While many view YouTube as just a network of cat videos, it actually contains many similar functions of a search engine like Google or Bing. If you perform a quick Google search, you’ll probably realize that YouTube videos tend to rank well on Google.
You may ask yourself, “How can I leverage YouTube videos to effectively market my brand?”
If you successfully utilize the YouTube tools available for video optimization, you can potentially earn more views as well as a larger audience. Furthermore, if you deploy the correct techniques, you also have the opportunity for your YouTube video to rank on Google!
The Power of YouTube
If you have any doubts about the power of YouTube, then take a look at recent data from 2016:
- Approximately 1.3 Billion people use YouTube.
- 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute.
- Almost 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube each day.
- Nearly 1 out of every 2 Internet users are on YouTube.
- YouTube reaches more US adults ages 18-34 than any cable network.
- More than half of YouTube views come from a mobile device.
- 9% of all U.S. small businesses are on YouTube.
YouTube is the largest video platform on the Internet and is the 3rd most visited website. Now more than even, it is essential to have a strong YouTube presence because your brand can potentially reach millions of people you may have overlooked.
The Rise of Video Content
Over the years, videos have become increasingly popular, as well as an integral part of many brand’s digital marketing efforts. This is mostly due to the way our consumers absorb and retain information. To put it simply, some visitors prefer video content because it requires less time to consume an article and videos are easier to understand.
Truthfully, many visitors prefer to watch a video instead because visual content resonates with them better. Due to this change, you should try to diversify your content strategy. Instead of only writing blogs, try incorporating videos that will delight your customers.
Creating the Right Video Content
If you want to rank well on YouTube – and as an extension Google – you must be strategic when creating your content. YouTube users are looking for content that is helpful, entertaining and informative. Users may be looking for a video tutorial on how to change their car’s oil, or they may simply be searching for hilarious cat videos.
When you develop your video content strategy, think back to why people use search engines like Google. Similar to Google, people may use YouTube to get quick answers to their questions and problems. As a result, your videos should help answer these questions whether it is in the form of video tutorial or How-To guide. You can also try to create product review videos or even create a “sneak peek” video to give your subscribers an inside look of what is happening in. your company.
BE WARNED: Avoid using advertisements as your videos. These types of videos do not perform well on YouTube. YouTube isn’t an e-commerce website and your visitor cannot purchase your product. If you only focus on creating ad videos, you are wasting time and money.
YouTube, Video Optimization & SEO
YouTube can provide your brand with many SEO benefits. In particular, videos can provide your website with a large number of quality backlinks to your site. Building quality links back to your content is a great way to rank higher because search engines can use these links as an indication that people trust and value your content.
Despite the increasing popularity of videos, video optimization is not as common as website and content optimization. This may be because many brands are unsure how to properly optimize their videos.
If you are familiar with SEO, then you are probably aware of the top ranking factors for Google search results. It turns out that the top ranking factors of YouTube aren’t much different from Google – they both focus on user experience. Here are some of the top-ranking factors to consider:
- Metadata: Your video title, description, and tags. These should be centered on targeted keywords that you are attempting to rank for.
- Video Quality: If you have HD videos, you will outrank someone serving 240p videos. Remember, YouTube wants to provide visitors with top-quality videos.
- User Engagement: Your videos’ likes, views, comments and shares. If people are engaged with your video, you tend to rank higher.
- Channel Engagement: The number of subscribers, comments & total shares.
These are only several of the many ranking factors. For added user experience, try creating keyword-rich playlists. This allows similar videos to be grouped together, which can result more views.
Final Thoughts on YouTube SEO
When it comes to content optimization, many brands only focus on images or written content; meanwhile, a YouTube Channel often gets overlooked. But correctly harnessing videos can make a significant contribution to your SEO strategy.
Remember, YouTube is the 3rd most visited website on the Internet! You shouldn’t miss an opportunity to reach a wider audience. When you integrate videos into your marketing strategy, be sure to take it a step further by adding relevant Call-To-Actions in your video description, as well as promoting your video content on networks like Facebook and Twitter. For more on using YouTube for SEO, contact Premiere Creative. Call (973) 346-8100.