9 Amazing Video SEO Strategies to Boost Your Views And Engagement

Are you struggling to get your videos noticed online? Do you feel like your video content isn’t reaching the right audience? If so, don’t worry; you’re not alone. 

With millions of videos being uploaded to the internet every day, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd. This is where video SEO comes in.

More than nine out of 10 people report wanting to see more videos from brands in 2023. That simply means that if you’re not using video as part of your marketing strategy, you risk falling behind your competition. 

However, simply creating videos isn’t enough. You need to optimize them for search engines to ensure that they get seen by the right people.

In this blog, I am going to show you how to optimize your videos for search engines, so you can get the visibility and engagement you deserve. 

I will share best practices, tips, and tricks for improving your video SEO. So, let’s get started and take your video content to the next level.

What is video SEO?

Video SEO refers to the process of optimizing your video content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Essentially, it involves making sure that your videos are more visible and easily discoverable online.

The importance of optimizing videos cannot be overstated… After all, with video content becoming increasingly popular and ubiquitous online, it’s essential that your videos are optimized to stand out in the crowded digital landscape. 

After all, what good is creating high-quality video content if nobody can find it?

See the image below to understand it more clearly: 

9 Amazing Video SEO Strategies 

Research Relevant Keywords

If you want your videos to be easily discoverable by your target audience, you need to optimize them with the right keywords. Keywords are the terms or phrases that people use to search for content online. By including relevant keywords in your video’s title, description, and tags, you increase the chances of your video showing up in search results.

Like, see the image below:

To find the right keywords to use for your video, you need to do some keyword research. There are several keyword research tools available online that can help you with this. Some popular ones include Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush. These tools allow you to enter a topic or phrase related to your video and see the most searched for keywords and phrases related to that topic.

For example, if you’re creating a video about how to bake a cake, you might use a keyword research tool to find related keywords like “easy cake recipe”, “chocolate cake”, and “cake decorating ideas”. 

Including these keywords in your video’s title, description, and tags will help it show up when people search for those terms on search engines like Google and YouTube.

When choosing keywords, it’s important to keep in mind that you want to use keywords that are both relevant to your video’s topic and have a decent search volume. You also want to make sure that your keywords aren’t too competitive, meaning that there aren’t too many other videos already optimized for those same keywords.

The image below would help you find the right keyword.

Once you have identified relevant keywords for your video, the next step is to strategically place them in the video’s metadata to optimize it for search engines. 

Here are some key places where you should include your target keywords:

1. Title: Your video’s title is one of the most important places to include your keywords. Be sure to use your primary keyword at the beginning of your title, as this helps search engines understand what your video is about. 

For example, if your target keyword is “best vegan recipes”, your video title might be “10 Best Vegan Recipes to Try Today”.

2. Description: The video description is another key place to include your keywords. Aim to use your primary keyword in the first 25 words of your description, as this is what will show up in search engine results. 

Then, use your other keywords throughout the rest of your description. Make sure your description provides a clear and concise summary of what your video is about.

This is the description of the same video of mine that I showed you above. See how I have added keywords in the description. 

3. Tags: Adding relevant tags to your video is another important step in optimizing it for search engines. Tags help YouTube and other video platforms understand what your video is about, and can help it show up in relevant search results. 

Be sure to include your primary keyword as well as related keywords as tags for your video.

4. Closed Captions: Closed captions, or subtitles, can also be optimized for search engines. Including your keywords in the captions can help search engines understand the content of your video, and improve its visibility in search results.

Remember, the goal of including keywords in your video’s metadata is not to stuff as many keywords as possible, but rather to help search engines understand what your video is about and make it easier for people to find. Use your keywords strategically and naturally, and focus on providing high-quality, relevant content that will engage and inform your audience.

Optimize Your Video Title

When it comes to video SEO, your video title is one of the most important factors to consider. Your title is the first thing that viewers will see, and it’s what will entice them to click on your video and watch it. 

Therefore, it’s essential to optimize your video title to make it clear, concise, and attention-grabbing.

Here are some tips for optimizing your video title:

1. Use your main keyword: Your video title should include your main keyword. This will help your video rank higher in search results for that keyword. For example, if your video is about “how to bake a cake,” make sure to include the phrase “bake a cake” in your title.

2. Keep it concise: Your video title should be short and to the point. A long title can be overwhelming and difficult to read. Keep it under 60 characters if possible. 

For example, “10 Tips for Baking a Perfect Cake” is concise and attention-grabbing.

3. Make it attention-grabbing: Your video title must be intriguing and make viewers want to click on it. Use power words and action verbs to make it more compelling. 

For example, “How to Make the Best Chocolate Cake Ever” is attention-grabbing and relevant to the content of the video.

4. Be relevant: The video title should accurately reflect the content of the video. Avoid using clickbait titles that mislead viewers. 

For example, if your video is about baking a cake, don’t use a title like “You won’t believe what happens next!” This title is irrelevant and doesn’t accurately describe the content of the video.

By following these tips, you can optimize your video title and increase the visibility and engagement of your video. Remember to keep it clear, concise, attention-grabbing, and relevant to the content of the video.

Read More: Tweaks For Page Title & Meta Description That’ll Boost Your SEO Traffic & CTR

Write A Detailed Description

When it comes to video SEO, writing a detailed description for your video is crucial. The description provides a summary of the content in your video, which search engines use to determine its relevance to a user’s search query. 

A well-written description can also entice viewers to click on your video and watch it. That’s why it’s essential to write a detailed description that includes your keywords and relevant links.

Here are some tips for writing a detailed description:

1. Summarize your video content: Your description should provide a summary of the content in your video. Be sure to mention the main points and takeaways from the video. 
For example, this is one of my videos. 

And, now see the description of the same video:

I have summarized the whole video in the description.

2. Use your keywords: Your description should include your main keywords. This will help your video rank higher in search results for those keywords. 

For example, if your video is about “10 Tips for Running a Marathon,” make sure to include phrases like “running a marathon,” “marathon training,” and “marathon tips” in your description.

Read More: How To Perform Keyword Research For SEO: In-Depth Guide 

3. Include relevant links: Your description should include relevant links to your website or other related content. This will help viewers find more information about the topic and engage with your brand. 

For example, if your video is about “10 Tips for Running a Marathon,” include links to articles about marathon training, running shoes, and nutrition.

4. Be specific: Your description should be specific and detailed. Avoid using generic phrases that don’t provide much information about the video. 

For example, instead of saying “This video is about running a marathon,” say “This video provides 10 tips for running a marathon, including proper training, nutrition, and gear.”

By following these tips, you can write a detailed description that accurately summarizes your video content and includes your keywords and relevant links. Remember to be specific, use your keywords, and provide valuable information for your viewers. A well-written description can improve the visibility and engagement of your video.

Add Closed Captions Or Subtitles

When it comes to video SEO, adding closed captions or subtitles to your video can greatly improve its accessibility and search engine optimization. 

Closed captions and subtitles make your video content accessible to a wider audience, including those with hearing impairments, and they also help search engines understand the content of your video.

Here are some reasons why you should add closed captions or subtitles to your videos:

1. Improved accessibility: Adding closed captions or subtitles to your videos makes them more accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing. This can help increase engagement with your video content.

2. Better user experience: Closed captions or subtitles can also improve the user experience for viewers who may have difficulty understanding spoken language or accents. By providing written text on the screen, viewers can better understand the content of the video.

3. Improved search engine optimization: Adding closed captions or subtitles to your videos can also improve your video’s search engine optimization. Search engines like Google can read the text of your captions or subtitles, which can help them understand the content of your video and rank it higher in search results.

Read More: Search Engine Optimization

4. Compliance with accessibility regulations: In the United States, there are accessibility regulations that require closed captions or subtitles for certain types of video content. By adding closed captions or subtitles to your videos, you can ensure that you are in compliance with these regulations.

By adding closed captions or subtitles to your videos, you can improve the accessibility and user experience of your video content, while also improving your video’s search engine optimization. This can help increase engagement with your brand and improve the visibility of your video content.

Use Video Sitemaps

A video sitemap is a file that contains information about the video content on your website. Submitting a video sitemap to search engines can help them index your video content and improve your video SEO.

Here are some reasons why you should use video sitemaps:

1. Improved indexing: Search engines like Google use sitemaps to understand the structure of your website and index it’s content. 

By submitting a video sitemap, you can help search engines identify and index your video content, making it more visible in search results.

2. Enhanced video SEO: A video sitemap can also help improve your video SEO by providing search engines with metadata about your video content, including its title, description, duration, and thumbnail image. 

This information can help search engines better understand the content of your video and improve its visibility in search results.

3. Greater control: By submitting a video sitemap, you have greater control over how your video content appears in search results. You can specify the title, description, and other metadata for each video, ensuring that it accurately reflects the content of the video and is optimized for search engines.

Here’s an example of how a video sitemap can be used:

Let’s say you have a website that features cooking videos. You create a video sitemap that contains metadata for each of your cooking videos, including the title, description, and thumbnail image. You submit the video sitemap to Google, which uses the information to index your videos and display them in search results. 

Now, when someone searches for “how to make lasagna,” your lasagna cooking video appears at the top of the search results, increasing its visibility and engagement with your audience.

By using video sitemaps, you can improve the indexing and SEO of your video content, while also providing greater control over how your video content appears in search results. This can help increase engagement with your brand and improve the visibility of your video content.

Optimize Your Thumbnail

Your video thumbnail is the first thing that potential viewers will see when they come across your video, so it’s important to make sure it’s optimized for maximum engagement. 

Your video thumbnail should be attention-grabbing and relevant to the content of your video to entice viewers to click and watch.

Here are some tips for optimizing your video thumbnail:

1. Choose an attention-grabbing image: Your thumbnail should be visually striking and attention-grabbing. Consider using an image that shows the most interesting or exciting part of your video, or one that includes text overlays to highlight the key message of your video.

Just check out my video thumbnail:

2. Use high-quality images: Make sure that your thumbnail image is high-quality and clear, so that viewers can see what the video is about. A blurry or low-quality thumbnail may discourage viewers from clicking on your video.

Read More: Image Optimization For SEO: 10 Ways To Make Your Images More Appealing

3. Ensure relevance to the video content: Your thumbnail should accurately represent the content of your video. Use an image that is relevant to the topic or message of your video, as this will help set expectations for viewers and increase engagement.

Just check out the thumbnail of my video and its title. The video content and the title are relevant to each other. 

4. Add branding elements: Consider adding branding elements to your thumbnail, such as your logo or brand colors. This will help reinforce your brand identity and make your videos more recognizable to viewers.

Here’s an example of how an optimized video thumbnail can improve engagement:

Let’s say you have a video about a new product launch for your fashion brand. You create a thumbnail image that shows a model wearing the product, with the brand logo and product name prominently displayed. When someone searches for fashion products online, your video appears in the search results with the attention-grabbing thumbnail. The thumbnail accurately represents the video content and entices viewers to click and watch, increasing engagement with your brand.

By optimizing your video thumbnail, you can increase engagement with your video content and improve your video SEO. This can help increase brand awareness and drive more traffic to your website or social media channels

Encourage Engagement

One of the most important factors in video SEO is engagement. The more engagement your video receives, the more likely it is to rank higher on search engines. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage viewers to engage with your video by liking, commenting, and sharing it.

For instance, let’s say you have a video promoting a new product. You could encourage viewers to engage by asking them to share the video on social media and leave comments on the video, such as their thoughts on the product or questions about it. You could also incentivize engagement by offering a giveaway or a discount code for those who engage with the video.

Another example could be a video showcasing a new fitness routine. You could encourage viewers to engage by asking them to like the video if they found it helpful, share the video with their friends who might also be interested in fitness, and leave comments on the video, such as their experience trying the workout routine or asking for more tips.

By encouraging engagement, you can increase the visibility of your video and improve its ranking on search engines. Moreover, engagement signals to search engines that your video is valuable and relevant to the audience, which can ultimately lead to more traffic to your website or social media channels.

Remember, the key to encouraging engagement is to provide value to your viewers and incentivize them to engage with your video. So, be creative and come up with ideas that will entice your viewers to engage with your video content.

Share Your Video On Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your video content and reaching a wider audience. By sharing your video on various social media platforms, you can increase the visibility of your video and drive more traffic to it.

For example, let’s say you have a video that showcases your new product line. You could share the video on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other relevant platforms to reach your target audience. You could also utilize relevant hashtags and tags to increase the reach of your video.

Another example could be a video tutorial on a specific topic. You could share the video on LinkedIn to reach professionals in your industry and on YouTube to reach a broader audience. Additionally, you could leverage your personal and professional networks to promote your video and encourage others to share it.

Just like the video posted by usaplumbingandsewer on their Instagram handle!

When sharing your video on social media, it’s important to optimize your posts for each platform

For instance, on Facebook, you could include a short description of your video, along with a call-to-action (CTA) to encourage viewers to watch the video. On Instagram, you could share a teaser clip or a preview of your video along with relevant hashtags to increase its discoverability.

See this reel below. This was also posted on Instagram.

By sharing your video on social media, you can not only increase its visibility but also engage with your audience and build brand awareness. 

So, make sure to include social media promotion as a part of your video SEO strategy and leverage the power of social media to reach your target audience and drive traffic to your video.

Read More: Social Media Engagement: Factors That Influence It And How To Do It Well

Monitor Your Metrics

Tracking your video metrics is essential to understanding how your video content is performing and improving your video SEO strategy. By monitoring key metrics such as views, engagement, and watch time, you can optimize your video content to better resonate with your audience and improve its ranking on search engines.

For example, let’s say you have a series of videos that showcase your brand’s story. By tracking the views and engagement on each video, you can identify which topics or styles resonated most with your audience and adjust future videos accordingly. You could also monitor the watch time of your videos to identify any points where viewers tend to drop off and make changes to improve retention.

In addition to tracking metrics on individual videos, it’s also important to monitor overall trends and patterns. For instance, you could analyze the performance of your video content on various platforms and identify which channels are driving the most traffic to your website. You could also monitor the performance of your videos over time to identify any seasonal trends or changes in audience behavior.

By monitoring your metrics, you can gain valuable insights into your audience and adjust your video content and SEO strategy accordingly. Make sure to set up a system for tracking your video metrics and regularly analyze the data to make informed decisions about your video content and SEO strategy.

Conclusion

Video SEO is a crucial aspect of any digital marketing strategy. With the increasing popularity of video content, optimizing your videos for search engines is essential to reaching a wider audience and driving traffic to your website. 

By implementing the strategies outlined in this blog, such as optimizing your video titles, descriptions, and thumbnails, as well as encouraging engagement and sharing on social media, you can improve your video SEO and increase the visibility of your video content.

However, optimizing your video SEO is an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and analysis of your video metrics. 

That’s why we offer a 30-minute strategy session to help you develop a customized video SEO strategy that meets the unique needs of your business. Book your session today and start optimizing your video content for maximum visibility and success!

FAQs

1. How has video SEO changed?

Video SEO has changed significantly over the years with the evolution of search engine algorithms and the increasing popularity of video content. In the past, simply optimizing video titles and descriptions with relevant keywords was enough to improve search rankings. However, today’s video SEO requires a more comprehensive approach, including optimizing video thumbnails, creating engaging content, encouraging viewer engagement, and leveraging social media platforms. Additionally, video metrics such as views, engagement, and watch time are now critical indicators of video SEO success, requiring ongoing monitoring and analysis.

2. How do I optimize video content for SEO?

Here are some tips for optimizing video content for SEO:

• Use descriptive and keyword-rich titles and descriptions.
• Add closed captions or subtitles to improve accessibility and help search engines understand your video content.
• Utilize video sitemaps to help search engines index your video content.
• Optimize your video thumbnail to grab viewers’ attention and accurately represent your video.
• Encourage engagement through likes, comments, and shares to improve visibility and ranking.
• Share your video on social media platforms to reach a wider audience and drive traffic.
• Monitor your video metrics, such as views, engagement, and watch time, to continually improve and refine your video SEO strategy.