{"id":125388,"date":"2019-04-22T16:30:22","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T16:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginewatch.com\/?p=125388"},"modified":"2020-02-17T13:15:15","modified_gmt":"2020-02-17T13:15:15","slug":"top-advanced-youtube-seo-tips-to-boost-your-video-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/04\/22\/top-advanced-youtube-seo-tips-to-boost-your-video-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Top advanced YouTube SEO tips to boost your video performance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>YouTube is not just a social media platform. It\u2019s a powerful search engine for video content. Here\u2019s how to make the most of its <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/06\/03\/podcast-seo-tips-101\/\">SEO<\/a> potential.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are more than 1.9 billion users who use <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/04\/22\/top-advanced-youtube-seo-tips-to-boost-your-video-performance\/\">YouTube<\/a> every month. People are spending over a billion hours watching videos every day on <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/08\/27\/optimize-video-marketing-on-youtube\/\">YouTube<\/a>. This means that there is a big opportunity for brands, publishers and <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/04\/22\/top-advanced-youtube-seo-tips-to-boost-your-video-performance\/\">video<\/a> creators to expand their reach.<\/p>\n<p>Search optimization is not just for your site\u2019s content. <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2020\/01\/02\/quantum-supremacy-and-eight-seo-trends-2020\/\">YouTube<\/a> can have its own <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/03\/12\/eight-tips-to-rank-videos-on-youtube-in-2019\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">best practices around SEO<\/a> and it\u2019s good to keep up with the most important ones that can improve your ranking.<\/p>\n<p>How can you improve your <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/04\/16\/seo-writing-guide-from-keyword-to-content-brief\/\">SEO<\/a> on YouTube? We\u2019ve organized our advanced <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/sew\/how-to\/2340726\/5-advanced-youtube-seo-tactics-to-drive-more-traffic-to-your-videos-website\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">YouTube SEO<\/a> tactics into three key areas:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sewprod.wpenginepowered.com\/2019\/07\/15\/keyword-research-tools-free\/\">Keyword<\/a> research<\/li>\n<li>Content optimization<\/li>\n<li>Engagement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Advanced YouTube <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/06\/17\/local-seo-guide\/\">SEO<\/a> tips to drive more traffic and improved rankings<\/h2>\n<h3>Keyword research<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s not enough to create the right content if you don\u2019t get new viewers to actually watch it. <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/optimize-instagram-account-search-engines\">Keywords<\/a> can actually help you understand how to link your video with the best words to describe it.<\/p>\n<p>They can make it easier for viewers to discover your content and they also help search engines match the content with the search queries and their relevance.<\/p>\n<p>A video keyword research can help you discover new content opportunities while you can also improve your <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/05\/22\/nine-types-of-meta-descriptions-that-win-more-clicks\/\">SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A quick way to find popular keywords for the content you have in mind is to start searching on YouTube\u2019s search bar. The auto-complete feature will highlight the most popular keywords around your topic. You can also perform a similar search in Google to come up with more suggestions for the best keywords.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-125405 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.47.32.png\" alt=\"Example of using YouTube's auto-fill feature to find the best keywords\" width=\"1066\" height=\"399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.47.32.png 1066w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.47.32-300x112.png 300w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.47.32-768x287.png 768w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.47.32-1024x383.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1066px) 100vw, 1066px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re serious about keyword research and need to find new ideas, you can use additional online <a href=\"https:\/\/sewprod.wpenginepowered.com\/2019\/07\/15\/keyword-research-tools-free\/\">tools<\/a> that will provide with a list of keywords to consider.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to picking the best keywords, you don\u2019t need to aim for the most obvious choice. You can start with the keywords that are low in competition and aim to rank for them.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, it\u2019s good to keep in mind that YouTube is transcribing all your videos. If you want to establish your focus keywords you can include them in your actual video by mentioning throughout your talking. This way you\u2019re helping YouTube understand the contextual relevance of your content along with your keywords.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Recap<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use the auto-complete search function to find popular keywords<\/li>\n<li>Perform a Google search for more keyword ideas<\/li>\n<li>You can even use <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/05\/20\/seven-reasons-why-your-rankings-dropped-and-how-to-fix-them\/\">SEO<\/a> tools for additional keyword ideas<\/li>\n<li>Say your keywords as part of your videos<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Content optimization<\/h3>\n<p>There are many ways to improve the optimization of your content and here are some key tips to keep in mind:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Description<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-125410 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.51.40.png\" alt=\"Example of using video descriptions to rank on YouTube\" width=\"875\" height=\"606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.51.40.png 875w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.51.40-300x208.png 300w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.51.40-768x532.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 875px) 100vw, 875px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Your description should facilitate the search for relevant content. A long description helps you provide additional context to your video. It can also serve as an introduction to what you\u2019re going to talk about. As with blog posts, a longer description can grant you the space to expand your thoughts. Start treating your videos as the starting point and add further details about them in the description. If your viewers are genuinely interested in your videos then they will actually search for additional details in your description.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Timestamp<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-125411 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.54.08.png\" alt=\"Example of using time stamps to rank videos on YouTube\" width=\"704\" height=\"553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.54.08.png 704w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.54.08-300x236.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More videos are adding timestamps in their description. This is a great way to improve user experience and engagement. You are helping your viewers to find exactly what they are looking for, which increases the chances of keeping them coming back.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Title and keywords<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Keywords are now clickable in titles. This means that you are increasing the chances of boosting your <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/05\/31\/image-optimization-for-seo\/\">SEO<\/a> by being more creative with your titles. Be careful not to create content just for search engines though, always start by creating content that your viewers would enjoy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Location<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you want to tap into local <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/06\/10\/online-reviews-powerful-seo-weapons\/\">SEO<\/a> then it\u2019s a good idea to include your location in your video\u2019s copy. If you want to create videos that are targeting local viewers then it\u2019s a great starting point for your <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/06\/14\/five-backlink-analysis-tools\/\">SEO<\/a> strategy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Video transcripts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Video transcripts make your videos more accessible. They also make it easier for search engines to understand what the video is about. Think of the transcript as the process that makes the crawling of your content easier. There are many online options to create your video transcripts so it shouldn\u2019t be a complicated process to add them to your videos.<\/p>\n<h3>Engagement<\/h3>\n<p>Engagement keeps gaining ground when it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/04\/22\/top-advanced-youtube-seo-tips-to-boost-your-video-performance\/\">YouTube SEO<\/a>. It\u2019s not enough to count the number of views if your viewers are not engaging with your content. User behavior helps search engines understand whether your content is useful or interesting for your viewers to rank it accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, it\u2019s important to pay attention to these metrics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Watch time<\/strong>: The time that your viewers are spending on your video is a good indicator of its appeal and relevance to them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Likes, comments, and shares<\/strong>: The starting point of measuring engagement is to track the number of likes, comments, and shares in your videos. They don\u2019t make the only engagement metric anymore but they can still serve as a good indication of what counts as popular content. Likes may be easier to achieve but comments and most importantly shares can skyrocket the engagement and views of your videos. It\u2019s not a bad idea to encourage your viewers to support your work. It is actually a common tactic. However, make sure that you\u2019re not trying too hard as this is not appreciated. Every <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/05\/22\/nine-types-of-meta-descriptions-that-win-more-clicks\/\">call-to-action<\/a> needs to feel natural in your videos.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Subscribers after watching a video<\/strong>: The number of subscribers serves as an indication of your channel\u2019s popularity. People who actually subscribe to your channel after watching a video make a very good indication of your content\u2019s engagement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>CTR<\/strong>: The click-through rate (CTR) is the number of clicks your video is receiving based on the impressions, the number of times that it\u2019s shown. For example, if you optimize your content to show up high in rankings but it still doesn\u2019t get too many clicks, then it means that your viewers don\u2019t find it appealing enough to click on it. This may not be related to the quality of your content but on the first impression that it gets. You can improve the CTR by paying attention to your title and your thumbnail. Bear in mind that YouTube is not encouraging you to clickbait your viewers, so you shouldn\u2019t create misleading titles or thumbnails if you want to aim for higher rankings in the longer term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Learning from the best<\/h3>\n<p>A good tip to understand YouTube <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/07\/11\/seo-lead-site-migration\/\">SEO<\/a> is to learn from the best by looking at the current most popular videos. You can also search for topics that are relevant to your channel to spot how your competitors are optimizing their titles, their keywords, and how thumbnails and descriptions can make it easier to click on one video over another.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-125420 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.57.09.png\" alt=\"Examples of using thumbnails and optimizing titles and descriptions to improve CTR\" width=\"772\" height=\"578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.57.09.png 772w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.57.09-120x90.png 120w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.57.09-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.57.09-768x575.png 768w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.57.09-146x110.png 146w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-16-at-11.57.09-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Have any queries or tips to add to these? Share them in the comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>YouTube is not just a social media platform. It\u2019s a powerful search engine for video content. Here\u2019s how to make the most of its SEO potential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":125404,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,9,15],"tags":[330,407,186,409],"content_type":[],"class_list":["post-125388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo","category-social","category-video","tag-video","tag-video-seo","tag-youtube","tag-youtube-seo"],"acf":{"tad_independentcommercial":false,"tad_content_format":false},"post_info":{"name":"Tereza Litsa","title":"","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/shutterstock_564376738-120x90.jpg","category":"SEO","timeago":"7y"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125388"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125388\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125388"},{"taxonomy":"content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_type?post=125388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}