YouTube SEO

Google is not the only search engine where you use SEO. YouTube is also a search engine. The difference with Google is that you search videos, rather than results.

It is also possible to rank higher on YouTube for certain keywords. The idea is similar to SEO within Google. This is called YouTube SEO . In this article, I will tell a little more about what YouTube SEO entails and how you can optimize for it.(1)

Tips for video/YouTube SEO

Below I have concisely put down some tips for optimizing YouTube SEO:(2)

1. Picking the right keywords

Just like an SEO campaign, you choose the right keywords within YouTube. Again, it is important that the keywords have enough monthly volume. In addition, pay attention to the competition level of these keywords. When a keyword has less competition, it is easier to obtain a higher position.

2. Optimizing the video title

Incorporate the keyword into the video title. When a user types in the keyword that you incorporate in the title, chances are that the will find your video.

3. Use tags

Use tags to tell YouTube what your video is about. Make sure the tags give a good indication of what the video is about. That way, you give YouTube the ability to deliver your video when someone types in the keywords.

4. Seek interaction with your viewers

YouTube places a high value on interacting with your viewers. A good way to put this into practice is the following: encourage your viewers to leave a comment or like.

It is also important to encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel. That way your viewers will always know your viewers will find your videos.

5. The quality of the video

An important ranking signal from YouTube is the quality of the video. More importantly, how does the viewer respond to the video? When viewers do not watch the video for a long time it shows YouTube that they do not like the video. Make sure the viewer stays watching as long as possible and the quality of the video is as high as possible.

6. Use the thumbnail

By using the thumbnail, you ensure that as many people as possible click on your video. When the click-through rate (CTR) is high, YouTube sees that many people are interested in your content. It’s an indication that you own a channel that creates quality content.

7. Shares on social media

The number of shares on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have a positive effect on ranking. Many shares indicates dominance in the particular niche.

8. Backlinks

As with SEO in Google, getting quality backlinks is an important element. YouTube sees this as a signal that the video is widely distributed. It indicates quality and relevance.

What YouTube SEO tools are out there?

Just as you measure the effects of SEO in Google, you also measure the effects of YouTube SEO.

The most important tools for YouTube SEO are:

• Google Trends: you use this tool to look up topics that are currently trending. The data in this tool comes from Google itself.
• The autocomplete feature: to find keywords and related keywords, use the autocomplete functionality in YouTube’s search bar.
• VidIQ Vision: this tool looks up relevant tags for your video. Tags are a signal to YouTube to let them know what the subject of the video is.
• YouTube analytics: this tool built into YouTube gives you insight into your channel’s statistics.

My roadmap to rank higher in YouTube

Video title:

• Create a title that attracts attention to increase clickthrough rate;
• Incorporate the keyword in the title of the video;
• Make sure the title is no longer than 60 characters.

Video description:

• The description of the video can consist of a maximum of 1000 characters. Of these, the first 125 characters are the most important. In fact, you can see those 125 characters without unfolding the description any further.
• Incorporate key keywords and call-to-actions in the first 125 words organically.
• Add a link to your website and other social media platforms.
• Place hashtags (#) in combination with your most important keywords. This allows videos in the “next” section to be displayed faster. You can post a maximum of 15 hashtags. Have the hashtags match what is shown in the video.

Video tags:

• Video Tags are not visible to viewers, but purely for YouTube to help determine the topic of the video.
• Make use of keywords and possibly combinations here. Longer search terms (consisting of multiple words) can help you get found faster.

Video script:

• If there is text in the video (written or spoken), include a script as well. Among other things, this script can be used for subtitles, but it also helps YouTube understand the video structure.

Thumbnail:

• Thumbnails have no direct impact on your findability, but they can have a huge impact on your Clickthrough Rate. For that reason, try to create an original thumbnail that attracts attention and invites the visitor by promising something to the viewer, for example. “10 tips you can apply immediately to achieve X“

Incoming links:

• From your own website, place backlinks to the most important YouTube videos and the channel’s home page. For example, add videos to blogs or other sections of the website that are relevant to the topics in the videos.