8 Tips to Improve YouTube Video SEO in 2021
Do you create and upload awesome videos on YouTube but fail to get an audience? The chances are that you have not done proper SEO, which is leaving out several views and maybe even money on your table.
SEO is the key that lets you put an end to these woes. However, to increase views, it is important to use SEO strategies in the right way. Make sure to follow the SEO policies on the YouTube platform; you risk being penalized and, even worse, getting banned. Here is how to SEO your YouTube video content.
Video description
A detailed and long video description of your YouTube video helps your video get a higher rank. The longer and the more detailed your descriptions are, the better it is. This is because Google loves a lot of content and full of words feature prominently on the search engine.
Using contextual keywords for YouTube descriptions makes it easy for the content creator to classify their videos and make their videos discoverable. The viewers, too, can find the content that they want just by typing in a keyword. Using keywords related to your video lets the search engine understand your content’s context, which they can forward in the case of a search query.
Understand the use of YouTube keywords
The YouTube keywords are added to the video descriptions and titles to denote the video’s category or topic. These keywords make the video descriptive on YouTube, making it easy for the viewers to find them.
So how do these keywords work? Like on any social media platform, the keywords on the YouTube videos take viewers to the keyword posts. So if a user wants to search for a video on Bali, they need to type in Holiday In Bali in the search bar, and this throws up a list of recommendations of videos uploaded on Bali. So what happens if your video on Bali does not have the keyword? This is a no brainer. Your video does not show up and thus loses a chance to increase views.
The keyword should be something that most viewers would use to search for your content. It is thus important to not just use any keyword but to use only the relevant keywords.
Do some research and think of topics that you would cover in your video. Check for keywords on the content.
Find all the latest videos as per the keyword entered. You can check the keywords used on the latest videos posted under that particular keyword; this will let you discover what other keywords were used on the video.
You may also wish to refer to your competitors’ posts to see what keywords have been used. Using the same keyword can give a viewership boost.
Understand how not to use keywords on YouTube
The main rule regarding keywords is to use the keywords that relate to the topic of your video. You may be tempted to add a keyword of a trending topic to your video just to get more clicks. However, understand that if the keyword is not related to your video, it will only turn off your viewers. Many viewers may report it to YouTube, which could lead to removing your content from the platform. If you stuff keywords, that does not work in your favor as well
The idea is to use a few relevant keywords that are high performing and attract the right traffic set to your video content. It is also recommended that you add a keyword to your video content, which does not guarantee success.
Content is important
InVideo understands that it is not enough to include some keywords and then sit back and wait for views. You need to have great content and follow the community rules and guidelines to get the desired output. The video length should neither be too short nor too long. Ideally, 10 minutes should be enough. The idea is to increase customer engagement, which in turn increases your video ranking. The key is to create a video that is high retention and also engages customers.
Theme playlists for better video categorization
If you are a regular video creator on YouTube, then categorizing the videos makes it easy for the viewer to find the content. The more organized your video is, the more the number of views, which increases user engagement. This is a major criterion for search engine ranking. Play listed channels are neat and help in SEO too.
Share the videos on other social media platforms
Just uploading the video on YouTube does not suffice. Instead, one should share it on various social media platforms. The more places the videos are embedded in; the more are the probability of your video showing up in the search result. The embedding and sharing button tools are a good way to start. The more forums, chat rooms, and social media sites linked to your video, the more the probability that your video can be found in the search result.
Subscribers matter
The more subscribers, the higher is your video rank on YouTube. The YouTube channels with a higher number of subscribers automatically see any new content get propelled to the top because of the existing subscriber base. YouTube assumes that if several subscribers follow a particular YouTube channel, any seasoned YouTube content creators automatically reach a high search engine rank.
Translate content and include subtitles
YouTube has content in many languages. There are contents in various foreign languages on YouTube. Adding foreign language subtitles also helps your SEO. The subtitles in the foreign language let the search engine crawl through the translated content. This shows your content on the search result in the translated language. This lets your content rank higher in the non-English keyword as well.
The final thoughts
It is important to understand how to use SEO for your YouTube content. This is what is going to get you more views and subscribers and a higher search engine rank. Relevant SEO techniques, as per YouTube policies and guidelines and amazing content, will go a long way in increasing your brand awareness.