Introduction
It’s no secret that ranking higher on YouTube can help you attract more views and customers to your videos. But how do you go about it? In this article, you’ll learn the basics of YouTube SEO, including how it works and some tips on how to optimize your videos for better search engine ranking. With a little effort, you can rank higher on YouTube and get more views for your videos!
What Is YouTube SEO?
YouTube SEO is the process of optimizing your videos for better visibility in the search engines. Just like with any other type of SEO, the goal is to get your videos to rank as high as possible for relevant keywords. When people search for those keywords on YouTube, your video will be more likely to show up in the search results.
How Does YouTube SEO Work?
YouTube SEO works by optimizing your videos for the algorithm that YouTube uses to rank videos. This algorithm takes into account a variety of factors, including the title, description, tags, and thumbnail of your video. By optimizing these elements for the algorithm, you can improve your video’s chances of ranking higher in the search results.
Why Is YouTube SEO important?
YouTube SEO is important because it can help you get more views for your videos. The higher your videos rank in the search results, the more likely people are to find and watch them. And if more people watch your videos, you’ll have a better chance of attracting new customers and growing your business.
How Can I Optimize My YouTube SEO Videos For Better Ranking?
There are a few things that you can do to optimize your YouTube videos for better ranking.
Youtube SEO Tip #1. Use keywords in your title
Using keywords in the title like “How to make a perfect omelet” or “Best tips for ranking higher on YouTube” will help your video rank better in the search results.
To use the relevant keywords in the title, you’ll need to first research what keywords people are searching for. You can use the Google AdWords Keyword Planner tool to help with this.
Youtube SEO Tip #2. Use keywords in your tags
Just like with the title, using keywords in your tags will help your video show up for those searches. You can add up to 500 characters of tags to your video. Adding relevant keywords in the tags section of your video will also help YouTube understand what your video is about, and consequently, rank it higher in the search results.
Youtube SEO Tip #3. Use keywords in your description
Your video’s description is another important place to include relevant keywords. The first few sentences of your description are the most important, as they show up in the search results. So make sure to include your target keywords here. You can also use annotations and links in your description to further optimize your video for SEO.
Youtube SEO Tip #4. Optimize your thumbnail image
Your thumbnail image is the first thing that people see when your video appears in the search results, so make sure it’s clear and enticing. Choose an image that accurately represents your video and make sure the resolution is high enough so it looks good when it’s displayed in the search results.
Youtube SEO Tip #5. Create transcripts of your videos
Transcripts are the written version of your video’s audio track. They’re great for two reasons: first, they help YouTube understand what your video is about (which can help with ranking), and second, they make your video accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. You can create transcripts of your videos using automatic captions or by transcribing them yourself.
Youtube SEO Tip #6. Promote your videos on social media and other websites.
Getting people to watch your videos is only half the battle. You also need to get them to share, like, and comment on your videos. The more engagement your video gets, the higher it will rank in the search results. One way to promote your videos is to post them on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. You can also embed your videos on your website or blog.
Youtube SEO Tip #7. Use YouTube’s advanced search features
YouTube offers a few advanced search features that can help you get more views for your videos. You can target your videos to specific countries, regions, or cities. You can also choose to only show your videos to people who are subscribed to your channel.
Youtube SEO Tip #8. Create video sitemaps
A video sitemap is an XML file that contains information about your videos, like the video title, description, thumbnail image, and duration. Creating a video sitemap can help YouTube find and index your videos more quickly and accurately. You can create a video sitemap using the Google Video Sitemap Generator tool.
Youtube SEO Tip #9. Use YouTube’s PR tools
YouTube offers a few tools that can help you get more exposure for your videos. You can submit your videos to YouTube’s editorial team for possible inclusion in the “Up Next” sidebar and the “Recommended for you” section. You can also use YouTube Cards to promote your videos on other websites and social media platforms.
Youtube SEO Tip #10. Always be improving
YouTube is constantly changing, so it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices. As you create more videos, take note of what works and what doesn’t. Experiment with different strategies and tactics, and always be looking for ways to improve your channel and get more views.
Bonus tip: Embed your videos on your website.
One way to get more views for your videos is to embed them on your website. When you embed a video on your website, it will show up in the search results and people will be able to watch it without having to go to YouTube. You can also use annotations and links in your description to further optimize your video for SEO.
Top Youtube SEO Tools To Boost Your Ranking:
Youtube SEO Tool#1 Keyword Tool
Keyword Tool Features:
- Get hundreds of relevant keywords for free
- Generate keyword ideas for YouTube videos, titles, descriptions, and tags
- Save time with easy batch operations
- Filter and group keywords by topic, country, language, search engine, and more
Keyword Tool Pricing Plans:
Google Keywords is a free and paid version of this tool. The free version allows you to get up to 750+ keywords from YouTube. The paid version starts at $88 per month and offers more features, including the ability to get unlimited keywords, filter and group keywords, and access advanced statistics.
Youtube SEO Tool#2 TubeBuddy
TubeBuddy Features:
- Get more views and subscribers with custom thumbnails, channel analysis, A/B split testing, and more
- Optimize your YouTube videos for better ranking with tag generators, keyword research, and automatic captioning
- Schedule and publish videos with ease
- Manage your channel with bulk processing tools, comment filters, and custom notifications
TubeBuddy Pricing Plans:
There are four TubeBuddy pricing plans you’d want to check out:
- Free plan
- Pro ($9/month) plan with more features and weekly limits
- Business ($49/month) plan with more features and monthly limits
- Enterprise (custom pricing) for agencies and businesses with more needs
Youtube SEO Tool#3 vidIQ
vidIQ Features:
- Title Optimization
- Description Optimization
- Keyword Research
- Competition Analysis
- Thumbnail Optimization
The first step to take to optimize your YouTube videos for better search engine ranking is to install and activate the plugin. This powerful plugin will help you with all aspects of optimizing your videos, from title optimization to description optimization and keyword research.
The plugin will also give you insights into your competition, so you can see what they’re doing right and adjust your strategies accordingly. Thumbnail optimization is another important aspect of YouTube SEO, and the vidIQ plugin can help you with that as well.
vidIQ Pricing Plans:
- The free version of vidIQ provides basic features and functions.
- The pro version costs $15/month and includes all the features of the free version, plus more in-depth keyword research, competition analysis, and thumbnail optimization.
Youtube SEO Tool#4 Youtube Analytics
Youtube Analytics Features:
- Number of views
- Demographics: Age, Gender, Location
- Watch time: Average view duration, total watch time
- Subscribers gained and lost
- Video engagement: average % viewed, likes, dislikes, shares, comments
Youtube Analytics Pricing Plans:
There is a free and paid version of Youtube Analytics. The paid version gives you access to more features, such as location data and detailed demographics.
Though there are several other tools like Google Trends, Social Blade, Hootsuite Insights, and Sprout Social. In this Guide, we only discussed a few on our list. But if you are interested in knowing more, keep an eye out for our blogs in the future!
Conclusion
With these tips, you can start to optimize your YouTube SEO optimized videos for better ranking and visibility. Implementing even just a few of these tips can make a big difference in how often your videos appear in the search results.
And if you need help getting started you can always get started today with a free consultation with 12 Channels on how you can make it to the top with just SEO in your bucket. So get started today and see the results for yourself! Today is never late, but tomorrow is.
