By 2019, video is forecast to make up a staggering 80 per cent of all internet traffic. Since founding in 2005, the video-sharing website YouTube has acted as a pivotal platform for the rise of digital video content, enabling users to upload, share, view, rate and comment on videos, for free.
The effectiveness of video as a marketing forum is palpable. If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is worth even more, enabling brands to convey a message in a creative, exciting and digestible way.
With more than 1 billion unique users visiting the each more, YouTube is a phenomenon no brand can afford to ignore, especially if they want to climb the rankings on Google.
Take a look at the following ways you can use YouTube and video content to improve your SEO and edge up Google’s rankings.
Each video you post on YouTube can be tagged with relevant keywords to not only let viewers know what your video is about, but also to inform YouTube of its content. YouTube’s algorithm uses the tags to categorise the video, so it can be put alongside other similar suggested videos.
As well as helping you reach the right audience on YouTube, tagging your videos increases the chances of your name appearing in organic searches for the keywords associated with your brand on the search engines.
Link-building is a powerful component of SEO and YouTube can be used to build crucial links to help your brand rank better on Google.
There are essentially two ways to place links on YouTube to help your SEO. The first is placing a link to your website on your YouTube channel. As well as including a link to your site, put links to your brand’s social media profiles to maximise brand exposure on your channel.
Secondly, include a link to your website on the descriptions of the videos that you upload to YouTube to encourage viewers to click on your site and to improve your website’s rankings on the search engines.
Titles are an imperative component of all online content and none more so than videos. A title is the first thing viewers see when determining whether to watch your video. An effective title succinctly sums up the content of the video in an engaging, compelling manner.
YouTube titles also appear on Google when somebody searches for a specific topic. It is therefore important that you get the titles of your YouTube videos right so that they rank high on Google when somebody makes an organic search on the subject and compel potential viewers to click on your video rather than a competitor’s.
By the same token, the description that accompanies your video on YouTube gives viewers insight into the content of the video. Carefully constructed descriptions, which incorporate your keywords naturally into the text, will encourage viewers to click on the video and watch it. In terms of SEO, it is important to be aware that video descriptions show up on Google and thereby the more relevant, compelling and optimised the descriptions are, the better they will be received on Google.
If you are looking to improve your SEO by creating a captivating content marketing campaign, Tailor Made Media can help your business create effective content strategies designed to improve your rankings on the likes of Google.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, contact our friendly and professional Tailor Made Media team to see how we can kick start all your digital marketing.