In the past, inbound marketing was never a priority. Marketers only focused on traditional means such as broadcast, direct mail, print, and telephone.
Today, this is not the case. Marketers have shifted to comprehensive strategies such as blogs, eBooks, podcasts, and videos.
The last option, videos, continues to increase steadily, especially when you talk of YouTube videos. In 2018, 45% of marketers invested in YouTube more than any other channel available to them.
With the millions of YouTube videos posted annually, you may want your videos to show up first. YouTube has an algorithm that ranks videos that look into many factors.
So how do you ensure your videos appear first? It all starts with applying the search engine optimization (SEO) rules. That said, I’m here to help you.
In this blog post, I examine some of the best SEO rules and practices that will help you in the management of your YouTube content. Let’s start with the definition.
What Is YouTube SEO?
Simply put, YouTube SEO is a process that involves the optimization of your YouTube channel, playlists, and videos to rank high in the search option of a given query.
The process involves several tasks, such as optimizing our meta and video descriptions, adding captions to videos, and ensuring that you use the right keywords.
If you follow the instructions correctly, YouTube SEO will help rank your videos at the top of search pages. Top ranking helps in increasing brand awareness, views, traffic, and revenue.
How YouTube’s Search Engine Algorithm Works?
YouTube uses a ranking algorithm to determine how content ranks. Although the algorithms are not well defined, below are some of the things you need to know about ranking videos:
• All videos are ranked based on their relevancy
• The reward focuses on video engagement and not clicks
• The ranks take into consideration the meta descriptions match the interests of the user
• The ranks consider how many specific users have watched the video
• The ranks consider the users watching history
• It considers the total number of subscribers
• The ranks consider the view velocity, which refers to the number of subscribers that watch the video immediately after it is published
The above factors ensure that there is a high engagement between the YouTube marketers and the viewers. The more the videos are posted on the platform, the more ads are shown and more money for Alphabet Inc.
So the bottom line is, if you are unable to engage your audience on YouTube, your chances of being ranked highly are close to none.
To this end, I have talked enough about how the Search Engine Algorithm. It is time to look at how to conduct YouTube SEO systematically.
Steps To YouTube SEO
It is good to know that YouTube SEO is not rocket science. Nonetheless, you need to follow a certain proven procedure for you to make it. Here are the set out steps you must follow:
Step 1: Finding The Right Keywords
The Search Engine Optimization process begins at the video keyword research stage. Now let us learn how to identify the right keywords.
YouTube Keyword Search
The first step of Keyword Research involves generating a list of potential words. Then from there, pop the word or phrase at the search section.
YouTube will list down a bunch of words that are related to what you typed in.
The suggested keywords will guide you to select the correct terms. How? These terms are used severally, hence they are popular. If YouTube suggests any words to you, use them.
You can also copy keywords from a popular video. There are high chances that the video acquired many views from the popular keyword.
To execute this stage, look for another channel within your niche and sort the videos by selecting the most popular. Once you identify it, create a video around it. Finally, choose the keywords the video is optimized around and copy that.
You can also search the keywords used in the title, description, and video tags.
To quickly check them, I recommend the VidIQ Chrome extension. It clearly shows the video tags on the page. Once you identify the video tag, copy it.
You can also search for the right keywords on the YouTube Traffic Source search report. The Traffic Source Report will enable you to find a unique word that you would have never seen using a different strategy.
It is possible to find a unique word because people are already searching for that name on YouTube. After you generate a list of keywords, you can now select the best one from the list.
Use Low Competition Keywords
In particular, you need to target low competition words. Using low keywords is specifically crucial if you don’t have many subscribers.
If you settle for competitive keywords, your video might get buried in the results. Therefore, you need to settle for keywords that don’t have much competition.
So how do you ensure that the word doesn’t have extra competition? All you are expected to do is search the keyword on Google, then wait for the results. The results represent the number of video content on that topic.
The higher the number of results, the more competitive the word is. Make sure you target keywords with lower results.
Nonetheless, we will not advise you on the specific number of words you should use. Settle for keywords that have lower competition in your niche. For instance, if you search for the term YouTube SEO, you will receive 6,15,00,000 results.
That’s a huge number! For a new member, I advise you to try other words such as “YouTube ranking factors.” The keyword will only produce 11,10,000 results. The smaller number of results clearly shows that the phrase is less competitive.
We also have a bonus tip to share: You can also search for your word on Google. Here is how. Not all views come from YouTube’s platform; others receive views by being ranked on Google.
The trick is to ensure that your videos are optimized around keywords on Google.
Well, you see, the Google platform only incorporates videos in the search result for specific keywords. Some of these keywords include Tutorials (“setting up a Facebook page”) or Funny videos (“Cute cats”)
Optimizing your videos around Google keywords is essential. If you don’t have Google results on Google, you will only get traffic on YouTube. However, if you optimize your video around a Google keyword, you will get traffic from both ends.
Once you have identified the keyword, wait to see if there is a search volume for that word. If the word has less volume, you might only end up with 20 searches.
Of course, this is not worth it, considering the amount of money and work that goes into it.
Settle on a keyword that gets 100 to 1000 searches in a month. To understand this process further, find more information using the Google Keyword Planner.
Step 2: Identify Search Intent
Now that you have settled on a keyword, you need to identify the search intent. The search intent refers to the main reason why a person searches for something on the search engine.
In most cases, search engines work best in determining that for you.
Just type the keywords on the YouTube search engine and analyze what the top results will talk about.
Instead of searching for a new intent, settle for the top 3. It’s advisable to do this anonymously and using a VPN within your location. For example, if you are in Canada, use a US IP.
Step 3: Satisfy Search Intent With A High-Retention Video
You can gauge the viewer’s satisfaction by the number of comments, high ranking, likes, and shares on YouTube. YouTube aims at:
• Helping viewers find the best videos they are looking to watch
• Maximize viewer satisfaction
Therefore, your objective as a content creator is to produce a video that can easily engage and retain an audience. Below is a guideline on how to maintain your viewers:
Plan The Videos Before You Create Them
When creating videos, the last thing you need is to ask your audience to pause and wait because you have made a wrong move.
Planning your videos enables you to ensure that your ideas are concise and also allows you to include keywords in them. It is easy to create videos when you know what you are making and who you are creating it for.
Start With A Strong Hook
The most crucial minutes of a YouTube video are the first 10 to 15 seconds. Hook your viewers, and you will retain them. If you forego the hook, you will lose the viewers before you deliver any value.
Unfortunately, every niche is different; hence we don’t have a single formula that works for everybody, but we will propose three components that can guide you. They include:
Relate
Everyone seeks to be understood. Therefore, the best way to grab someone’s attention is to show them they are not alone. So how well can you relate with your audience?
Start the engagement with a rhetorical question that you suspect the viewer might have himself. Of course, you cannot see your audience behind your camera, but your aim is to get a nod of approval from the audience.
Also, ensure that you focus on real-life scenarios and connect them to the topic of the video. Whether your target is the B2B or B2C audience, always remember there is a person on the opposite side of the screen.
Identify The Problem
Now let me explain this with the most straightforward words. When a viewer searches for a keyword, what are they looking to address?
Yes, you guessed it right. It’s often their problem. So if they are looking to solve a problem, list the possible solutions to attract some retention on your page.
Proposal
Finally, give your audience a reason to stick around.
For example, you can use a question similar to this: Are you looking for more traffic on your YouTube channel to earn more income? Click this video to find out how.
Now, who doesn’t want additional traffic or who doesn’t want to earn more? Everyone needs more money.
Give proposals that will enable the viewers to know that they are watching the right content. In the end, you will retain the viewers.
Ask The Viewers To Like, Comment, And Subscribe
Most content creators ask for comments and likes at the end of a video. However, you need to understand that most of the viewers don’t watch the entire video. Therefore, you need to ask for the engagement without necessarily sounding needy.
For instance, if you are talking about creating content, you will say, “I won’t dig further into short videos, but you can leave a comment if you want to hear more on the topic in a future video.”
Such questions and requests boost engagement metrics. Eventually, your subscribers will leave a comment.
Edit Your Videos Strategically
Human beings have a short attention span. Hence, if your content focuses on screen casts alone, they will quickly get bored. To avoid this, you need to edit your videos correctly.
Below are some of the tips to follow to ensure that our videos flow correctly.
Add Jump Cuts
Well, a jump cut refers to a transition between two video shots in one position.
It creates the effect of jumping a scene, hence its name “jump cut.” Jump cuts add dynamics to a video and help ensure that mistakes are polished.
Ensure That You Get Rid Of The Gaps In Your Main Scenes
Identifying these gaps helps you identify missing information. To retain your audience, you need to ensure that the gaps are small by filling them with b-roll, custom animations, and text screens.
Nonetheless, always ensure that you only use these gaps in areas that make sense.
Draw Your Audience’s Attention With Clear Photos
For a start, add visual effects to guide the eyes of the viewer. Some viewers may know where to look without visual effects, but others have no idea.
In other cases, we can use custom animals, objects, and shapes to illustrate.
Other times, we’ll use shapes, objects, or custom animations to demonstrate our point. Further, adding sound effects to the video content can help in attracting the viewer’s attention.
Entertain The Audience With Narratives And Stories
YouTube is created as an entertainment platform. However, it isn’t easy to entertain people.
For instance, if I started a video in a Halloween costume and talked about corporate meetings, would you continue watching for an extra minute? Of course, you wouldn’t!
Therefore, if our primary goal is to teach about corporate meetings, let us try to create impact without putting in a lot of effort.
Despite the industry you are in, I am sure that there are ways to make your videos enjoyable.
Create Honest Feedback Loops
To create great videos, ask for feedback. The first feedback should come from within the team. It may be in the form of additional ideas, an agreement, or a strong disagreement.
After you have received the feedback, make the necessary amendments.
The main lesson here is that your first draft should not be your final draft. Look for people who can give you honest feedback. Also, don’t get offended. Instead, use your feedback to achieve better results.
Step 4: YouTube Video Optimization
Successful YouTube Video Optimization boils to 4 things. They include The Description, Tags, Titles, and Thumbnails – the four help guide creating content and influence the click-through-rates (CTR).
By now, we all know that the more clicks you gain, the more views you receive.
Three years ago, YouTube launched Beta Studio, a new analytics platform.
Through this forum, a new metric, ‘the click-through rate,’ was incorporated. To accentuate the importance of CTR, YouTube pushes content creators to improve their CTR in every video.
Moreover, increased click-through-rates increase the chances of YouTube suggesting your content to an audience outside your organic search. According to YouTube, below are the top practices to craft excellent videos.