Hey man! You’ve come to the right place. This blog post will show you exactly how to do YouTube SEO to rank your videos #1 in YouTube search.
Why YouTube SEO Matters (Even if Suggested Views Are King)
You might be thinking, “Why bother with YouTube SEO when most views come from suggested and browse features?” That’s a valid question, but here are three critical reasons why you need a YouTube SEO strategy:
- Suggested and browse views require an existing subscriber base and video library. If you’re just starting, search is your friend.
- Search views are consistent. Consistent views lead to consistent subscribers, assuming you deliver on your video’s title.
- Search views have high average view durations. Tutorials and how-to videos, in particular, benefit from this. In 2021, one channel got over 11 years of continuous watch time from YouTube search.
Step 1: YouTube Keyword Research: Unearthing the Goldmine of Search Terms
The first step to YouTube SEO success is keyword research. You need to discover what people are searching for on YouTube to create videos that people actually want to watch.
Unleash the Power of YouTube Autosuggest
Start typing your keyword into the YouTube search bar and see what autosuggestions pop up. These are actual queries that other YouTube users are searching for. Jot down the ones that interest you for brainstorming.
Google Trends: Your Secret Weapon for Gauging YouTube Popularity
Since YouTube doesn’t reveal search volume data, use Google Trends to get a general idea of search popularity on YouTube. Set the search mode to YouTube search and compare the relative popularity of different keywords. Remember, Google Trends shows relative popularity, not absolute search volumes.
Keyword Research Tools: TubeBuddy, vidIQ, and Ahrefs Keywords Explorer
- TubeBuddy: This tool provides scoring metrics, the number of videos in the search results, and estimated monthly search volume. To find keyword ideas, use the video topics tab.
- vidIQ: vidIQ provides more keyword ideas than TubeBuddy.
- Ahrefs Keywords Explorer: Ahrefs shows the search volume for your target country, the estimated number of clicks to videos, and the global search volume broken down by country. It also offers a massive list of keyword ideas with filters.
Don’t Trust Search Volume Estimations Blindly
Search volume estimations from keyword research tools should be taken with a grain of salt. One source compared view data from YouTube Studio with search volume estimations from various tools and found significant discrepancies.
- TubeBuddy drastically overestimates search volumes.
- VidIQ also overestimates search volumes.
- Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer’s search volumes had the most accurate CTR.
Use search volumes as estimations, not gospel.
Step 2: Choosing a Topic: Finding the Sweet Spot of Rankability
Once you have a list of keywords, it’s time to choose a topic. But not all topics are created equal. You need to find one you can realistically rank for.
The Private Browsing Mode Trick
Search for your target keyword in YouTube search while in private browsing mode. This prevents your search history from influencing the results. Analyze the top 3 videos.
- Identify the format. If the top videos are step-by-step tutorials, create a video with the same format.
- Scope out your competitors. Look at their channel size and topical authority. If the top channels have millions of subscribers and focus exclusively on your topic, it might be too competitive for a small channel.
Don’t be afraid to rinse and repeat these steps until you find a topic that’s more realistic to rank for.
Step 3: Creating a High-Performing Video: Retention is King
Now comes the fun part: creating a video that people will actually watch. A high-performing video has high retention, high average view duration, and a high CTR.
Scripting Your Content: The Key to Attention Retention
For educational content, scripting is essential. People’s attention spans are short, and tangents will kill your retention and average view duration.
Your script should have three parts:
- Intro: Keep it short, sweet, and attention-grabbing. Give viewers a reason to keep watching.
- Body: Deliver on your title and intro. Master the technical aspects and engagement factors.
- Outro: Keep it short and recommend other related videos to increase session watch times.
Technical Aspects: Speak and Show Your Keywords
- Say your target keyword and related entities: Google extracts audio from the video file to understand the video’s content.
- Show matching visuals: Google extracts visual information such as objects, animations, or motions. If you’re making a video about coffee, show visuals of coffee. If visuals are difficult, use text screens or screencasts.
Engagement Aspects: Hooks, Questions, and Calls to Action
- Add hooks throughout your video: Use phrases like “Check this out” or “More on this later” to keep people engaged.
- Ask for engagement: Encourage likes, comments, and shares. For example, ask viewers to leave a comment if they want to see a video on a particular topic.
Step 4: Optimizing Your Video: The 7 Essential Tweaks
Once you’ve recorded and edited your video, it’s time to optimize it for YouTube search. This involves seven key elements:
- Video File Name: Change your video filename to your target keyword.
- Title: Include your target keyword, keep it under 60 characters, and complement your thumbnail.
- Tags: Add your target keyword and related keywords. Use TubeBuddy or VidIQ to generate tag suggestions.
- Description: Write a brief summary of your video and include tagged keywords if they fit naturally. Add timecodes to different parts of your video to capture key moments in Google search.
- Thumbnail: Complement your title and draw curiosity with a few words.
- Closed Captions: Upload closed caption files to help YouTube understand your video’s content and improve accessibility for non-native speakers. YouTube has a built-in tool for adding closed captions.
- Cards and End Screens: Add relevant cards and end screens to encourage viewers to watch more of your content and stay on YouTube.
Step 5: Promoting Your Video: Getting the Initial Traction
Optimizing your video is only half the battle. You also need to promote it to get those initial views and boost your channel’s authority.
Category 1: You Have an Existing Audience
If you have an existing audience on other platforms, promotion is easy.
- Embed your video in relevant blog posts.
- Send an email to your subscribers.
- Share your video on social media.
Category 2: You’re Starting From Scratch
If you don’t have an existing audience, promotion will be a grind. But don’t despair. Here are three tactics you can use:
- Share your videos on Reddit and Quora: Provide value and make sure your video is relevant to the subreddit or answer.
- Run YouTube search ads: Bid on your target query and get cheap views.
- Pay for sponsored newsletters: Find relevant newsletters with your target audience and promote a video that will appeal to them.
Conclusion
YouTube SEO isn’t rocket science. It’s about doing keyword research, picking a topic, creating a high-retention video, optimizing it, and promoting it to relevant audiences. Do these things better than the top-ranking videos, and you’ll dominate YouTube search for your niche.
FAQs
How important are tags for YouTube SEO? Tags aren’t the most critical ranking factor, but they only take a few minutes to add, so it’s worth doing. Focus on your target keyword and related terms.
Should I trust the search volume estimations from keyword research tools? No, take them with a grain of salt. They’re often inaccurate. Use them as a general guide, not as gospel.
How much should I spend on YouTube search ads? Even a small budget of $5 to $15 per day can get you a significant number of views. One source pays around $0.01 per minute watched through search ads.