Ever spent days creating an amazing video only to have it sit with no views? I empathize with you. Video content is one of the most interactive ways to engage an audience, and without SEO, unfortunately, there’s no way for a creator to guarantee that their content will be viewed. But that’s where I come in. I’ve been in the industry for years and have the tested strategies that will either get you back on track or help you from this day forward. Let’s go!

1. Utilize Powerful Video Titles.

Your video title doesn’t just gain the attention of your audience; it also factors into SEO ranking. Make sure your titles include powerful keywords that do the following:

• Build curiosity while still being relevant—no clickbait!
• Remain under 60 characters—anything longer gets cut off in results.
• Naturally include the keyword you’re trying to rank for in the title (i.e., “SEO Strategies for Video Content: How to Get More Views.”)
• Use long-tail keywords naturally in the first two sentences.
• Give a brief description of your video.
• Let them know your site and social handles.
• Hashtags and timestamps help the viewer.

2. Use Tagging and Categorizing Features with Keywords

Tags add content to your video that search engines acknowledge. Make sure to include these types of tags:

• General: SEO, digital marketing, video marketing
• Specific: How to get video SEO on YouTube, how to get your video ranked on Google, hacks to increase engagement on YouTube
• Branded: Your company’s name, your specific campaign hashtag

3. Leverage Closed Captioning/Transcripts

Closed captioning/transcripts used in your video not only help with video SEO because people can search for what’s in your video, but also because people watch videos on mute. So closed captioning can increase retention and engagement.

4. Create an Attractive Thumbnail

If the thumbnail isn’t engaging, people will scroll right past your video. Ideally, this is a custom, high-quality image. Pay attention to these details:

• Bright images with color contrast
• Overlay text with bold font
• Images that show action or emotion to encourage intrigue

5. Use CTAs (Call to Action) to Encourage Engagement
   Encourage engagement by:

• Asking for likes, comments, and subscriptions
• Promoting other videos or websites
• Using end screens and pop-up cards

6. Be Mindful of the Best Length for Videos to Retain Viewership

While longer videos may rank higher, people are lazy. People don’t want to comb through many results on the search page when they can get their answer from a well-thought-out, length-ratio’d video. Keep your videos ideally between 5-10 minutes unless the material garners a more in-depth approach.

7. Cross Promote Your Videos Across Multiple Platforms

Never take for granted that your video will only be viewed based on traffic from YouTube or Google. Always:

• Share the video on Facebook (but don’t share the YouTube link, Facebook prefers native video)
• Cut snippets for Instagram Reels or IGTV and post them
• Tweet with a compelling caption
• Share on LinkedIn
• Post it on your blog/website

8. Embed Videos on High Traffic Pages

If you have your own website, embedding the video across relevant blogs/landing pages will increase dwell time and thus, rankings. Google likes it when people stay on its generated pages.

9. Adjust Based on Video Insights and Analytics

Regularly check your YouTube Analytics, Google Analytics and social media insights to see what’s working. Pay attention to:

• Average view duration
• CTR
• Engagement (likes, comments, shares)
• Traffic source

If a video underperforms, adjust the title, description, and thumbnail and reshare! It’ll thrive! Your videos will thrive! And don’t forget, SEO is an ongoing process, so continuously re-optimize and try new tactics to stay ahead of the game. Now go! Make your video content shine!

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