7 YouTube SEO Tips for Better and More Effective Visual Content

Whether you sell products or offer services, using YouTube as an online marketing channel is an excellent way to build brand awareness and establish a strong online presence. Having millions of active users and being the most popular social platform for all age groups in the UK, YouTube can provide you with many opportunities to inform, educate, and engage your target market.

What makes YouTube an excellent online marketing tool? For starters, you can utilise the popular video sharing site to host and share your content. You can also use it to generate quality traffic and leads. 

How to Make the Most of YouTube

Most of the videos people watch on YouTube are those recommended by the site’s algorithm. Therefore, if videos are part of your online marketing strategy, you should know how to work the system so it can help you drive more traffic and potential leads to your site. Here are some YouTube SEO tips you should consider: 

1. Use relevant keywords

Similar to good ‘ol search engine optimisation, optimising your content for YouTube’s algorithm involves keyword research. You must ensure that your keyword research on the video-sharing platform complements the one you did for your site’s SEO. 

Make sure to select the most relevant keywords for your video titles and descriptions. To find relevant keywords, you can use YouTube’s Search Suggest feature. Alternatively, you can also look at popular videos in your niche or industry. This will help you determine the search terms and phrases your competitors are trying to rank for. 

2. Avoid targeting popular keywords

You may be tempted to target popular keywords that attract the biggest audiences. However, similar to paid search and general SEO, it can be difficult to rank for keywords with high search volumes because competition for them can be stiff.

Instead of choosing popular keywords, you should target longer search terms or specific keywords that produce fewer results. This will give you better opportunities to stand out. It also enables you to target specific segments of your audience with the right content.

For example, if your business offers DIY pet products, it would be difficult for you to rank for general phrases such as “DIY projects for your pets.” However, you can get better results when you target the search phrase “how to make a mini hammock for your cat.” 

3. Craft catchy titles

Similar to those in written content, your chosen title can make or break your videos. As such, make sure to create titles that will grab your audience’s attention. See to it that they are catchy and compelling to pique people’s interest.

While you can use a maximum of 100 characters for your title, it would be wise to keep it short since longer titles are often shortened in search results. Therefore, it would be wise to keep video titles at a maximum of 60 characters. Also, don’t forget to include your target keywords. 

4. Make the most of video descriptions

You have a 1,000-word limit for your video description, so make sure to take advantage of it. However, take note that your audience will only see the first two or three lines of text unless they click on “Show More.” As such, make sure that the first few sentences contain your keywords, essential links, and other vital information.

Don’t worry. You can still use the remaining real estate in the video description to target additional keywords to boost YouTube SEO. You can also add extra text to encourage viewers to visit your site and see more of your content. However, you should never overdo it. After all, people click on the link to your video to watch your visual content, not read a very long essay about it. 

5. Select the most relevant categories

After uploading your video, click on “Advanced Settings” and choose the most relevant category. This way, your video will be grouped with those with similar topics, ensuring that it won’t end up in a random playlist. As a result, your video will get better exposure and reach the right audience. 

6. Target keywords with relevant tags

Make sure to tag your videos, too. Similar to categories, tags help YouTube group your video with similar content. They also let you target relevant keywords. If you don’t know which ones to use, check out the most popular tags for your niche or topic to obtain some ideas. 

7. Choose the best length

Similar to your blog posts, your videos should neither be too long nor too short. It should be long enough to explain your topic correctly, but not so long that your audience will get bored.

If you want to ensure that your videos have the most appropriate length, check your video stats. If your viewers are skipping or only watching up to a certain point, you should make the necessary adjustments. It also helps to take a look at the competition and see what’s working for them. 

Use YouTube to Your Advantage

With a huge chunk of search results being dominated by YouTube videos, it certainly is in your best interest to consider making some to attract new visitors and engage your existing audience. Similar to your written content, however, you should also optimise your videos for search engines, including YouTube’s search algorithm, to get the best possible result.

Do you want to leverage the power of all kinds of web content to boost your site’s popularity and search rankings? We can help. Please speak with us today, and our team of SEO experts here at Springhill Marketing will do our best to provide you with the optimisation solutions you require.