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We've talked about the power of video in terms of content, but video SEO has proven to be just as important as optimizing the text on your pages or blogs. So, today we dive into our 8 Steps for the Best Video in 2022. 

Here's the thing about internet algorithms: they're ever-changing, enigmatic, a sea of ones and zeros. There's a reason why some websites (and companies) are rising, while others are falling, and potentially failing. When it comes to search engine optimization, you can't use the same playbook that you've been using for years. Every year, sometimes every week, the search engine algorithms are being tweaked. Heck, with machine learning, they can be tweaked every second. You need to stay on top of things to get ahead in your industry. When it comes to video SEO, you need to make sure your marketing team is constantly caught up. So, without further ado, here are our 8 steps for the best video seo in 2022. 

1. Utilizing Search

Just like the Google search bar, the search function in YouTube is the starting point. It uses keywords, queries, and user history to determine what videos to display on the results page. But, have you noticed that when you search for something, the results rarely seem to be ordered by view-count? In fact, often, the videos at the top of the results page only have a few thousand views, while some other semi-related video has a few hundred thousand. This is because the algorithm is also looking at relevancy, watch-time, and engagement. So, the first step to optimizing your videos: create content your audience will actually find useful. Utility is more important that design/style/video quality, although those things will only help. 

2. Descriptions

The most important part of each video description is the first few lines. You want to include your main target keyword, and a brief overview of what the video covers. Ideally, you can also include a link to the most relevant product/service page on your website. SIDE TIP: make sure to use a service like bit.ly to generate a unique link that include UTM so that you can track the traffic your video has generated. 

After the first couple lines of your description, you want to make sure to include two more things. The first: links to all of your other social channels. You want to increase the interconnectivity of your web. The second: a more in-depth description of the video, an overview of your company, and what other related products/services you offer that the viewer might find useful. And, like all other social channels, YouTube utilizes hashtags. Do a little research on the ones most relevant/best fit for your video, and include them. 

3. YouTube Shorts

This is kind of side-chained to video SEO, because it's not necessarily about optimizing your larger video. But, something we like to do, to get the biggest impact out of our videos, is re-edit the footage to be repurposed across other social channels. For instance, if we shoot a two minute video for YouTube, we can snip and crop that video to be used in Instagram Reels. YouTube shorts can be used in a similar way. The same video you post on Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Snapchat can also be used as a YouTube Short. These are pretty new, so more data on effectiveness will be coming in the near future, but if the other channels have told us anything, then they'll be a strong way to drive channel traffic. 

4. Uploading

The rate and frequency with which you publish content is important in social media, and blogs, and it's equally  important in video. Creating a schedule of regular, properly timed, posting will show YouTube that you are a constant creator. Not only that, but if you are effective enough at doing this, then you will start to build a following via subscribers. So, when it comes to upload schedule, try to do one per week, and make it around the same day/time. Not only does this help the algorithm, but it will start giving your subscribers a rhythm to check back in on your channel. 

And try to create playlists out of video series. Say, for example, you're doing a series on Search Engine Optimization, and you create a video on video SEO. Aside from that being a little Inception-esque, you can add that video to your Search Engine Optimization Playlist. 

5. Thumbnail

Ah yes, judging a book by its cover. If nobody judged a book by its cover, then cover design wouldn't be an industry, but it is. The better news for you is that Thumbnail design can be a little more on-the-nose. You can write a little hook that will accompany your title. So if your title is 8 Best Video SEO tips, then you could feature "5. THUMBNAIL" in a little bubble next to the presenter. Or something like that. Avoid click-bait, and things that have nothing to do with your video. That will actually decrease watch-time, increase bounce rate, and hurt your video SEO overall. 

6. optimizing for suggestion

YouTube will place suggested videos next to, and at the end of, your video. So, harping again on making video playlists and series, if your video is one part of a longer series, or one spoke in a topic cluster, then you can optimize your other videos to all lean on each other. 

7. End Screen 

The end screen is the ultimate CTA (call-to-action). If your viewer has made it all the way through your video, then they're at the height of impulse, they're partially invested. YouTube offers the option to include suggested videos, a button to the rest of your channel, the option to subscribe, or visit your website, or a few combinations of these. It's up to you, but we suggest including the link to your website, and the channel button. If they found your video helpful, odds are they'll find other videos of yours helpful, and that's when they'll make the decision to subscribe. And, for the most part, the goal of all of this is driving traffic to your site and building your authority, so you want to set that as a precedent. 

8. Cards

Last, but not least, cards are similar to the end screen in that they offer a chance for a call-to-action. At strategic places in your video, you can include these cards, and they will pop up a little teaser over the main video. If the user decides to click or tap that teaser, then it will expand a little int he corner. From there, the user can either fully click or tap the teaser, or do nothing, in which case the card will disappear on its own, and the user vill go back to viewing your video. You can include many cards per video, and they are best placed at times during the video that the presenter, or text, is talking about a relevant topic. So, if you are doing scripted videos, try to think about this in the writing process. Where can you include little CTA's throughout the video that may prompt people to check out another video of yours, or visit a page on your site. 

Conclusion

Obviously this list will likely need to be updated, it all just depends on when. Like we said in the beginning, the algorithms are changing, constantly, and often quickly. So the best thing you can do for your video SEO is to stay on the frontlines of information and updates. But that can be a lot, it can be time-consuming. If your company doesn't have people dedicated to Searhc Engine Optimization, video, and specifically video SEO, then reach out to us. We'd love to take a look at your site, channels, content, and see how we can improve your business.