Introduction
YouTube is unarguably the biggest video hosting platform with 2 billion monthly active users, and counting. It is also the second largest search engine, just behind Google. For these reasons, brands use it as a marketing tool to gain visibility, leads, and conversions. In this context, optimizing video content for search engines and users alike becomes imperative.
Video SEO and YouTube Optimization
Videos, like text and images, can be optimized for search engines. YouTube has two algorithms that prioritize what video content people see in search results and recommendations – the ranking system and the recommendation algorithm. The ranking system takes into account how viewers interact with the video, such as viewer retention, the number of likes and dislikes, the click-through rate (CTR), and the video’s relevance to a particular search query. The recommendation algorithm, on the other hand, selects videos based on what people like you have watched or searched for in the past.
Native Videos vs. Embedded Videos
Native videos are videos that are uploaded directly to a website, whereas embedded videos are hosted on a video hosting platform, such as YouTube. Embedded videos are videos that are displayed on a webpage, blog post, or other websites using the video’s customized code. This code enables the video to play on the web page without leaving the page.
Do Embedded YouTube Videos Have the Same SEO Value?
The simple answer is yes. Embedded YouTube videos have the same SEO value as natively hosted videos because any search engine can crawl the embedded video code to understand the content of the video. Additionally, embedding YouTube videos on multiple websites and web 2.0 properties can increase the number of keywords associated with your video and increase its maximum exposure.
How to Optimize Embedded YouTube Videos for SEO
Optimizing YouTube videos for SEO can be divided into two broad categories: optimizing video content and optimizing the YouTube channel. To optimize video content, conduct keyword analysis and SEO keyword research to find YouTube keywords that are relevant to the video. Including relevant keywords in the video title, description, tags, and transcript can increase the chances of the video appearing in search results.
To optimize YouTube channels, add relevant titles, descriptions, and keywords to your video playlists to help viewers find specific content. Promote YouTube videos by sharing them on social media platforms to increase video views and watch time. Regular video uploads can increase the frequency of video uploads, which can lead to a higher YouTube search ranking. Engage the audience by keeping them engaged for a significant amount of time, at least above the average viewer session time.