As we’ve already discussed, YouTube is also a search engine. So choosing the right keywords for your clips is just as important as it is for a website’s SEO efforts. For this reason, you should carry out diligent research and make use of tools like the Google Keyword Planner. An added source of inspiration for long-tail keywords is the autocomplete function of the YouTube search bar, which is comparable to Google Suggest. Relevant keywords are crucial in the following four areas:
- Title: the title is the most important element of video optimization for SEO. You’ll need to find a title that contains the most important keyword yet still remains appealing to the viewer.
- Description: the video description is also an important ranking factor. Take the time to construct a meaningful and informative text that lets users and YouTube know exactly what your video is all about. You should aim to use multiple keywords here and include external links to your website or social media accounts. Keep in mind that the first 100-150 characters are the most important, since they appear in the YouTube preview and are displayed as snippets on Google, Twitter, and Facebook.
- Tags: tags are search terms that help YouTube users find your video, so your researched keywords should all be included as tags. But be aware that tags aren’t nearly as influential as they were when the video platform began.
- File name: though it isn’t usually seen as a major ranking factor, it’s recommended to add keywords into the name of your video file.
Further on page factors that influence YouTube ranking include the transcript file, which is a simplified method for creating subtitles and captions, the video quality (SD or HD), and the age of the video. Another important factor is annotations, in the form of pop-ups, text overlays, or speech bubbles, all of which give your video an interactive feel. And last but not least, the thumbnail (the preview image of your video) must be taken into account. Thumbnails and titles are the most important criteria for a good click rate, or in other words high viewing figures. So it’s important to carefully select the right thumbnail, instead of just using the first available snapshot.