How to Optimize Your YouTube Videos

A complete guide to YouTube optimization

When someone mentions SEO, you probably think about Google. But did you know that you can also optimize your YouTube videos? YouTube video optimization is a powerful SEO tool since YouTube viewers watch 4 billion+ hours of video each month!
Optimize your videos to boost your online presence with millions of YouTube viewers.

If you take advantage of this opportunity, you can:

• Capture attention
• Garner social media engagement
• Nurture your audience
• Gain better search rankings

If you want to get more traffic, views, and subscribers, try these tactics:

Keyword Research

Type in a keyword or phrase into the “Search Suggest” feature to create a list of potential keywords. These suggestions are great for SEO because they are keywords that users are typing into YouTube. Target low-competition keywords, narrow your list, and use keywords that already have Google video results. Examples include how-to keywords, tutorials, and reviews. Make sure you include your keyword in the video itself, description, and title for full optimization.

Focus on High Audience Retention

If you want your videos to rank well, you need to create entertaining videos that make users watch longer. The longer users stay on your video, the higher your search results ranking will be. Create videos that keep your audience engaged by creating content that is valuable to them and fun to watch.

Encourage Video Comments

User comments can boost your video rankings, so encourage users to leave comments. And don’t forget to reply to their comments!

Encourage Subscriptions

Ask users to subscribe to your channel in order to improve your ranking. To do this, simply ask users to subscribe to your channel at the end of your video, if they enjoyed the content.

Encourage Sharing

When users start sharing your videos, it signals to YouTube that it must be quality content, which can boost your rankings.

Create Engaging Thumbnails and Titles

Creating engaging thumbnails and titles is the best way to improve your Click-through-rate (CTR). Upload your videos with appealing thumbnails and compelling titles to increase the likelihood of users clicking on your video. The higher your CTR the better when it comes to search rankings.

Consider Video Length

Longer videos consistently perform better than shorter ones on YouTube and in Google search. It’s hard to generalize the best length for your video since it depends on the content. Just ensure the content is engaging and users will watch and share it!

Say Your Keyword

YouTube offers video transcription, so make sure you mention your keyword in your video in order for YouTube to better understand what it is about.

Utilize Tags

The first tag listed should be your target keyword or phrase. Be sure to also include variations of that word or phrase and add tags for related topics.

Promote Your Videos

Link to your videos on your blog posts, social media, and your email signature to get more views.

The results are worth it

A successful YouTube channel starts with great content, and these tactics can help you optimize that content and gain more viewers. If you’re ready to increase YouTube views, subscribers, and improve your video rankings, it’s important to invest time into video optimization. If you need help with your video optimization, our digital marketing experts are here for you. Contact us today to learn more!