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Video SEO & Its Importance in Fuelling Organic Traffic Growth
Why Video SEO Matters for Organic Growth: TikTok’s ‘for you’ feed, Reels, Youtube, videos are everywhere, people can’t get enough of it and if you are not optimizing your videos for search engines, you’re missing out on a huge audience. Brands, that produce video content, see a 41% increase in web traffic from searches.
Various industries are leveraging SEO for videos, for instance, online stores are demonstrating 360-degree view videos of their products, or in the real estate business, there are virtual property tours. Recipe tutorials, destination guides, workout advice videos, product walkthroughs and the list never ends.
In this guide, we will discuss video SEO in detail and show you how to increase your organic traffic through it. You will find tips and best practices for video content optimization to boost your video marketing strategy.
Working with video SEO experts like Purplegator can help you tap into that potential, ensuring your videos reach a broader audience through better optimization.
What is Video SEO?
Video SEO is optimizing videos to make them more visible and appealing for both search engines and viewers. Effective video content optimization can improve your brand’s online presence significantly and drive more traffic to your website.
Typically video SEO involves:
- catchy titles with relevant keywords
- tags to categorize videos
- detailed descriptions that give context
- eye-catching thumbnails convincing people to click
- quick loading times
The aim of all of these optimization steps is to have your videos show up when people are searching for related topics. Obviously, it is not only tweaking algorithms and the technical side of video SEO. Similarly important is to create valuable video content for your target audience. , Partnering with a digital marketing agency like Purplegator, which specializes in video SEO, can streamline this process.
How Video SEO Fuels Organic Traffic Growth
What is the end goal of video SEO? It is to drive real and measurable growth in your organic traffic. Let’s see how SEO for videos works:
- Your content gets better visibility in search engines. It is more likely to show up in top positions on search engine results pages (SERPs). This includes video carousels and featured snippets.
- We are drawn to explore video thumbnails in search search results, hence they lead to higher click-through rates. The visual contrast that video content creates, can lead to higher engagement rates if we compare it to text-based results.
- Once the viewer starts to watch your video content, if you have it well optimized for search engines, they’re likely to stick around longer. This increased engagement sends positive signals to search engines, that can lead to improved overall rankings.
The impact of video SEO can be quite significant, but remember that video marketing strategy should be well-executed to result in substantial improvements.
Strategies for Optimizing Video Content for SEO
Now, let’s see exactly how to do SEO for videos, to create a comprehensive video marketing strategy:
Keyword Research for Video SEO
Effective keyword research for video SEO differs from traditional SEO. Let’s break down a more precise approach:
a) Use Video-Specific Tools:
- YouTube Keyword Tool by Ahrefs: Provides search volume and competition data specifically for YouTube.
- TubeBuddy: Offers tag suggestions and search volume trends for video content.
- vidIQ: Provides keyword score and competition analysis for video platforms.
b) Analyze Search Intent:
- Informational: “How to”, “Tutorial”, “Guide”
- Entertainment: “Funny”, “Best moments”, “Compilation”
- Transactional: “Review”, “Unboxing”, “vs”
c) Competitor Analysis:
Use tools like Ahrefs’ Content Gap analysis to find keywords your competitors rank for in video results. See this blog by Semrush for a more detailed dive into competitor analysis.
The general tip is to find keywords that have decent search volume and lower difficulty. The keyword research is the foundation of your video marketing strategy.
Metadata Optimization (Title, Descriptions, Tags)
Once you’ve created a keywords list for video SEO, the next step is to put them to work in video metadata. It is for search engines to have a roadmap and understand the content of your video. Let’s see how it should be done:
1. Titles:
- Include your main keyword near the beginning
- Keep it under 60 characters to avoid truncation in search results
- Make it intriguing enough to encourage clicks
Example: “5 Video SEO Tips to Skyrocket Your YouTube Views”
2. Descriptions:
- Front-load important information and keywords
- Aim for at least 200 words to give search engines plenty to work with
- Include timestamps for longer videos to improve user experience
Example:
Boost your YouTube views with these 5 essential video SEO tips! In this tutorial, we’ll cover key aspects of video content optimization and share strategies to improve your video marketing strategy. Topics include:
0:00 Introduction to video SEO
1:23 Keyword research for videos
3:45 Optimizing your title and description
5:67 Creating click-worthy thumbnails
7:89 Leveraging video transcripts
9:10 Promoting your video for maximum visibility
Want more video SEO tips? Check out our full guide at [Your Website Link].
3. Tags: These help YouTube understand the context of your video.
- Include a mix of broad and specific tags
- Use variations of your target keywords
- Don’t go overboard – stick to 5-8 relevant tags
Optimize these elements and your video will have a better chance of being discovered, it is an essential part of any video marketing strategy.
Importance of Video Thumbnails
Now, let’s discuss first impressions – thumbnails, the first thing that your potential viewers see. It should be attention-grabbing and give a taste of what’s inside. Here is how to create thumbnails for video SEO:
- Use only high-quality images. Avoid blurry or pixelated thumbnails. Aim for clear images that look good even when small.
- Include text overlays with a few well-chosen words to give context and curiosity. Don’t overdo it!
- Show emotions. If appropriate for your content, include a person in your video thumbnail.
- Use contrasting colors to make the thumbnail pop and stand out against the background of search results.
- Develop your style that is recognizable across all your videos, it will help your brand recognition. Be consistent.
Don’t forget that thumbnail works hand in hand with the title. Together, they should make viewers want to click and watch. They are key components of your video marketing strategy and can impact the success of your video SEO efforts.
On-Page Video SEO Best Practices
As long as we’ve covered the basics, let’s discuss some on-page best practices for your video SEO efforts:
- Transcriptions and Closed Captions:
- Provide accurate transcripts for all your videos
- Enable closed captions to improve accessibility
- This gives search engines more text to index, potentially improving your rankings
- Schema Markup:
- Implement VideoObject schema to give search engines detailed information about your video
- Include key details like duration, upload date, and thumbnail URL
- Video Sitemaps:
- Create and submit a video sitemap to help search engines discover and index your content
- Include essential information like video title, meta description, and thumbnail URL
- Embedding and Page Optimization:
- Embed videos on relevant pages of your website
- Optimize the surrounding text with relevant keywords
- Ensure fast loading times for pages with embedded videos
Here’s a quick checklist to ensure you’re hitting all the important points in your video content optimization:
- Video has an accurate transcription
- Closed captions are enabled
- VideoObject schema is implemented
- Video is included in a sitemap
- Video is embedded on a relevant, optimized page
- Page loads quickly (under 3 seconds)
Technical SEO for Videos
We’ve talked about content optimization, but let’s not forget the technical side of Video SEO. These behind-the-scenes tactics can really boost how search engines find and rank your videos.
Video Sitemap & Structured Data
Video sitemap is a guide for search engines, it helps them understand the content and where to find it. Create a dedicated video sitemap that includes:
- Video title and description
- Video file location
- Thumbnail image
- Video duration
To give search engines more detailed info about your videos, you can use Schema.org VideoObject markup. This structured data can help your videos to appear in rich snippets, resulting in higher click-through rates. Another tip is to use Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool to double-check your work.
Using Transcriptions & Closed Captions
Transcriptions and closed captions aren’t just for accessibility. They’re powerful tools for SEO for videos too. Why they matter:
- search engines can “read” your video content, helping them understand the topic better
- you can naturally include more relevant keywords
- many viewers prefer videos with captions, which can increase watch time
According to Wistia, users spend 2.6x more time on pages with video content, adding captions could increase this time even more.
Measuring the Success of Your Video SEO Strategy
After all these video SEO efforts, you will want to know whether your efforts are paying off. To do so, there are some metrics you should track:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR) – how often people click on your video.
- Watch time – the total amount of time viewers spend watching your video.
- Engagement – likes, comments, shares, saves, and bookmarks.
Tracking Video Performance Using Google Analytics
A few strategies for using Google Analytics to measure video SEO performance:
- set up event tracking for video plays, pauses, and completions
- use custom dimensions to separate video traffic from other content
- analyze metrics like time on page and bounce rate for pages with videos
Case Studies: Brands That Grew Traffic with Video SEO
Blendtec: “Will It Blend?”
This blender company created a series of videos blending unusual items. By optimizing their video titles, descriptions, and tags, they achieved remarkable results:
- 700% increase in sales
- Over 285 million YouTube views
The key takeaway? Sometimes, thinking creatively can lead to viral success.
Moz: Whiteboard Friday
SEO software company Moz created a weekly video series called Whiteboard Friday. By consistently publishing SEO-optimized video content, they saw impressive growth:
- Doubled their search traffic
- Established themselves as thought leaders in the SEO industry
The lesson here? Consistency and quality content can drive significant results.
Future Trends in Video SEO
- By 2025, Cisco predicts that mobile video will account for 75% of mobile data traffic, hence mobile-friendly videos are getting more popular.
- Search engines are becoming more adept at understanding video content with the help of AI, without relying solely on text metadata.
- More shoppable videos and interactive elements are likely to appear.
- Google is increasingly featuring video content in featured snippets. This could be an opportunity for your how-to videos to gain prime positions with your video marketing strategy.
- With the growth of voice search, video SEO efforts will follow the trend.
Staying ahead of these trends could give you a significant advantage in your video content optimization efforts. If you’re looking to take your video marketing strategy to the next level, Purplegator’s comprehensive video SEO services cover everything from keyword research to metadata optimization, thumbnails, and technical SEO. Contact Purplegator today and start attracting more viewers.
FAQs about Cheap SEO Services
1.What is a video SEO?
Video SEO is an effort to make videos more discoverable in search results. It involves optimizing video content, metadata, and technical elements to rank higher on platforms like YouTube and Google.
2.How do I add SEO to my video?
Optimize title, description, and tags with relevant keywords. Create an engaging thumbnail, use closed captions, and don’t neglect your video sitemap.
3.What is video SEO description?
Consider it your video’s introduction to search engines. It should summarize your content, include relevant keywords, and encourage viewers to watch the video.
4.Do videos on websites help SEO?
Indeed they do. HubSpot found that websites with videos are 53 times more likely to reach the first page of Google.
5.How do I become a video SEO expert?
Begin by mastering the basics we’ve covered in the blog. Then, continue learning, experimenting, and staying informed about the latest trends. As with many skills, practice is key to improvement.
6.Is SEO paid media?
No. SEO is improving your organic (non-paid) visibility in search results.
