YouTube website positioning: 26 Ways to Get Extra Views, Subscribers, and Visitors
When you think of SEO, you probably think of Google.
It's easy to see why – Google is the most powerful search engine.
However, Google is far from the only search engine.
I will even state that some search engines can be more powerful than Google. (Gasp!) Not that big, no. Not so popular. However, if you access other search engines, you can increase your search exposure and conversions.
Here's the thing: Less popular search engines fill certain roles. For example, if you do Bing SEO, you can reach an audience that you cannot reach on Google.
If you ignore other search engines, you are doing your business a disservice.
Today I want to talk about YouTube and especially YouTube SEO.
It might seem strange to think of YouTube as a search engine, but it is exactly that.
In particular, it is a search engine for videos.
The entire website is controlled by a search bar that appears in the middle of the page. It is similar to Google's video search results.
Since YouTube is its own search engine, it has its own SEO best practices.
Just like you want your website to rank high on the SERPs, you want to rank your videos high on the YouTube SERPs.
YouTube SEO is a little different from regular SEO and it can take a while to get used to.
To make it easier for you, I've made a list of techniques that will help you get the visibility you need on YouTube.
1. Find video keywords to improve YouTube's SEO
Keywords for YouTube are a little different from keywords that appear in search engines like Google or Bing.
For example, you will often see YouTube keywords that begin with "how to".
Brian Dean recommends using Google to search for different keywords in your niche. Then check that keywords are showing video results.
For example, if you did a search for "How to Make Apple Pie," you would see a ton of video results, and at least one was from YouTube.
Ubersuggest lets you check how many monthly searches these keywords are getting.
Step 1: Enter your keyword and click Search
Step 2: Click Keyword Ideas in the left sidebar
Step 3: Check the keyword results
For that particular search, you will get 296 keywords, one of which is the term you are looking for. Along with a keyword list, there is data for:
- volume: Number of searches the keyword receives on Google each month.
- Cost per click: Average cost per click for the term in Google Ads.
- PD: Paid difficulty, which is the valued competition in paid search.
- SD: Search Difficulty which is the valued competition in organic search.
As a rule of thumb, your chosen video keywords should receive hundreds of monthly searches. For example, if you decide that you want to use keywords with no fewer than 800 searches, you can use the filter feature to narrow your results:
Even though you only have six keywords left, you know that your focus is on the ones that have a meaningful number of searches each month.
Just like you do keyword research for normal SEO, you should also do keyword research for YouTube SEO.
2. Optimize your video title
Do you know how to always optimize your headings for written content? Same goes for YouTube.
You want to include your focus keyword in your video title and should solve an issue with your title as well.
When you read Roberto Blake's video title, you will immediately know what the benefits are:
Use clear titles and your YouTube SEO will thank you!
3. Optimize your YouTube tags
Tagging is one of the best SEO features YouTube has to offer.
Tagging allows you to enter relevant keywords that will help your videos get more views.
Use tags that are particularly relevant to your topic.
This is a perfect opportunity to use LSI keywords related to your focus keyword.
Don't use too many tags. Around 10 to 12 are enough.
4. Ask people to leave comments
If your videos get a lot of comments, it tells YouTube that your videos are popular.
Just like Google, YouTube prioritizes popular content. Comments are one of the metrics that YouTube uses to decide what people like best.
It is a good idea to end your video with a question to start a discussion.
5. Encourage people to sign up
Subscribing is a big deal on YouTube.
This is one of the factors that YouTube algorithms use to rate videos.
Like or comment on a video is a one-time action, but subscribing to it means that people will see your content regularly.
For YouTube, this is a huge factor that reflects the value you are providing.
Pro tip: Lots of YouTubers ask people to like, comment, and subscribe to everything at once. However, if you are prioritizing any of these metrics, focus on promoting subscriptions.
6. Increase the production value
This article is about YouTube SEO. But as with any SEO method, there is a huge quality component behind it.
I said earlier that SEO is essentially user optimization. So I want to give you some pointers on how to improve video quality which in turn will improve search performance.
I understand that not everyone can afford a professional studio setup, but that doesn't mean your video quality has to take a hit.
Most of us have smartphones that can record video, and that's good enough to get started.
Seriously, your iPhone and Android devices are pretty much all you need.
There are a few small investments and changes you can make if you want to improve the quality of your videos:
Get a tripod
A little stability goes a long way in making a more professional video.
Add background
If it's best to put your bedding on a bookcase, that's not a problem.
Or you can buy one of these on Amazon for less than $ 50.
Get the lighting right
You don't need fancy spots or anything like that. All you need is a couple of lamps or lights pointed directly at the subject of the video.
If you are on a budget, $ 50- $ 75, you can buy some nice lights.
But as I said, if you have ordinary house lamps lying around, you can use those too.
Obtain a microphone
Here, too, you don't have to spend a large budget.
Not everyone needs to buy this $ 900 mic.
However, you might be able to afford a microphone for $ 5 or $ 10.
Even an inexpensive microphone will give you far better audio quality than your phone's built-in microphone.
With an investment of $ 100 to $ 150, you can roll out high-quality videos that can rival some of the biggest YouTube channels.
Your search traffic will improve.
7. Create an eye-catching thumbnail
Your video thumbnail isn't a ranking factor that YouTube uses directly, but it still has a huge impact on your SEO.
A good thumbnail means more clicks and that means better search engine optimization.
Make sure your thumbnail gets noticed and lets viewers know what your video is about.
Many people only see videos when they look at the thumbnails. So don't skip this step.
8. Add subtitles
Here is a cool YouTube SEO hack that will give you a huge edge.
You may know that YouTube videos support subtitles.
When you toggle this option, the following labels are displayed:
These are intended for people who are deaf or hard of hearing but have an unexpected SEO benefit.
Subtitles can be crawled by search engines!
That means that when you enable subtitles, you get a nice SEO boost.
While YouTube does support automatic subtitles, it is not perfect.
You can edit these subtitles or add your own. Whatever you do, make sure the labels are correct.
9. Edit your filename to improve YouTube SEO
This is one of those tricks that may or may not have a dramatic impact on your SEO, but it's still important to do.
The idea is to rename your raw file to reflect your title or focus keyword.
For example, your file might default to a name like "20170613.mp4".
However, if you rename it and use your focus keyword (e.g., "how_to_use_hello_bar.mp4"), you're letting YouTube know what your video is about.
10. Create links to your YouTube channel, not just your videos
For the best YouTube search engine optimization, you want links to your channel and videos.
These inbound channel links are basically telling YouTube that you are an authority in your niche.
Keep this point in mind as I'll show you how to get links in the next few steps.
11. Share on social media
Here the concept is simple and probably a little obvious.
But it's an important point.
Today's web is social. YouTube is a social channel. To maximize YouTube visibility and SEO, you need to share your videos on every available social channel.
Share on Facebook
This is obvious, but I have to include it.
One of the first things you should do is share your video on Facebook.
Facebook can generate a lot of traffic, especially if you add a nice description to it.
Here is the most important thing to know about YouTube videos on Facebook.
According to a study by Moz, "Facebook may be the best option for video advertising."
Why is this? It's a simple numbers game.
Facebook native videos have more impressions than YouTube videos shared on Facebook.
They also have longer observation times.
But does that mean you shouldn't share YouTube videos with Facebook?
Obviously not.
YouTube still remains the largest video platform in the world.
Cross-posting your YouTube videos wherever possible remains the strongest and most workable strategy for maximum visibility.
Share on Twitter
Same idea here – spread the word and get more eyeballs on your videos.
Twitter research claims, "Video on Twitter drives engagement."
Twitter native videos are strong, yes. However, YouTube shares on Twitter are far higher than the number of native Twitter videos uploaded.
Videos shared on Twitter receive high engagement rates and views.
So tweet these videos!
Share on LinkedIn
I've found that people are more engaged on LinkedIn than on other social media sites.
And if your video content is about business, that's even better.
Using videos on LinkedIn is a great way to make your business or personal page more comprehensive and robust.
For example, Shama Hyder has a video on her LinkedIn profile.
The video, obviously a YouTube video, increases LinkedIn engagement and YouTube viewer enhancement.
LinkedIn is the only major social platform that hasn't introduced a native video feature (without SlideShare).
Because of this, you have one great option for video sharing on LinkedIn: YouTube.
Share on Quora
Quora is one of the best places to share your videos.
Why? The people on Quora are specifically looking for detailed information that will solve their problems.
While you shouldn't get spam with your links, don't be afraid to join your videos and / or channel.
The overall value of sharing on social networks is greater than just the views you get on those platforms.
When you share on social media, you are also working on building links to your channel and growing your social presence. It's a win-win situation.
12. Send an email to your list
The email list is one of the most effective forms of marketing.
You can email thousands of people in the blink of an eye and have tons of eyes on your content in a matter of hours.
This will increase the number of views you will get, which is vital to good YouTube SEO.
13. Embed your video for better YouTube SEO
Embedding your videos serves two purposes.
First, your video will appear in front of more people. You can embed your video anywhere, but I recommend blogging.
Second, it increases your user interaction. This is a direct result of more people watching your video.
14. Steal keyword ideas Improve YouTube SEO
You won't be an expert on SEO for YouTube to begin with.
That is why it is wise to see what your competitors are doing.
You may find that other companies in your niche use certain keywords.
Try using these keywords in your own videos and keep track of the changes in performance. With this simple technique, your videos may get a lot more shares.
15. Start your description with your focus keyword
Here's a tip straight from YouTube.
When writing your video descriptions, use your focus keyword as early as possible without sounding forced.
The YouTube bot sees your keyword almost immediately and crawls it. This could lead to a higher ranking for your keyword.
16. Use YouTube for keyword research
Let's talk a little more about video keywords for a second.
I mentioned earlier that they use Google to find video keywords.
This is a good method, but using YouTube itself is another way to find great keywords.
In particular, I want to use YouTube's search bar to automatically generate popular keywords.
I can type in a phrase like "content marketing" and the search box has several suggestions:
How's that for video keyword research?
These are actual phrases that people are looking for. Hence, it makes perfect sense to use them for your own videos.
17. Increase your observation time
What is "time"?
This is the time people spend actually watching your videos.
This is an important YouTube ranking metric. Obviously, when people spend a lot of time watching your videos, they like what you are doing.
There are a few different ways you can extend your time, and I'll address a few of them in the points below.
18. Check your Watch Time report
YouTube offers a number of handy reports that you can use to analyze the performance of your videos.
There is the time report which can be used to see how many minutes people are spending on your videos.
To view the report, go to YouTube Studio.
Navigate to Analytics in the menu on the left and look for Watch Time. "
This report is useful for tracking changes in your user interaction. If your time spikes or falls, you should investigate why this might have happened.
19. View your return visitor report
You should also know how much your audience actually loves your content enough to stick around for a while.
The audience report that the audience returns shows you a handful of helpful metrics, including average viewing time and your best performing videos.
You can find the report under Analytics> Audience in Studio.
You can also view audience engagement data for specific videos by clicking the name of the video.
You can also play the video and track your performance every second.
20. Use Engagement Reports to Drive YouTube's SEO
Do you need more reports? I have just the thing for you: engagement reports.
YouTube offers several engagement reports that you can use to measure your overall performance.
Each report is valuable in its own way, and I encourage you to review each one regularly.
For example, the subscriber report shows you how many subscribers you have gained or lost.
The average percentage shows how much of each video your viewers see.
These metrics are perfect for improving your YouTube SEO and monitoring even the finest details of your performance.
21. Add some tension to improve YouTube's SEO
If you're still struggling to increase playback time and keep user interaction going, you may need to rethink how you create your videos.
A successful technique is to start your video with some tension.
You don't have to create dramatic cliffhangers, but something must be at stake.
I do this a lot of times by saying a statistic that gets your attention.
Another option is to ask a question. The popular broadcaster Vsauce does this regularly.
Check out the beginning of this video:
You can't help but keep watching the video to find out more.
It doesn't matter how you do it, but you want your viewers to keep watching. Creating a bit of tension is one of the best ways to achieve this.
22. Create YouTube playlists
Your viewers aren't the only ones who can take advantage of the power of playlists.
Creating keyword rich playlists can boost your YouTube SEO and can get you more searches too.
Check out this playlist. Practical, isn't it?
Using playlists is one of those small but powerful tactics that can increase display time and retention.
23. Get featured on another channel
This is a tricky tactic, but if you do it right, you can get some great results.
This is difficult because ideally you want to partner with YouTube channels that complement, but not necessarily compete with, your channel.
If you choose a channel in the exact same niche as yours, you may lose viewers to the other channel.
So, if you have a food-themed YouTube channel, find a channel that is all about drinks. If you have a marketing channel, find a sales channel.
You have the idea.
Send some inquiries and see if other channels are ready to show you off. As long as you're giving away something of value, you shouldn't have a problem with being featured.
Oh, and make sure you get a link to your channel! You can even ask for a comment.
24. Get interviewed
Landing an interview on a YouTube channel is another great way to get featured.
Some YouTube channels specialize in interviews, others do them regularly.
The Growth Everywhere channel (where I run the Marketing School with Eric Siu) often contains influencers:
One of the things that drove my personal brand growth is interviews like this one on Evan Carmichael's channel.
With Evan having 726,000 subscribers to his channel, I'm visible in front of an audience I may not have.
25. Find your optimal video length
You've probably asked yourself at some point, "What's the perfect length for a YouTube video?"
There is no single correct answer here.
Minimatter found that the average length of the ten most popular YouTube videos is 4 minutes and 20 seconds.
However, this may not be the best choice for the type of videos you are creating. More importantly, you should focus on what users want, not just YouTube SEO best practices.
If the TED talks were this short, viewers would feel cheated.
So it depends on the type of content you are creating. If it deserves depth, take a longer video.
Don't make super long (or super short) videos at the same time just because.
26. Improve your YouTube content
I have to end the list with this advice.
No number of SEO hacks are going to get people to learn more. This responsibility rests solely with your content.
Ultimately, your content is the foundation of all of your YouTube SEOs. So make sure he's better than everyone else's. For tips on improving your content, check out this video marketing guide.
Conclusion
YouTube isn't just for over-famous superstars.
You can join in too.
Surprisingly, it's not that difficult. If you work hard to create videos that will really help people, this is how the views are displayed.
You can then send that traffic to your website or ask other people to subscribe to your list for more content.
Every other company in the world runs Facebook and AdWords ads. Hence, it is difficult to stand out on these platforms.
YouTube is a different story. Getting a lot of views is surprisingly easy with the YouTube SEO tips I gave you.
You don't need a big budget to make great videos. The only way to make a viral video is with your phone in your pocket and a free video editor.
The best channels stand out because they have something unique to offer.
If you have a unique value proposition and go the extra mile to create videos that people love, you can become very successful on YouTube.
What's your top tip for standing out on YouTube?
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