Video SEO
Definition
Optimising video content to rank in search results and video platforms. Covers YouTube SEO, video schema markup, and embedding best practices.
What is Video SEO?
Video SEO is the practice of optimising video content to rank in search engines and video platforms like YouTube. As video becomes increasingly dominant online, appearing in video search results offers significant traffic and engagement opportunities.
Videos can appear in standard Google results, the dedicated Videos tab, featured snippets, and YouTube search.
YouTube SEO
YouTube is the world's second-largest search engine. Key optimisation factors include:
Title
Include your target keyword near the beginning. Keep titles under 60 characters to avoid truncation.
Description
Write detailed descriptions (200+ words) with keywords naturally included. Add timestamps for longer videos.
Tags
Add relevant tags, starting with your main keyword and including variations.
Thumbnails
Custom thumbnails with clear imagery and text dramatically improve click-through rates.
Engagement Signals
Likes, comments, watch time, and shares influence rankings. Encourage interaction and create content people actually want to watch.
Video on Your Website
Video Schema Markup
Add VideoObject schema to help Google understand and display your video content, potentially earning rich snippets.
Hosting Considerations
- YouTube: Free, massive reach, but sends traffic to YouTube
- Self-hosted: Keeps visitors on your site, more control
- Wistia/Vimeo: Professional features, better for business use
Page Context
Embed videos on relevant pages with supporting text content. A video alone won't rank – surround it with optimised written content.
Video SEO Benefits
- Videos can rank for keywords your text content struggles with
- Video thumbnails stand out in search results
- Increased time on page when visitors watch
- Better engagement and conversion rates