Create a Top-Ranking Video SEO Strategy
Video marketing is the most powerful tool in the hands of any business today. In a survey, it has been found that around 86% of businesses use video marketing services, and a whopping 92% of marketers have said that it is a vital part of their marketing strategy.
Online video marketing is all about maximizing your rankings on a search engine results page (SERP). When your video content is at the top of a user’s search results, it is more likely to generate traffic and clicks and be perceived as a reliable authority on the subject for the user.
To create top-ranking content, it is important to create and implement a strong strategy for search engine optimization (SEO).
Keep scrolling to find out what a video SEO strategy is and how you can make an optimum video SEO strategy to boost your SERP ranking and your brand.
What is a Video SEO Strategy?
When using video as a means of organic search engine marketing, there are two channels for generating traffic, i.e., YouTube and Google search. Both platforms are search engines with similar algorithms and need you to optimize your video content to be ranked higher in the results.
A video SEO strategy does exactly that—it optimizes user experience to improve the positioning of your video content on a search engine. It includes programming, content production, and design.
Types of Videos for your Video SEO Strategy
Here are three popular video types that you can create for video marketing:
Product Videos
Product videos show users what your product is, how they can benefit from it, and make them feel confident about the reliability of the product. You can even make tutorial videos for your products.
Intro Videos
Intro videos will explain to your viewers the kind of business you are engaged in and the values of your brand and help form a connection with them.
Promotional Videos
Promotional videos are essential in marketing and will help you sell more products. It is important to make highly compelling promotional videos that will elevate your product and convince the viewer to buy it instantly.
Creating these types of videos is a time-consuming process. Whether you use sophisticated software, hire a professional editor or edit a video online using any online video editor, it takes planning and expertise to create engaging video content.
Benefits of a Video SEO Strategy
A strong video SEO strategy ensures that you get the maximum return on your investment by improving SERP rankings, website traffic, clicks, SEO conversions, and brand awareness and loyalty.
Here are the two most important reasons why you need a video SEO strategy:
SERP Positioning
A video SEO strategy will build your ranking and presence on SERP.
In the era of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts, users prefer to consume content in the form of videos rather than written content. A user looking to learn how to braid their hair would prefer to watch a tutorial rather than read a blog explaining the steps.
This is why videos are much higher placed in your Google search results, and with the right thumbnail, title and keywords, you can ensure maximum traffic and clicks.
Website User Experience
Videos are a more convenient form of consuming content. Landing on a page with long paragraphs full of information can be exhausting for a user and will often deter them from spending more time on your website or ever visiting again.
Studies have shown that users prefer video content and even spend longer time on pages with video content.
Steps to Creating a Successful Video SEO Strategy
Now that we have established why a video SEO strategy is necessary, let’s find out how you can start building a strategy for your business. Before you get started with creating your video content, here are the steps you need to keep in mind:
Define your Goals
Before you start planning your video content or building your content strategy, it is important to identify why you are creating the content and what you wish to achieve.
Here are some tips you should keep in mind while defining your goals:
1) Be realistic about what you can achieve; getting high-ranking keywords and backlinks can be difficult at first, so it is important to set fair expectations
2) Do your research instead of setting arbitrary goals
3) Keep reviewing your goals so that you can track the progress and know when it is time to revisit and modify your goals
4) Ensure that your goals are quantifiable targets that can be tracked with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
These are some of the most common SEO goals:
Identify Your Audience
Your video content is created for its audience, so you must understand your target audience and what appeals to them the most. This also means understanding how you can reach your target audience, both in terms of the platform on which you reach them and the kind of video content you adopt to communicate with them.
You have to identify where they spend time online and carry out their searches and their intent while searching so that you can best cater to their needs.
Pick a Primary Video Platform
There are two primary channels for distributing your video content: self-hosting and third-party sites.
Self-hosting on your website can improve SERP rankings and help you attract traffic, and achieve better SEO conversions. However, if your focus is on creating brand awareness, opting for platforms like YouTube is better.
Of course, there is no need to choose between the two, and you can host videos simultaneously across both channels.
Here are some tips to keep in mind while choosing your platform:
1) Leverage your YouTube strategy – YouTube is the second largest search engine and is the largest for video content. Prioritizing a YouTube strategy while creating your SEO strategy will help you access a larger audience and boost brand awareness.
2) Don’t limit yourself to YouTube – Sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram have shown great success for video marketers. Social media is a powerful tool for engaging your audience and can help drive traffic to your website, improving your SERP rankings.
3) Find ways to promote your video content rather than just hosting it. Use emails, social media advertisements, and influencer marketing to promote your content to your target audience.
5 Essential Tips for Video SEO
Here are some tips you can follow while optimizing your videos for search engines so that you can maximize your SERP positionings:
Subtitles
Add subtitles to ensure your audience can watch your video even with their sound turned off. You can attach a transcript on YouTube to automatically have subtitles for your YouTube content.
Custom Thumbnails
On a SERP or social media page, your thumbnail is what attracts your audience. Ensure that the thumbnail is unique to your brand, customized to the platform, and conveys exactly what the video is about.
Attention-grabbing Titles
Your title has to be intriguing and unique while also mentioning the relevant keywords. A good title will improve your performance with the algorithm and your audience.
You can use YouTube Analytics, Google Trends, and Google Ads’ Keyword Planner to identify the right keywords.
Video Description Optimization
Keywords and call-to-actions in your video description will improve the performance of your video content on YouTube and Google. Ensure that the description is concise and informative to your audience.
Embedding Videos
Embedded videos are a great hack to boost other content and increase traffic and conversions. You can embed links to your website, product pages, or social media pages to boost your overall marketing.
Wrapping Up
Video content is the most efficient and effective tool in online marketing, and implementing a strong video SEO strategy will go a long way in achieving your business goals. While making your strategy, ensure that it aligns with your general content SEO strategy and the wider goals you achieve as a business and a brand.
With a focus on creating high-quality content and following the steps and tips mentioned above, you can soon find yourself at the top of search rankings!
