Video SEO Tips

 If you're thinking about making a video that will be shared on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or another social site, then it's time to start thinking about how to optimize your videos for search engines like Google and Bing. And if you're already working on creating a video, don't forget to add a few tips to make sure that you have an optimized video ready to share with the world. 

If you're not familiar with video SEO, here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind: 

1) Select a great keyword.Your keyword should be specific, and as close to the content of your video as possible. If you want more information on what makes a good keyword, click here. 

2) Include accurate closed captions.Closed captioning is the process of adding subtitles to a video so that those who are deaf can understand what is being said. You can use closed captions in any language, but there are certain times when they may be especially useful. For example, if your video is about something which is very technical, such as programming, having captions can help people who do not speak your language understand what you are saying. If you aren't sure whether or not your video has closed captions, you can always add them yourself by going to YouTube and clicking Upload Closed Caption Track. You can also find out if you need to pay to upload closed captions by visiting this page. 

3) Add a transcript to your video description.It's always a good idea to include a transcript of your video in your description box. This way, if someone does not know how to read English, they can still get all the information from your video. When uploading your video, you will see the option "Transcript" under "Video Settings." Simply click that and enter a few lines of text describing your video. 

4) Offer subtitles in multiple languages.You can choose between English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, and Dutch. To offer subtitles in other languages, go to YouTube and click Translate. Then simply select the language you'd like to translate your video into. 

5) Write a keyword-optimized title, description, and tags.The title of your video should be relevant to the content of your video (see tip #1 above). You can write up to 100 characters in your title. The description and tags should also contain your keyword. Use your keywords in the title, description, and tags, but also include synonyms in case your keyword isn't exactly correct. 

6) Say your target keyword in your video.When your video starts playing, say your keyword at least three times throughout the entire length of your video. It doesn't matter what words you use; just repeat them in different places in your video. Make sure that you say your keyword first, middle, and last. For example, "Google AdWords" would be better than "AdWords," because the second word is more generic. 

7) Use compelling thumbnails.Make your video thumbnail appealing by choosing one that shows off a feature of your video. For example, if you're talking about a new product, then maybe put a picture of the product on your thumbnail. If you make your thumbnail interesting enough, people will click on it and watch your entire video. 

8) Add cards and end screens.Cards are small boxes that appear at the beginning and/or end of your video. They can give viewers quick access to important information like links to your website or email address. End screens are similar, except that instead of appearing at the end of your video, they show up at the end of your video before you play it again. 

9) Choose your keywords wisely.As discussed in tip #5, you'll want each of your titles, descriptions, and tags to focus on a single keyphrase or phrase cluster. To figure out what these are, try using the free tools found here. Once you've got your list, take your top 20-30 keywords and combine them together to create a phrase cluster. 

10) Include keywords in the title of the video.Just like your title, your video's description and tags should also contain your keyword(s). In fact, since most videos are shown based on their title and description, this will be your best shot at getting your video seen by those searching online. 

11) Include keywords in the video file.Many people think that including your keyword in your video file is a waste of time. However, if you already have your video edited, why not add it to your video file? Just make sure that you only put your keyword in once. Also, make sure that any other related keywords you might want to use are included in the script. 

12) Optimize your description.Search engines will rank your video higher if your description contains your keyword(s), relevant keywords, and your video title. So make sure that when writing your description, you use your main keyword wherever possible. Also, don't forget to include any other relevant keywords and phrases. 

13) Use video hashtags.Hashtags are short phrases used to categorize posts on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. There are several ways to add hashtags to your video, but the easiest method is to copy & paste your hashtag into your post while you're editing your video. Don't worry if your hashtag is long; just cut it down to 10 characters. 

14) Select a video category.To make sure that your video gets seen by the right audience, it needs to be categorized properly. Go to YouTube and click on the dropdown menu next to My Videos. From there, scroll down until you see Categories. Click on the link that says View All Categories, and then pick a category that matches your video. 

15) Use eye-catching thumbnails.Thumbnails are the little pictures that appear next to your video. As mentioned earlier, they are often clicked on first, so make yours stand out! 

16) Add subtitles and closed captions.Subtitles and closed captions play a major role in helping people who cannot understand your language understand the meaning behind your video. Subtitling and closed captioning is available in many different languages, but YouTube offers both in English. If you are unsure whether or not you need to hire a company to subtitle your video, check with YouTube. 

17) Add cards and end screens.These two features allow viewers to interact with your video. Cards let you provide more information to viewers at the beginning of your video, and end screens let viewers respond to what they hear after your video ends. 

18) Create a playlist.If you decide to create a playlist of all of your videos, you can create a single playlist that automatically displays all the videos in chronological order. This way, viewers can view everything that you've created without having to visit each individual video. 

19) Share your video across social networks.Once you've uploaded your video, you can share it via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and even Tumblr. Each network will have its own set of rules regarding how much content you can post, but generally speaking, you can post up to 5 videos per month. 

20) Write a blog post about your video.Blogs are a great way to generate additional traffic and exposure for your video. Not only will you gain extra exposure, but you'll also be able to build a relationship with your readership. Try to provide helpful advice or answers to questions that your readers might have about your topic. 

21) Promote your video.Promoting your video through paid advertising is always an effective strategy for increasing traffic to your website. When looking for an advertising agency, you should consider using a PPC specialist. 

22) Get feedback.Once your video is complete, ask friends and family to watch it and give you feedback. Ask them to focus on the following areas: 

- How engaging was the video? 

- Was it entertaining? 

- Did they understand what you were trying to say? 

- Were the visuals clear? 

23) Repeat steps 1 - 22.Repeat steps 1 - 22 to optimize every aspect of your video, and then continue to repeat steps 1 - 23 until you have a video that is truly optimized.

These Video SEO Tips were provided by Heisenberg SEO from https://heisenbergseo.com/ .