Some business owners are hesitant to jump onto YouTube with both feet. Making videos (well, good videos) takes time and a moderate level of skill. Plus, many business owners are under the impression that YouTube doesn’t do much for their SEO ranking – and if it doesn’t boost your SEO, why bother?
Good news!!! You can use YouTube as a very effective part of your SEO strategy, you just have to know the tips and tricks. The methods for improving your SEO on YouTube are a little different than the ones you’re familiar with on other platforms, but they’re all easy to achieve.
If you’re not using YouTube as a part of your content marketing strategy, it’s time to change that. Here are 7 steps for boosting your YouTube SEO:
- Choose your keywords carefully
You’re probably used to looking for the most commonly searched keywords, right? Well, if you do that on YouTube, your video is going to get buried in a pile of other videos and you’ll be lucky to get a handful of views. Look for unique keywords. They may not have the highest search numbers, but you’ll have a MUCH better chance at standing out in a vast sea of competition. - It’s okay to let your keywords inspire your content
If you find an awesome keyword and you just happen to have a relevant video on hand- way to go! You won the content jackpot. But if you don’t have a video ready to go, make one! Don’t let the opportunity to reach new viewers and expand your brand awareness slip away. - Avoid keyword stuffing
That’s good advice for any platform, but it’s critical on YouTube. If your keywords aren’t relevant to your content, you run the risk of having your video removed. Don’t waste the time and effort you put into producing your video by choosing irrelevant keywords. - Use subtitles or closed captions in your videos
This serves two purposes. First, it’s useful to your viewers who are watching without sound. Second, it gives you yet another opportunity to include your keywords. Mention the important ones at least a couple of times in your video, and make sure they’re included in your transcripts. - Give your videos great titles and descriptions
If you want to get your views, you’ve got to have a catchy title that compels viewers to click. Use dynamic, engaging language that grabs their attention right away- and don’t forget to include your most important keywords! Same thing goes for your descriptions. You don’t have much space to make a big impact- about 100 characters. Include your most important information, links, and CTA at the beginning. - Create custom thumbnails
Videos that use custom thumbnails perform better, so don’t rely on the basic ones generated by YouTube. Choose a high-quality image that accurately represents your content. - Encourage Engagement
Don’t hesitate to ask your viewers to leave comments. Ask simple questions that make it easy to respond, and ALWAYS include a CTA to subscribe. The higher your rate of engagement, the higher your SEO ranking, so respond to those comments as quickly as possible and keep that connection going.
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