How YouTube Can Help Optimize Your Online Presence

 “We’ve become more than just an entertainment destination” – Chad Hurley, YouTube Co-Founder, 2007

Why YouTube Video Optimization makes Sense

Hurley couldn’t have said it any better. If you own an online business, you know that content that is optimized for SEO receives more clicks then content that isn’t. Video content is no different especially if it is uploaded to the Google owned social media website, YouTube. YouTube is now considered to be the second largest search engine after Google. YouTube processes over 3 billion searches every day and is considered bigger than Bing, Yahoo and AOL combined. Users also post over sixty hours of video every minute.

Needless to say, the medium offers immense marketing opportunities for a business. However, your efforts need to be optimized in order for you to take advantage of them. Here is how you can do just that.

Optimize Metadata

Metadata is simply data about data. Metadata for a video is the information that tells your viewers what a video is all about. If you plan on marketing your videos on the video sharing website, your metadata should include;

• A title
• Tags
• Descriptions

Optimizing these with popular keywords and your videos will gain the right attention.

Clear Keywords

Your YouTube video optimization efforts will be more successful if your video is worth viewing. However, if its content lacks keywords, it might not get noticed regardless of how good it is. Use keywords that people actually use to find videos such as yours. For example, if your videos specialises in ‘How-To Tutorials’ for baking cakes or confectioners, you can use phrases like “baking cookies” or even phrases like “bake the best cake in Texas” if you want to optimize it for this or any other state. Make sure that your efforts are organic and sound natural. You can always use YouTube’s Keyword Suggestion Tool to make the prospect easier.

Make your Video Descriptions Count

We just discussed how optimizing your descriptions can catapult your video channel on YouTube. It is important to remember that the first few sentences of your video channel are crucial in this regard. The initial description is the first sentence that visitors will read once they access your videos. You can also include a call-to-action in your description that directs viewers to your website. Make sure that you use relevant keywords in your content. Not only will this make it easier for people to find your videos it will also help them identify with your brand better.

Of course, keywords aren’t all you have to fall back on when it comes to YouTube video optimization. The social media website does not have any particular guidelines for ranking its videos. In general, video marketers are advised to keep the following in mind in this regard;

• Annotation linking
• Number of views and their frequency
• Shares
• Likes and dislikes
• Favorites
• Subscribers

Source: Bloomua / Shutterstock.com

Group Similar Playlists

This is a great optimization trick especially if you own your own YouTube channel. This is what Target did. All of their web based content is optimised in a single playlist while their commercials make up another one. In this way, their customers or followers are spared from being bombarded by advertisements.

Grouping videos based on topic isn’t only the responsible thing to do; it also prevents visitors from becoming frustrated. Always remember; visitors are also likely to view videos of the same topic if they are readily available.

Optimising for Local SEO

Geotagging your videos is a great way to optimise your YouTube videos for local SEO. You can easily geotag your videos according to the geographical location of your business. The video sharing website makes this easy. All you have to do is go to Advanced Settings. Enter the location or address in the marked search fields before clicking on Search. A map will appear where you can use the pinpoint marker to refine efforts more. YouTube sets up the exact coordinates of your location and therefore makes it easier for visitors to find you.

This can be even more beneficial if you use Google+; specifically their local page. The video can easily be shared on your Google streams this way. The more these videos are shared, the more popular they are.

Promote on Social Media

This is one of the most effective ways to ensure that your YouTube videos are noticed and shared. If your business has a Facebook or Tumblr account, make sure that you share your videos on it. Followers and potential customers are sure to view and share it if they like what they see. The numbers of likes will also help your videos rank higher on search engines as well. Use the tips mentioned above along with this technique and you gear yourself for success.

Channel Art

YouTube allows you to optimize your header image or channel art. This is the image that is located at the top of your channel and usually helps followers or visitors associate with your brand better. You can always include a description about yourself in this area and optimize it for SEO in order to increase web traffic to your pages.

Keep in mind; channel art looks different in various devices. Choose or create art that works well in all of them. The video sharing website has an image guide that will help you craft the perfect art for your channel.

Optimised Transcripts

State your business’s name, phone number and address in the video. And yes, this means in the video’s audio. How will this help if the information is not text based? The video sharing website automatically converts such information into text transcripts by using Google’s systems.

Optimising your videos for YouTube is a structured process and should be seen as such. This will make it easier for audiences to find your videos in online searches. In addition, it is also the fastest way to gain the attention your brand needs to leave the competition behind and by using these optimization tips, you can improve your brands reach for video marketing.

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