5 SEO Tips that Will Increase Your Videos Visibility

Written on Thu, Dec 10, 2020

Do you know why everybody is jumping on the video marketing bandwagon?

Companies seem to have realized their audience no longer enjoys web pages full of text, and video provides them with the perfect solution.

Engaging and comprehensive, promotional videos help businesses convey their value proposition in a fun and easy way and bridge the distance between them and their audience, creating loyal customers.

But, no matter how effective a video is, you simply can't make the most out of it without proper distribution!

5 SEO Tips that Will Increase Your Videos Visibility

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Just like text, video content can benefit from an effective SEO strategy that allows it to be found and watched. So, today, we'll show you the best practices to make your video land at the very top of the results page. Let's dive right in!

1. Choosing the Right Hosting Platform

The Internet is one huge place. There's a wild array of sites that can host your video, some more suitable to your audience than others. So, there's not a one-size-fits-all answer to where to put your video.

Well... there is. YouTube. Since this platform gives place to thousands of communities, there are high chances of finding one that suits your audience in it. That said, even if YouTube is undoubtedly an excellent place to display your video, it may not be the ideal one for your case.

Your audience may be hanging out on other hosting platforms more fitted to their interests. Creative designers, for instance, have a soft spot for Behance. Film lovers and makers for Vimeo. Big-time procrastinators for Metacafe, TikTok, and the like.

It's also highly likely that certain social networks are stealing your audience's attention. So, you may consider showcasing your video via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or Pinterest.

2. Making the Best Possible Thumbnail

I can't stress enough how crucial thumbnails are for your click-through rate and the number of views – and, therefore, your SEO efforts. Thumbnails play such a critical part that, if your click-through rate is low, they are probably the first element you should work on.

It's not about making them aesthetically pleasing (although that helps), but about making them intriguing, noticeable, and sincere. Three words that sum up the definition of a great thumbnail.

To pique curiosity in the viewer, add demonstrative facial expressions to your thumbnail – even if it's animated! You can also enrich it with short texts or symbols that hint at what the video is about.

To create a noticeable thumbnail, make sure of using bold and big-enough elements. Trust me, including tiny details in your thumbnail, will only make it look cluttered, and that's the opposite of what you need. You want the picture to look simple so that people can understand it with just a glance.

Regarding the "sincere" part of our thumbnail definition, remember that your picture should be true to your video's content. This means no click-baiting – that can only harm your SEO and video watch time and might end up on a YouTube penalization.

3. Optimizing Your Video's Title and Description

Your video should have an enticing title and description. After all, both these elements play a significant part in your click-through rate – which, in turn, influences your ranking on the SERP.

But they also affect your SEO efforts more directly. By including the right keywords in your title and description, you can ensure that your audience can find your video near the SERP top.

We are talking about using terms that you know your audience will look for, so when they write those on the search bar – Ta-da! Your video appears. This requires conducting in-depth keyword research to find out which are the most popular terms. Well, not popular – relevant.

You see, the keywords with loads of searches are usually too generic. When somebody looks for them, they throw millions of results on the SERP. This translates into fewer chances of finding your video among them.

On the other side, longer and less popular keywords provide a smaller number of results, so you stand a higher chance of appearing at the top.

4. Embedding Your Video On a Landing Page

You probably have already heard that specific videos – explainers – work like a charm on landing pages. What you might not know is that embedding a video on a landing page is also a great SEO strategy.

Yep, Google's algorithm favors individual pages with videos. But before you run to create a new landing page for your video, you should take a moment to consider the following aspects.

For starters, you should have only one video per page. That's all Google crawlers can index. If there's more than one video, they'll just register the first one.

You should also mind putting your video in the spotlight. It should be the centerpiece of your page, without any doubt. So, unclutter its surroundings and choose an aesthetic that matches the video's visuals.

Also, limit yourself to a single page per video. Embedding your video in more than a page will negatively affect your SEO. And it's not hard to see why: a single page with many visits will rank higher than various pages with few visits.

5. Proper SEO is Just the Start

Your video's quality won't have a direct impact on your SEO. Still, it will affect your ranking on the SERP even more than any other aspect mentioned today.

You see, if your video is worth watching, viewers are more likely to engage with it and even come back. These actions naturally translate into more views, likes, comments, and shares. Elements that play a big part in getting your video at the top of the SERP.

Now, not everybody has the same thoughts of what a quality-piece stands for, but we can safely name four central aspects that come into play. Let's look at them in closer detail:

A Solid Script
It's said a great script not necessarily results in an excellent video, but an excellent video always stems from a great script. That is, one that conveys its point effectively through the use of engaging storytelling.
A Cohesive Message
Your video's visual and sound design should align with the script's message. As a result, you'll have a piece that is solely focused on a single point and expresses it with great strength.
Originality
Run-of-the-mill pieces don't make it into our definition of a quality video, least of all when they are created from pre-made templates. Unlike custom pieces, template videos tend to be similar to each other and usually lack appropriate branding and the targeted approach we are about to mention.
A Targeted Approach
A quality video resonates with a specific audience. So, research your target audience's lifestyle, worries, and interests, and create every element of your video with that in mind.

The Takeaway

A great video without a proper SEO strategy is a wasted effort. Your audience is not willing to scroll down and down the SERP to find your video. More often than not, if they can't find it among the first results, then they won't find it at all!

By leveraging the tactics you've learned today, you can increase your video's visibility on the SERP, allowing people to find it effortlessly with a simple search. This translates into more clicks, views, and engagement, which will help boost your SEO even more.

All in all, taking the time and effort to enhance your SEO strategy is bound to pay off. It is, after all, an essential part of your video marketing campaign.

Until next time, Be creative! - Pix'sTory made by Victor Blasco

Victor Blasco is an audiovisual designer, video marketing expert, and founder/CEO of the explainer video production company Yum Yum Videos. Besides running the business, he's a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek for all things sci-fi.

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