Developing and implementing a sound SEO strategy is a no-brainer for conducting business in the Google age. Simply put, the better your company ranks on search engines like Google, the more traffic it will attract and, ultimately, the more leads it will generate. It has been regular practice for most companies for the better part of this current decade.
Now, as the popularity of video as a marketing tools rise exponentially, marketers must be mindful of the SEO performance of their videos (VSEO) as well. A recent survey conducted by eMarketer showed video to be one of the most widely used and fastest growing technologies, with 14% more marketers expected to use them this year than last. Whether it is cute, funny, or informative, the video must have a high level of value, and that is what YouTube is continually trying to gauge must like the importance rankings that Google provides with their search.
Similar to regular search engines, YouTube takes into account an array of factors when ranking its contents. Here, we will discuss five important factors that, if optimized, can contribute to higher viewership, elevated web traffic, and increased credibility for your business.
1. Title '- Simple, but extremely important.If you are making a video about how to throw a football, your title should directly reflect that. Mistitling will almost certainly result in a high bounce rate, since the viewer is not finding what he/she is looking for. Since YouTube/Google cannot literally watch your video, a title is very important. Also, keep in mind that the file name should also be pertinent to the content of the video. (i.e how_to_throw_football.avi)
2. Activity - When viewers watch your video, they have the opportunity to comment, like, share, or favorite your video. More activity boosts your rankings. When you make your video, give the viewers something to stir buzz around. Include a call to action in the video and encourage the viewer to comment or like. It will help in the long run.
3. Tags and Descriptions '- You've uploaded your video, now you need to apply appropriate tags and a detailed description. Again, since Google/YouTube cannot watch your video, an accurate and detailed description is key for the engines to place your material. Include a link to your company's site as well. You should also include up to 10 tags or keywords relevant to your video. This, too, will help with indexing your video to the appropriate audience.
4. Inbound Links / Embedding '- Placing links to your video on the web and embedding it in other sites shows YouTube that your video is credible and valuable. Similar to how links to your site improves SEO on Google, links to your video will improve your video's ranking on YouTube. Embedding the video and allowing others to do the same will is very beneficial as well.
5. Make it Engaging '- Not only does YouTube look at the number of views when indexing and ranking videos, it also looks at how engaging your video is. YouTube looks at the entirety of your video (let's say it's a 2:00 long video), and finds the point at which viewers drop off. If your video is losing 85% of its viewers in ten seconds, your rankings are going to plummet. Conversely, if almost all your viewers are engaged till the end, your rankings will improve. Make sure your video is engaging enough to catch and retain the attention of your viewers for the balance of the video. 
A video can work wonders for your marketing campaign. It has no boundaries - you can make a very informative video about your company, your services, or the industry you are in. Alternatively, your video could be casual and comedic outlining some of the quirks of your workplace. It's a place to tell your own story, provide the most engaging useful information, or create a promotion.
There are, naturally, more steps you should take to improve your VSEO, and I've included those as well, but by taking these few simple steps, the SEO of your video, or VSEO, can be greatly enhanced. In the end, you can expect to see an increase in traffic to your site.
Of course, feel free to comment below or contact the CommonPlaces team with questions or for more information on videos and digital marketing strategies.