YouTube SEO Tip #1 - Use Keywords in Your Title, Description & Tags
It’s absolutely critical that you optimize for keywords and user experience in your three main fields: video title, video description, and tags.
Video Title: You have 100 characters available, but the video title is truncated at just 66 characters. It’s important to be succinct and pack your main message and keywords into 66 characters if possible. Titles should capture the message of your video and make readers want to view it.
Video Description: Expand on your title with an overview of what a viewer can expect. Make sure to include your keywords. Video search results only reveal the first 166 characters of your description, so front-load important info.
Tags: Create tags that will help relevant searchers find your content. Put yourself in the mindset of a potential viewer. What types of search terms might they use to find your content?
YouTube SEO Tip #2 - Write Your Own Closed Captions
Most SEO experts agree that YouTube likely reads the contents of CC to better understand what a video is about. When you upload a new video, YouTube automatically creates an ASR transcription, an accessibility feature that benefits deaf and hearing-impaired users.
The problem is that the automatic service is only about 70% accurate. An inaccurate transcription can cause your video to be devalued or even penalized. Create your own accurate transcript by editing the auto-generated transcript provided by Google or by creating your own CC from scratch.
YouTube SEO Tip #3 - Place a Transcript in Your Video Description
One of the easiest ways to optimize your YouTube video description is by using a complete transcript of your video. Your transcript likely contains the most important keywords so it’s great for YouTube SEO.
YouTube allows you to include up to 4,850 characters in your description. If you can’t fit the full transcript, you can include an abbreviated version that features your key talking points and keywords.
YouTube SEO Tip #4 - Provide Foreign Language Subtitles
You can multiply your viewership and signal value to Google by transcribing your videos in other languages because 80% of YouTube viewers reside outside the U.S.
Many professional transcription services offer multi-language support at an affordable price. Freelance sites like Upwork also have professionals who can help in this capacity.
YouTube SEO Tip #5 - Prioritize YouTube User Engagement
Your videos' rankings is heavily determined by user engagement. Google tries to determine whether or not users are finding value in your content.
In order to improve user engagement, keep close track of user behavior and adjust your video strategy accordingly. The most important analytics include:
Watch Time: The average time that people spend watching your videos. If your watch time is short, it may mean that your intro isn’t engaging enough.
Session Watch Time: The amount of time your viewers spend watching videos altogether. If your content is keeping users on YouTube, the platform rewards you with higher rankings.
Subscribers: A consistently growing YouTube subscriber base signifies to Google that your content is providing value to users. Encourage people to subscribe in your videos and, more importantly, create enticing content that makes people want to subscribe.
Engagement: The number of Likes, user comments, and how many times your video was Favorited are key engagement metrics to help determine the value of your video.
YouTube SEO Tip #6 - Use YouTube Playlists
Video playlists improve the user experience and can increase exposure to your other videos, resulting in more clicks, more views, and more overall engagement.
Well-organized playlists allow your channel to generate better engagement from viewers, and your curated content can turn one-time visitors into long-term subscribers.
YouTube SEO Tip #7 - Use the Right Thumbnails for Your Videos
The thumbnail determines a potential viewer’s first impression, and it can have a major impact on the click-through rate. Rather than letting YouTube choose the default image for you, opt to select a thumbnail on your own.
Use a thumbnail that’s clear and indicative of what the video has to offer. If you choose an image separate from the video, make sure it’s high-quality and presented with a 16:9 aspect ratio.
YouTube SEO Tip #8 - Post New Videos to YouTube Regularly
A growing loyal following helps videos rank, and building one is all about creating useful content on a regular basis. In order to incentivize users to subscribe, you need to be consistent with your production by creating new content regularly.
Produce high-quality videos, build a loyal subscriber base, and achieve better rankings for your videos.
