential viewers. It is essential to research which platforms suit the video best, considering their respective audiences and the nature of the content. 

Once identified, you can use targeted marketing strategies by setting up accounts on each platform, optimizing the video with suitable descriptions and keywords, promoting it through link-building strategies, and running ad campaigns where applicable. 

These steps ensure that your video reaches the right people at the right time, maximizing visibility possibilities in today’s highly competitive market.

Related: Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Social Sites To Promote Your Videos

Video SEO is not easy, but it is worth it. These steps will help you create better videos that rank higher in search engines. And remember, always keep your audience in mind when creating content. If you can give them what they want, you’ll be successful no matter what algorithm changes come along.