Today, videos are one of the most popular marketing campaigns that will occupy more than 82% of the internet traffic in 2022. That said, video content makes a great promotional tool for businesses as many people search for videos when surfing the internet.
Unlike other content marketing, videos are way more engaging because they satisfy people with both visual and sound elements. This means that video content is not only more effective in getting your message across but also drives better results in terms of engagement and click-through rate.
Several studies prove the effectiveness of using video for SEO. According to a study by Breadnbeyond, videos can increase customers’ purchase intent by 97%. In addition, 88% of marketers believe that videos are an important part of their marketing strategy.
However, getting your business on the radar for relevant keywords is not always easy, especially if you are new to the industry or have just started using video marketing campaigns. This is where SEO comes into play and helps you gain a competitive edge over your competitors.
Does Using Videos Help with SEO?
In contrast to popular belief, where only text-based content helps websites with SEO, videos are one of the best options for the same purpose. The reason is that the search engine, specifically Google, has gravitated towards videos search in the past few years.
Google has a separate video search result that directly leads to its subsidiary company, YouTube. According to YouTube, “more than 70% of YouTube watch time happens on mobile devices.” It also states that “YouTube viewers watch hundreds of millions of hours on mobile every day.”
In addition, Google has come up with a feature called the “Video Carousel,” a video-based SERP that allows users to view multiple videos within a single page. This feature is not limited to just YouTube but can be applied to other video-based websites as well.
The best part about this feature is that it allows users to view videos one after another without leaving the original search result page. The Video Carousel also makes it easier for users who are in a hurry and don't want to waste their time clicking on links from one website to another and finally reaching their destination.
As Google comes up with this algorithm update, incorporating videos into your marketing strategy can benefit many, including SEO.
5 SEO Benefits of Using Videos
There are many benefits of using videos for business. Whether it's to generate views and connect with customers, video content is proven to help brands in many ways. Here are some of the utmost results of incorporating video content when it comes to SEO benefits.
1. Rank higher on Google
Videos are often seen as a great way to rank higher in Google. Videos can help improve your search rankings and increase the amount of traffic you get from Google.
2. Generate more traffic
When your website lands on Google's first page, it's easier to get more traffic to your page. Videos improve site traffic and reduce bounce rate because people are more interested in watching video content than reading a long block of text on your website.
3. More shares and likes
People love videos, so if you create a video that will be shared and liked on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms, your views are more likely to increase.
4. Boost brand awareness
Videos can make your brand more attractive to the customers who view them. If your video has a high number of views and likes, it will show that people like your product or service. That's why video marketing is a good way of promoting it.
5. Increase conversion rate
The conversion rate is often higher for those who watch videos before buying products or services online. If you have an online store, adding video content can help increase the number of sales, you make each month.
7 Beginner-friendly Video SEO Tips
Now that you know how beneficial it is to use videos on a marketing plan let's learn how to optimize your video to reap the result.
Below are a few tips you can use to improve your video marketing.
1. Include keywords in the video title
Keywords are a phrase that internet users use to search for what they are looking for. The phrase can be anything from product names, brand names, or even reviews.
When optimizing your video SEO, keywords should be used as often as possible without looking repetitive or unnatural. If you're planning to upload your video to YouTube, you should add keywords in the title and description of the video. It will help the search engine find your videos faster.
People can discover your videos if their keywords match your title or description. But, make sure not to over-optimize it, so the keyword looks unnatural. Having too many keyword phrases in your single video content makes it look spammy.
2. Create a thumbnail that stands out
The thumbnail for your video is what viewers see immediately upon visiting the video page. It should be clear, easy to see, and representative of the content in the video.
Don't use a generic photo as the thumbnail of your video. Instead, use an image that tells people what they will see in the video and make it attractive at the same time.
For example, you can use a snippet of your videos by including a screen capture or compilation of the whole content. That way, people will be more interested in clicking your videos than others.
Various video marketing software tools like TubeBuddy have thumbnail creation features. You can also use design tools like Canva.
3. Make sure your content is unique
You can't just repurpose old content or use a lot of common phrases when creating videos for marketing campaigns. Make sure you add something new and useful to what has already been said about your product or service.
That said, producing a different type of video can help you with SEO as you expand the campaign to a broader audience. For example, if you want to introduce the latest product and demonstrate its usage, use a product video to describe the information.
On the other hand, you can produce testimonial content when you aim to convince potential customers to buy your product. A title like ‘new iPhone 13 Pro review' is great because you can showcase what existing customers have to say about the product. People with the intention to buy something will type a phrase review or testimonial to help them make a decision. Hence, making this type of video can increase your chance to land in a higher search result.
4. Include links on your description page
If you have a website, don't just include your contact information on the video. Include links as well. Links will help viewers find more information about your business or product.
More importantly, links in your description are not all about a conversion gate where viewers intend to make a purchase. They help you generate a surge of traffic to your website, resulting in a higher SEO score on Google. When many people visit your page, Google will identify such keywords and associate them with your website. You will rank higher on Google.
5. Add video subtitles or closed captions
Your video should include a clear, concise, and easy-to-understand closed caption. Adding subtitles or closed captions to your videos will help viewers with hearing problems enjoy the content. The video transcription is also great for people who prefer to read what is being said in the video when they watch it in public spaces.
What's more, Google is now able to discover information within a video that has subtitles. They will crawl the matches keyword on closed captions and show them to users who search exactly with the same or similar phrase. That's why you need to ensure your caption should at least include your keywords so that Google or YouTube crawlers can identify them and put your videos on their first page.
There are various free transcription tools you can use.
6. Use hashtags appropriately
Hashtags are one of the next crucial parts when optimizing video SEO. The tag helps users discover content with little to few keyword phrases.
Moreover, hashtags are more discoverable than any type of keyword. When users search with a certain hashtag, many videos with the same tag will show up on the dashboard. Therefore, your hashtags should be relevant but not too numerous to avoid spammy. Don't use more than six tags for each video, and make sure they are relevant to the content of the video.
7. Select the right video category
Video category helps users find the right content on YouTube. People with less time often use categories to find videos they are searching for quickly.
Choose a video category that best matches the content of your video. It's important to select the right category so that your video will be found by viewers who are interested in your niche.
Wrapping Up
Video marketing is a great way to reach a wider audience. Videos have the power to generate leads, boost sales, and increase traffic. If you're looking for an effective tool to market your business or product, videos are the way to go.
But creating videos alone won't get you anywhere near the result. If you want your videos to perform, make sure to optimize your video SEO before publishing it online. Optimizing video SEO helps you reach out to a broader audience and get more conversion. If it's easy to find your videos on platforms like Google and YouTube, you'll have a higher chance of winning your marketing strategy and achieving the goals.
