If you’re a content creator marketing your product on YouTube, then you should familiarize yourself with how the website ranks. With that knowledge, it is possible to employ effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques to rank higher by attracting more viewers. Although the website is owned and managed by Google, its SEO only shares a few similarities with that of the search engine. Both kinds require the use of keywords. But YouTube is video-based, so it relies on other aspects like view duration, reactions, and size of the channel’s community (subscribers).
In this write-up, you will learn all about the YouTube search engine and how its algorithm categorizes content on the site.
YouTube SEO explained
SEO describes all efforts and practices that are expended towards the goal of maximizing the reach of your content. To YouTube, that would include processes like optimizing the description of your uploaded video. To rank higher, you may need to optimize other descriptive elements like the tags, transcript, tags links, and call-to-action (CTAs). When carried out correctly, these practices can boost your video rankings and draw more attention to your channel or website. Using the performance of your channel as a benchmark, YouTube’s algorithm will suggest your videos to watchers that will find it related to their frequently watched videos on the site.
Factors that influence YouTube search:
The ranking of your videos is determined by several factors on this platform, and they include the following:
- The duration of each view your video has.
- The number of return viewers to your product.
- The level of correlation between the viewer’s query and your meta description.
- Whether your video is related to the user’s watch history.
- Whether the viewer is a subscriber to your channel, as well as how much content they have viewed on your channel on the platform.
How you can optimize your YouTube content
The easiest approach to optimize your content on the platform is to consult with experts at Videosgrow.com to buy high-quality views and YouTube comments. Aside from that, there are many other tips you can employ to get higher rankings. Here they are:
1. Research Extensively on Keywords
Keyword research is the most rudimentary practice for your videos on YouTube. Without understanding the interesting topics and related keywords, you will find it challenging to create content that people would like to watch. If you’re serious about optimizing it on this platform, then you need to take your time with keyword analysis. It’s possible to actively increase the search volume for your videos by changing the perspective based on your acquired information. For the relevant keywords, start by checking out those used by other channels that post similar videos.
Type out keywords in the search section and use the suggestions as possible topics for your channel. There are various tools for researching and gaining valuable insights into the search results, tags, and keywords. You can use some to teach your progress and compare possible outcomes as your content begins to increase its rank on YouTube. Examples of these tools include Ubersuggest, SEMrush, Tubebuddy, vidIQ, and so on. Carrying out proper research will give you a deeper understanding.
2. Implement Keywords Strategically
The uploaded video’s title must contain some of the keywords gotten from your extensive research. Ensure it’s simple, and subscribers won’t have to think too much before understanding the meaning or finding the video. To get your channel easily found, you are best advised to incorporate keywords into its description. Also, place them naturally throughout the description but ensure that they must dominate the introductory phrases. Avoid stuffing the write-up with keywords and repeat the process for your tags and transcript. Incorporate them in the filename of the content and mention them during the video to ensure it’s mentioned in the transcript.
3. Use a Powerful Thumbnail
Using a thumbnail that’s attractive helps your content rank highly among related ones. To clearly depict the topic being discussed, use images of high quality. Include stylish text to draw attention to your video. Use also colors and shadow effects to make the label more eye-catching. If you’re confused about what will work or not, then experiment with different thumbnails to get a sense of what suits your audience best. To instill emotions into your description, you’re best advised to integrate a real image of a person and improve your CTA in turn.
4. Avoid Irrelevant Tags
YouTube utilizes the videos’ tags to understand their context so it can group it with related ones. Always use less than eight descriptive tags that include both single and long-tail keywords. Generally, people search for long-tail tags, so focus more on them when tagging your videos. Check for those used by channels that post videos with topics similar to yours and reuse their most popular tags.
5. Increase your video duration
YouTube’s algorithm favors lengthier videos, although it’s easy to think that shorter ones dominate the ranking. While it may require more effort to create longer videos, more regular viewers will be attracted by your channel due to the increased quality of content they see. Besides, they encourage continued viewing, unlike short ones that allow users to spend limited time browsing the site. Research shows that people spend upward of 40 minutes per streaming session on the website, so ensure they spend most of that time watching your channel.
6. Plan your Content
Checking out your competitions and their high-value posts is another kind of research that is necessary before creating content on YouTube. Form a strategy for your content, so it answers the questions that remain unanswered by other channels. You may find these unresolved queries in the comment section of related videos. By helping YouTube watchers get the solutions to their popular challenges, be sure that they will further engage with your channel by liking or sharing. Studies have found a correlation between high rankings and how much engagement those high-ranking contents have. They may even join your community of subscribers and choose to get notified when you post new content.
7. Retain your viewer’s attention
By exercising patience with your timing of posting videos on the website, your viewers will be held in suspense. Withhold information from them while elucidating relevant points to hook them on your content. While you may feel the need to hand over the high-quality knowledge to your viewers, you can improve your rankings by holding out till you have piqued their interest.
8. Pile your Videos into a Playlist
Take your channel’s viewer-retention to the next level by creating playlist experiences instead of just videos. YouTube makes suggestions to users to view other videos that are present in the same playlist that they are currently watching. Make the best of this by forming deeper links between watchers and the content through delicate pre-production and sequencing. That way, people can move from one video to the next depending on the added value you provide by piling them up into a playlist. Doing this can direct watchers to the sales funnel and enhance your YouTube rankings.
Conclusion
In sum, implementing the above-listed tips will increase your videos’ ranks for related queries. The main thing is however to ensure that they are of high-quality and that your efforts to boost your rankings are rewarded.
