For many content creators and marketers, ranking high on Google’s first page is the main goal. No one wants to get stuck on the second page – or even worse, the third one. If you’re reading this, there’s a huge chance you’ve tried every SEO trick in the book. From extensive keyword research to backlinks and targeted topics, there’s no limit to the number of tools in your arsenal. But have you tried video optimization yet?
According to studies, websites with video content are 53 times more likely to rank on the first page of Google. This means that video content can make your website stand out and ultimately build more traffic and credibility for your brand. As such, video marketing should be a central element of your SEO strategy.
This guide will explore the best tips for utilizing video SEO services and why video content is important in modern-day marketing.
How videos can improve SEO rankings
When it comes to website optimization, many factors determine whether your site will sit prettily on Google’s first page or be relegated to the shadowy recesses of page 3.
Video optimization improves your SEO strategy and can help you achieve top rankings. Here’s how:
It enhances the depth and quality of your content
Most search engines are on the lookout for quality content that meets users’ immediate needs and fulfills their search intent. Although you may have in-depth articles and tutorials written by the best college essay writing service in town, the truth is that written content isn’t always enough.
Videos can help bring your content to life and provide great visuals for visitors who may be stumbling upon your page for the first time. For instance, let’s assume you’ve just launched a new kitchen appliance, and you can’t wait to share it with the world. Although a detailed article about how these new appliance works are excellent, it’s not enough to stop website visitors from yawning and clicking the “back” button. It’s not even enough to drive conversions.
On the other hand, including a detailed video of how the appliance works or featuring everyday people using the appliance will create a lasting impression in the visitors’ minds. This way, your content will become more in-depth and valuable to your target audience.
It can increase your backlinks
Earning backlinks is no easy feat, and it gets even more frustrating when you realize that links primarily make 46% of a website’s ranking. So how do you earn more backlinks? Well, this is where video optimization comes in.
Studies have shown that more than 90% of internet users share the videos they’ve watched online. What this means is that when users stumble upon your video, there’s a huge chance that they’d share it with their immediate audience. Ultimately, this will help you earn more backlinks to your site content and bump up your ratings.
At the end of the day, you’ll get an insane increase in rankings and traffic just by using a video on website pages with your content.
It increases the time users spend on your site
Most users tend to leave a website when they’re having a terrible experience or just can’t comprehend the information displayed on the site. We see this every day; large chunks of text that are incomprehensible to the average reader.
However, engaging video content will help to break the walls of text on your site and give users a great experience. Since readers are having a great time, they’ll spend more time on your page instead of returning to the SERP. Ultimately, as users are spending more time on your site and content, this convinces the search engine that your content is useful, and as such, worthy of taking a higher position in search results.
How to use video content for SEO
Now that we’ve covered the importance of video for SEO purposes, let’s get to the crux of the matter. How do you efficiently integrate video marketing into your SEO strategy? Well, you can do this by applying the following tips:
Ensure that your video is specifically tailored to your target audience’s needs
Here’s one thing you should know when it comes to video optimization and marketing: you’re creating content for humans, not the algorithm. As such, your video needs to be specifically tailored to your audience’s needs, not yours.
Look at it this way: if you wanted an apple pie, would you walk into a cafe that sells only pumpkin pies? Of course not. In the same way, your audience won’t take a second look at your video content if it doesn’t address their needs and search intent.
So how do you tailor video content to suit your audience? Well, you’ll need to start by identifying your target audience first. Who are you trying to reach? What group of people would find your product or service useful? Having a clear idea of who your audience is will help you create better content.
Once you’ve figured out who your audience is, you can then weave and tailor your videos around their persona. For instance, if you want professional decor brands to notice your content and link to your video, the language in your video should include high-level decor terms. Since you’re addressing experts in the field, there’d be no need to define jargon like “Feng Shui” or “Contrived Patina.”
Include video transcripts
Video transcripts might seem like a waste of time, but they make your video more accessible to users and search engines.
About 80% of internet users prefer to watch video content on websites, while 20% prefer text. By including transcripts in your video, you’ll strike a balance and cater to the needs of these two sects of people. Similarly, your video will be more accessible to deaf users, ensuring that your content gets across to everyone, regardless of their disabilities.
Also, since most search engines can’t directly ascertain the quality of video content, transcripts help to contextualize your video and increase its chances of ranking high on the SERP.
Throw in SEO keywords and phrases
Keyword research is an integral part of any SEO strategy. Thus, if you’re trying to use videos for SEO purposes, you’d need to invest heavily in keyword research, especially when it comes to your video title and description. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily have to call in an expert to carry out keyword research. You can do this on your own with handy tools like KeywordsFX or Google’s Keyword Planner.
However, keyword research isn’t just about smashing keywords into your video’s title and description. You’ll also need to put extra effort into making your title sound engaging and exciting. For instance, if your primary keyword is “painting tips,” try not to use it as your title alone. You’d only end up with a bland title that users will skip. Instead, try something like: “How to paint like a pro: the best painting tips for 2021.”
Treat your videos like you treat your textual content
Moreover, you can use video editing tools where you can add effects, filters, and even crop video frames to polish and improve your output.
Almost every content creator knows the first rule for creating long-form articles, which is creating a structure for the content. Well, videos work the same way; they need a structure too.
Your video should start with a clear and captivating introduction. It sets the stage and lays the foundation for your audience so they’d know what to expect. Remember: the introduction has to be compelling enough to hook the audience, or they’d skip your video after the first five seconds.
Next, get to the main point and purpose of the video. Ensure that you touch the user’s pain points and provide clear solutions for them. Finally, CTAs are as important in video content as they are in articles and social media posts. So wrap up your video with a solid call to action.
Don’t forget to create an engaging thumbnail
Whether you’re creating a video for YouTube or TikTok, the thumbnail is the first thing the searcher sees, and it determines whether they’d click on your video or not. It’s even slightly more important than your title. As such, you’ll need to ensure that you design an engaging thumbnail that will grab your audience’s attention at first glance.
But what makes a great thumbnail? For starters, you’ll need to use high-quality images with clear captions. It’s advisable to use custom human thumbnails as they have a higher play rate than videos with cartoon graphics.
Also, ensure that your thumbnail is relevant to the keyword you’re trying to rank for. For instance, if you’re trying to rank for “painting tips,” your thumbnail should look like this:
And not like this :
Final Thoughts
Pushing out optimized video content is often the tipping scale for an excellent SEO strategy. If you’re looking to beef up your SEO strategy and rank higher on search engines, you should invest in video optimization. The best part? Instead of hiring production teams to get the job done, marketers can now conveniently create high-quality videos with simple editing tools.
So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your video SEO strategy today. Good luck!
Author
Amanda Dudley is a seasoned lecturer and part-time essay writer at EssayUSA. She has a Ph.D. in History from Stanford University and has spent the past decade in the educational sector. When she’s not writing essays and dissertations, Amanda loves to read and crochet.