Did you know that 82% of consumer internet traffic is derived from online videos? With the rise of digital video, it has become increasingly important for brands to have a presence on this platform in order to stay relevant. However, creating videos and uploading them on the internet is only half the battle. To reap maximum benefits from your video content, you need to make sure that it’s optimized for search engines by making it as SEO-friendly as possible.
This will ensure that people find your video when they search for related keywords and drive more traffic to your site. Read on to know how you can monetize your videos by making them more SEO-friendly and set up monetization strategies that work for you
What is video SEO and why is it important
Video SEO is a process of optimizing your video content for search engines in order to get a higher visibility and more organic traffic. There are a number of techniques and practices that you can follow to improve your SEO strategies , including the use of correct metadata, optimized thumbnails, inclusion of keywords in the title and description, and strategic link building.
Most of the top video hosting websites provide you with the option to add metadata (like title, description, and keyword info) to your videos. However, you also need to focus on the quality and consistency of your video content because a poorly optimized video can actually harm your website’s SEO. Without further ado let's have a look on how to monetize your videos by making them SEO- friendly.
1. Select a video hosting platform that suits your needs
The first thing that you need to do before you start uploading videos on the internet is choose the right platform to host your videos. There are plenty of websites that allow you to host your video content and most of them are free.
These hosting platforms are a great way to share your videos with a larger audience and earn more visibility. However, not all of these platforms make your video content search engine friendly. That’s why you need to be careful about the video hosting platform that you choose.
A great place to start looking for video hosting services is YouTube. YouTube has over two billion monthly active users worldwide. The platform serves video content only and you can earn money by monetizing your YouTube channel. Other video hosting platforms are
Facebook,
Sportlightr,
Vimeo,
Daily motion
2. Create transcripts and captions for your videos and MP3 audio files
This may seem like an unusual suggestion, but it’s an extremely effective way of making your video more SEO-friendly. When you create a transcript for your video, you effectively tell search engines what your video is about.
This means that when people search for specific keywords, your video will show up in the search results. For example, if you upload a video about how to make a delicious cup of coffee, you can create a transcript of the video content. If your video content is in audio format, you can also create an MP3 to text transcript. This is a great way to make your audio content search engine friendly.
You then publish that transcript on your website or blog post by using the “read more” tag. This ensures that your video content is properly indexed by search engines and that more people find your videos.
3. Name the videos naturally using keywords
When naming your videos, make sure that you use the keywords that you want your audience to find. The title of your video is the first thing that viewers see, so it’s important that it grabs their attention.
The name of your video and the way you describe it should compel your viewers to click the play button. While it’s a good idea to include the keywords that you want to rank for in the title, don’t overdo it. The title should sound natural and not like an attempt to manipulate search rankings.
4. Optimize your video descriptions
When it comes to optimizing your video content for search engines, the description is another very important element. The description of your video can be as long or as short as you want it to be, (not more than 1000 characters) but it needs to include your keywords.
The description should also be engaging and compel your viewers to click on the play button. You can also include a link in the description of your video, but make sure that it’s not too distracting or spammy.
5. Place your videos in different categories
If you upload your video to a single category and don’t link it to other relevant categories, it will get buried on the first page of search results. This means that only a few people will find your video and not as many people as you would like.
To make your video more accessible, you need to place it in different categories and link it to other videos that are related. This will help your video get noticed by more viewers and drive more traffic to your site.
6. Tag your videos using powerful keywords
While it’s important to use the correct keywords in the title and description of your video, it’s also essential to use powerful keywords in the tags section. The tags are what people will see when they search for your video on YouTube and they are also included in the description of your video.
However, unlike the description, tags don’t show up on your website. This means that you need to be careful about the keywords that you use in this section. Make sure that they are relevant to your video and not just filler words.
7. Have an attractive thumbnail on your videos
The thumbnail of your video is the first thing that viewers see when they click on a search result. This is why it’s important to make it as attractive as possible and include relevant keywords in the image.
When you upload your video, make sure that you select a high-quality image that looks attractive and catches the viewer’s attention. You can also use image editing software to superimpose your keywords on the image.
8. Create a playlist to keep your viewers watching
When you upload multiple videos, it can be difficult for your audience to stay engaged with your content. This is especially true if your videos are in different categories and aren’t related to each other.
For example, if you upload a video about how to make coffee and another one about how to do yoga, they may not be related enough to keep a viewer watching. In order to keep your viewers engaged and coming back for more, you need to create a playlist. A playlist is a group of videos that are related to each other and are played in succession.
9. Add cards and end screens to increase to increase viewership
There are two new kids on the block called end screens and cards for video SEO. End screens are a great way to add a call to action (CTA) to your video, enticing your viewers to watch another video or click on a link in the description. A card, on the other hand, is a great way to include more information about your product or service in the video.
You use a card to display your product, offer, or even a discount code to viewers who might not have been interested in the video initially, but are now more curious. Cards are a great way to include more information about your product, service, or brand in the video without having to write out a long description.
They also help clarify points made in the video or be used as a visual aid. Cards are a great way to add an extra element to your videos, but end screens are even better. End screens are an extremely effective way to increase video viewership by adding a CTA in the last moments of your video that tells your viewers exactly what action you want them to take next.
10. Use hashtags to reach more people
Hashtags are a great way to reach new audiences and interact with your current followers. There are tons of different hashtags related to video content and you can find them by searching on Twitter, Instagram, or even YouTube.
When you add a relevant hashtag to your video, you’re piggybacking off of an already existing conversation. This means more people will see your content, interact with you and potentially click on your link when they find your video through a hashtag search.
Hashtags are also a great way to find new audiences for your content. If you’re struggling to find an audience for your video and don’t have the bandwidth to create additional content at the moment, adding a hashtag or two to your video could help you find an entirely new following.
Wrapping everything up
Video is a powerful marketing tool that can help you achieve more with less effort. By making your videos more SEO-friendly, you can drive more traffic to your site and get more customers. All you need to do is follow these simple tips and your videos will be search engine friendly in no time.