SEO is fast becoming one of the most crucial facets of an integrated digital marketing campaign. As more and more consumers turn to the internet and more specifically search engines such as Google in order to research, find and interact with brand, brands in turn will need to invest time and effort into ranking well in the search engine results. The special practice of optimising websites and content in order to maintain a top spot when searched for is called Search Engine Optimisation or SEO.
Search engine optimisation is a complex and multi-faceted discipline that involves the implementation of various strategies both on and off-page that ultimately work together in order to improve any given website or social profile’s rankings. One particular aspect of SEO that has become increasingly important as a focal point for search engine optimisers is the phenomenon of online video. YouTube is currently rated as the world’s second largest search engine and continues studies confirm that people’s insatiable appetite for searching for and consuming video content is still on the rise.
The creation of branded content for marketing purposes is now considered to be one of the cornerstones of honest, white hat SEO, and video content is proving to be one of the most successful proponents of that strategy by far. Instructive and entertaining videos are becoming a critical way for brands to not only providing their consumers with valuable information and often some entertainment, it is also playing an important role in their brand’s website SEO.
How videos influence search
In 2007, Google announced ‘blended’ or ‘universal’ search, which meant that videos and images were added to its search algorithms. This crucial element is by now almost overlooked, but just take a moment to think of the last topic you may have Googled. It is extremely likely that Google served you with a variety of content including a video or two. Video results have appeared in about 70 per cent of the top 100 search listings on Google this year, while YouTube broke through the 5 per cent barrier of all UK internet visits. Clearly, video is an important part of SEO culture, so why are brands sometimes hesitant to tap into this valuable SEO strategy?
Video SEO techniques
While the quality and relevance of the content is of course the most important factors to consider when producing original videos, there are a host of on and off-page SEO tactics that can be implemented in order to maximise your videos chances of ranking well on video sharing sites such as YouTube. These tactics can effectively be divided into two streams – one that is based on engagement and the other with the actual process of uploading the video in question. In terms of the latter: making use of such SEO tricks as proper keyword usage and the inclusion of tags and descriptions you’ll be able to already increase the odds of popping up in the relevant SERPs. The next step of course means sharing branded content across the web via social media and then managing that engagement across multiple platforms.
The main reason that brands should invest in online branded videos is because it enhance customer experiences. Videos help to increase the average time spent on the site, reduces bounce rates helps us to retain favourable positions in the natural search lists. People are searching for your brand and are eager to engage with content that not only meets their needs but adds value to their lives as consumers.
