Video optimizing isn’t as daunting as it seems.
There are some great, simple “tricks” for video optimizing that will improve your ranking, without resorting to cheating the system.
Below are nine easy strategies that I have used with great success. Most of them are free – they take only your time and creative energy to apply.
(Disclosure: links to paid services below are affiliate links, I will receive commission if you choose to pay for those services. I do, however, use the services myself, so freely endorse them.)
Follow these 9 keys for simple video optimizing to help get you onto page one:
1. Always do your market research before uploading any videos.
I use the free google keyword tool and also market samurai but my favourite, because of the red light, yellow light, green light features, is nichefinder because it takes away all the guesswork when it comes to picking which keywords to go after.
Red means you have no chance of getting on page one for that keyword
Green means go for it and …
Yellow is worth a try.
2. Look at what your “competition” is doing.
If you are stuck for keyword ideas, check out high-ranking clips on YouTube. Type in your niche (or the keyword you think you want to use) and see which videos are getting the most views – look at the tags in their description box to get some ideas.
3. Use keywords in the right places.
The filename of your video is an extremely important place for your keyword. Before you upload your video anywhere, make sure the filename is correct and includes your main keyword [this really adds to the SEO and clearly lets the search engines know what you want to rank for].
4. Always use your keyword at the beginning of your headline (if possible).
When uploading your video, you have the opportunity to add a headline. Include your main keyword, and put a [keyword] bracket around it. See my YouTube example for Easy Video Player. Note: Never use more than two keywords in your heading.
5. Always have a call to action
Very important –always have a call to action to find out more information and make your URL the FIRST thing you write–ALWAYS–in your description box. Is that clear enough? Always.
6. Use your keyword 3-4 times
In your description paragraph(s) and also at the end of your description with brackets, you want to use your keyword a few times (this is called “keyword density”)–check out this description example on my video. Make sure, of course, that you’re writing for your reader FIRST. The description should make sense, and be engaging & informative, not just a string of keywords.
7. Don’t reinvent the wheel
This is one of the best-kept secrets of video optimizing. Check out headlines of successful videos (in your field) with lots of views and use something similar (do not copy completely) so as to show up in related videos next to these popular videos in your niche. This is a very powerful strategy that not many people are using.
8. Remember to use the annotation feature
Annotation makes it easy for people to subscribe to your channel [You can actually send YouTube messages to those on your subscriber list, so it is as good as another database to market to. Just don’t spam them!]Always ask people to…
– subscribe
– like your video
– share your video and
– leave a comment.
Search engines like videos that get a lot of views, interaction and sharing.
9. Final Tip – use videos more than once!
Re-purpose your videos and post them everywhere to get the most leverage from each one. For example…
- Post to Facebook as a url
- Put in your newsletter
- Post on your blog
- Post to Facebook fan page [this gets crawled by search engines]
- Upload to Facebook a couple of days later
- Send out using Tube Mogul or Pixelpipe
- Tweet it
- Google plus1 it
- Don’t forget to get your friends to comment, like, RT, share, plus1 for you [create a support network… like Social Buzz Club]. That is just plain smart marketing!
The more you get seen, the more value each video is worth to your business.
Most importantly –always, always provide quality content!
If you’ve devised other great strategies, or had interesting results with other approaches, please share them below!
