YouTube SEO: How to Optimize Your Videos for Search and Ranking | Social Speak Network Social Media + Digital Marketing Education

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YouTube SEO: How to Optimize Your Videos for Search and Ranking | Social Speak Network Social Media + Digital Marketing Education

Let’s start with a simple exercise, shall we? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about search engines?

I bet you immediately thought of Google, am I right? Well, I don’t blame you. After all, Google is the biggest and most popular search engine out there. But here’s the thing… it’s not the only one. In fact, there are lots of search engines on the internet.

They may be less popular and not as powerful as Google, but you’ll be able to boost your search rankings and visibility by tapping into them. But for this article, we’ll be focusing mainly on YouTube. Yes, that’s right. Apart from its social networking site characteristics, YouTube is one of the most visited search engines in the world.

Google owns YouTube, so videos hosted on YouTube rank well on Google. If you’re looking to boost your video rankings, I urge you to read on.

Here are five ways to optimize your videos for search and ranking.

Do keyword research

If you’re looking to improve your YouTube SEO, the most important thing you need to do is to find the right keywords.

By choosing the right keywords, you can ensure that your video appears in the search results when people are looking for something related to your video’s topic. Start by thinking about what keyword people might use when looking for a video like yours.

You can also use a keyword research tool to see how many people are searching for those terms. This will give you insights into what people are actually searching for.

Incorporate keywords in the video title

When it comes to ranking your YouTube videos, optimizing your title is vital.

So if you’re looking to boost your videos, incorporating keywords into your title is a great place to start. By including relevant keywords in your title, you’ll be more likely to appear in YouTube search results for those terms. What’s more, you’ll also be more likely to attract viewers who are interested in your content.

Keep in mind that YouTube users often skim titles, so make sure your keywords are front and center. By optimizing your titles for YouTube SEO, you can ensure that your videos are seen by the people who are most likely to be interested in them.

Optimize your video description

Like with any other form of SEO, using the right keywords in your description can help ensure that your videos come up in search results. But it’s not just about using the right keywords – you also need to use them correctly.

For instance, including a list of keywords near the beginning of your description will help YouTube’s algorithm understand what your video is about and make it more likely to appear in relevant searches. In addition, be sure to use natural-sounding language and avoid keyword stuffing. If you can do this, you’ll be well on your way to getting more video views.

Use a custom thumbnail for your videos.

While it might be tempting to choose from one of the thumbnail options that are auto-generated by YouTube, it is best to upload a custom thumbnail image for your videos.

A custom thumbnail shows up in the search results and can help you stand out from the competition. When choosing a custom thumbnail, select an image that is high quality and represents the content of your video. Remember, your thumbnail is often the first impression people will have of your video, so make sure it accurately represents your video’s content and style.

You can also include keywords in the thumbnail to help people find your video. Be sure to test different thumbnails to see what works best for your videos.

Add subtitles and closed captions. 

YouTube is the second largest search engine and the third most-visited website in the world. That’s a lot of potential viewers! And what do viewers want? Videos that are informative, entertaining, and easy to understand.

Adding subtitles and closed captions to your YouTube videos is one way to ensure your content is accessible to as many people as possible. Not only will it help hearing-impaired viewers follow along, but it will also make your videos more searchable.

YouTube uses automatic captioning algorithms, so be sure to proofread and edit your captions for accuracy. You can also add keywords to your captions to improve your YouTube SEO. By doing so, you’ll be able to reach a wider audience and achieve your video marketing goals.

Final thoughts

As you can see, optimizing your YouTube videos for better search engine ranking is crucial if you want to improve your visibility and get more leads. Using the tips outlined above, you can give your videos a better chance of being discovered by potential customers and clients.

But if you need help with your YouTube strategy, our team is here to assist you.  to discuss how we can help improve your ranking and visibility on this powerful platform.

This content was originally published here.