Here are some video marketing SEO tips that will help you conquer the search engine. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is an important part of your business’ livelihood online. With an increased emphasis on mobile search, it’s now more important than ever. Positioning your business for optimal mobile engagement can be achieved through a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that includes the use of video marketing content.
Savvy internet marketers know videos are an essential part of the content marketing mix. Customers consume and crave video content at an all-time high. Video is proven to be a powerful medium for sales, leads and brand awareness. In addition, videos can increase your conversions on landing pages by up to 80%!
Yes, video marketing is on the rise. Just check out these statistics:
At the same time, mobile search is exploding.
What’s more, as search engines begin to prioritize mobile-ready content, the need for a robust video marketing strategy optimized for mobile is more apparent.
SEO is as much of an art as it is a science. The same is true for video marketing content. But whether it’s a paintbrush or a microscope, boosting your business’ SEO is possible with awesome video content.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
Use a Video Creation Tool
The tool you use can make all the difference. Look for one that is easy-to-use and packages together video and photography content, royalty-free music and text overlay. If you’re a small business owner without the support of a large agency, you need to be effective with your time. The tool you use should also work for you by including editorial guidance and social platform dimension resizing to allow for fully optimized publishing, especially for mobile channels. I can recommend Promo.com (disclaimer: I work for them) but you can choose from a full list of recommended tools.
Don’t Neglect Thumbnails
Thumbnails are a tool too, and they can be a way to get viewers to click on your content. Spend a few minutes selecting or creating a thumbnail that most accurately: reflects your overall video, entices viewers to click and watch and, if possible, has a text-based call-to-action. This thumbnail will be viewed first on most Google image and video searches.
Use Captions
Adding captions is not only important to reach the “muted video audience” (those who watch videos with their sound turned off), it also adds formatting to your content. Using consistent captions will strengthen your branding and better convey your message. When your branding works, it means people see your content and immediately know it’s from you. The video format you choose can impact your search authority, thus impacting your overall search ranking. Most of the video creation tools let you add captions while customizing the fonts, colors and text animations.
Optimize For Vertical Viewers
Keep in mind, most mobile users hold their phone in a vertical position. This is especially true if you’re posting videos or running ads on Instagram. Instagram has no native desktop platform. That means viewers are scroll through on their mobile devices.
Formatting plays a big role in the success or failure of your video marketing content. You only have a few short seconds to grab your viewer’s attention before they’ll thumb through to the next piece of content. If the content looks “off,” they’ll scroll shoot on by.
Take note of the format and orientation recommendations for each platform you’re posting on. Keep in mind it will NOT be the same for every platform.
Upload to Multiple Platforms
Go beyond just self-hosting your videos. Do not get me wrong, including videos on your website’s landing pages is highly effective in increasing engagement and conversions. But to be successful in your marketing tactics you must utilize multiple channels. By uploading and interlocking your content into a social network, you are more likely to be recognized by Google and therefore your videos are more likely to reach users. When posting on multiple channels like YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Vimeo, Instagram, DailyMotion, etc. make sure to create unique text for each post in order to diversify your chances to rank better. Tailor your keywords to the search engine and target audiences. Creating an interlinking social network with diverse keywords for your video content helps make you visible to the customers you want to reach. The more location diversity the better a video performs.
Optimize Your Video
Making your video is the fun part. Making it work better? That’s where the devil is in the details. Effective SEO is not only in the core of the content but also the peripherals. Title, description, relevant tags, and keywords, etc. These things matter. Make sure to use your keywords in the titles, tags, and descriptions to show up at the top of all your businesses’ relevant search pages. It is essential not to skip this step when uploading your videos to YouTube or any other channel because this keyword placement can lead directly to your video being discovered.
HACK: With Google’s new video carousel, it’s easier than ever to boost your video content into top video search results. Google is now listing video results in a separate carousel. Not only does this help videos stand out more, but they’re also no longer competing with other organic search results. This means that top video results are now featured more prominently. With the video carousel placement, your videos can jump up even higher than your best-written content.
Optimizing your video applies to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo and anywhere else you’re posting your video content. Search engines will assess the title, description, and tags applied to a video. They’ll also note the destination you’re linking to, so never pass up the opportunity to send viewers further down your funnel.
Think about SERPs
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page, which are the pages displayed by a search engine in response to a query by a user. Video SERPs are quite diverse depending on the channel (YouTube vs Google vs Facebook), but if you’re strategic you can use your knowledge about a search engine to stand out. Keep in mind what a search engine wants, which is for users to stay engaged on their site so they can watch more ads. Search engines look at audience interest and relevance when compiling SERPs for a user. In order to get your videos recognized, you must think strategically about the topic of your videos and how to target your audience in a creative way.
Not only are SERPs different for video content they’re also different for mobile users and desktop users. Loading time is a huge factor for SEO on mobile devices. Also, it’s good to keep in mind that mobile users don’t have a keyboard so often their searches are shorter and subject to more typos making smart keywords on your videos even more vital.
Be Engaging
If audience interest and relevance are what the Search Engines look for then it’s vital for you to think about what videos best engage an audience. Below is a list of video types that are most effective and watched by users:
How-to Videos/Tutorials
Videos that are educational in nature explaining a task with instructions and examples. Audience’s seeking tutorials are great for SEO boosting because if your video is applicable to their questions then the viewer tends to have high audience attentiveness meaning they stay on your video longer and increase your audience interest score.
Videos that feature a list of top picks for a category, top tools, top tips or “best of” or compilations. Top lists are popular because they hype up upcoming trends and share insightful preferences. The informative nature and fast pace nature of listicles keep viewers locked in on your content helping capture their involvement and bump up your SEO.
Product Reviews
Videos that include initial reactions and feedback on a product in an “unboxing” format. The strength of these videos comes with its authenticity. They allow viewers to feel a part of the discovery process while receiving genuine feedback on a product or service.
Testimonials
Videos that highlight real customer feedback. Testimonial videos are instrumental in influencing the purchasing process as the majority of people seek out peer confirmation before making a purchase. Review-based videos are proven to be more powerful and effective as people look for trust and social recommendations regularly.
Vlog (Video blog)
Videos that share thoughts and opinions in a casual manner. Vlogs tend to catch viewers attention because the content is relatable and down to earth. Video Blogs are great to help create a personal connection to viewers.
Create a Video Marketing SEO Tips Checklist
This is an essential tool for your SEO campaign, as it ensures you hit every place you need to without recreating the wheel for each video. Make a checklist, incorporate it into Slack, Evernote, or anywhere you or your team collaborate on projects.
What does a video marketing tactical list look like? It includes things like:
Ready To Get Started?
Mobile video marketing is an essential component of success in today’s digital landscape. Thankfully, it’s easier and more cost-effective than ever with the use of a video creation tool.
Make video creation a part of your SEO strategy today. These tips are a great way to get started on the path to better brand positioning, greater search results, and a more effective online presence.
Hila Shitrit Nissim
This content was originally published here.
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