YOUTUBE SEO A GUIDE Why YouTube SEO?

Dos and Don’ts

Overall Recommended Steps

Keyword Tools & Processes THE GIST Best Pracces: Before Uploading Best Pracces: Uploading

Best Pracces: Aer Publicaon

YouTube Stories

Appendix WHY YOUTUBE SEO?

Opmizing around YouTube SEO is essenal to the success of a video and is slightly different than tradional SEO. Unlike web pages or digital copy, videos cannot be ”read” by search engines’ algorithms. This significantly reduces discoverability if certain steps are not taken when creang, producing, and uploading project to the plaorm.

YouTube is the 2nd largest YouTube is improving video search engine aer Google. discovery by offering capon uploading.

Videos are not “read” by Titles, descripons, keywords, search engines’ algorithms. hashtags, and metatags are several elements that help increase a video’s searchability. DO THIS:

• Include long tail keywords that are more than 3 words long.

• Focus on choosing 5-7 keywords. YOUTUBE KEYWORDS • Determine why someone would watch the video. Today’s YouTube SEO focuses on user intent, parcularly when it comes to language. Since algorithms know language just as well, if not beer, than we do, choosing keywords based on why individuals are looking for a parcular video is DON’T DO THIS: paramount. • Do not keyword stuff — write as many There are two different methods for finding keywords and keywords as possible. they should be tailored based on where you’re at in the video process. • Use keywords that are unrelated to the video.

• Use the same keyword finding process for new videos vs. already published videos. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

Find 5-7 relevant video keywords based on 1 7 Upload capons for every video. user intent.

2 Encourage viewers to engage with videos. 8 Add 10-12 video tags for each upload.

3 Use keywords in video filenames. 9 Categorize a video appropriately.

4 Opmize video tles (max 60 characters). 10 Opmize video tles (max 60 characters).

5 Opmize video descripons (min 150 words). 11 Opmize video descripons (min 150 words).

Ulize hashtags where relevant in tles or 6 descripons. Use either Kparser (free) or Ahrefs (paid) to 1 do a keyword search and determine what KEYWORD TOOLS terms are actually being searched. PROCESS ONE FOR CREATING VIDEOS

Determine 5-7 keywords that are relevant to your topic. Doing so will allow you to modify the video script to ensure that Start with the main topic of your video as one keyword and then a related phrase as topics, conversaon quesons, etc are in line with user intent. 2 another. Use both keyword tools and the YouTube search bar to build the keyword list.

For Kparser, determine what keywords have the highest rankings. Sweet spot is 3 between 75-90 but depends on the keyword and topic you’re researching.

Feel free to keep doing new searches 4 around populated keywords to get a beer sense of all the various search terms. KEYWORD TOOLS PROCESS TWO FOR CREATING VIDEOS

Look at the plaorm's autofill search bar to really delve into what YouTube users are searching for. This will help you find long tail keywords.

1 Enter the main topic into the YouTube search bar.

Do not hit enter but see what searches are autofill opons. For example, if you type in “Mary Higgins Clark” you see that people are searching for 2 “mary higgins clark full movies,” “mary higgins clark audiobooks,” and “mary higgins clark interview.”

3 Determine which keywords are relevant for your video.

4 Repeat steps 1-3 with other keywords relevant to your video.

Merge these lists with the list you pulled using the keyword tools and 5 choose the best 5-7 for your video. KEYWORD TOOLS PROCESS FOR UPDATING VIDEOS

For videos that have already been published and need updated tles or descripons, use tools that give you a broader sense of how people search.

Use Google Trends or Google Keyword Planner (you will need a Google 1 account to sign in).

2 Enter keywords into the search funcon that relate to the video.

In the results, you’ll see your entered keywords plus keyword ideas. 3 Select the keywords with the highest monthly search volume and the lowest compeon.

Keep in mind keywords from all levels of the conversion funnels to reach 4 a wide audience. Consider including words with a high compeon level if term is highly related to your video and has a high monthly search. ENCOURAGE ENGAGEMENT Encourage users to engage with your videos to improve BEST PRACTICES your video’s performance. Comments and subscripons BEFORE UPLOADING are huge indicators to the YouTube algorithm that viewers find your videos valuable.

Give a call out in the video for a viewer to like, leave a comment, or subscribe. If the person on camera does this, it carries more weight than saying it just on an end slate.

INCLUDE KEYWORDS IN FILE NAMES Search bots are able to read the name of the video Watch this video. The beginning has a text call-to-acon and you’ve uploaded. Instead of leaving it as a generic, they incorporate an auditory call-to-acon before finalizing it with a combinaon of a text call-to-acon and clickable buon. “Video123.mp4,” use this as an opportunity to include addional keywords. BEST PRACTICES UPLOADING

Video tles and descripons are where the SEO magic happens on YouTube. Keep these guidelines in mind when craing your copy.

VIDEO TITLES VIDEO DESCRIPTIONS

• Add keywords to the video tles whenever possible. • Include the most important keywords in the This isn’t an opportunity for keyword stuffing but if beginning of the descripon. When evaluang the natural and appropriate to include a keyword in the importance of a keyword, keep in mind its relevance tle, make sure to do so. to the video, monthly search average, and level of compeon. • Keep video tles under 60 characters. More than that and the tle will get cut off in the results, • At least one keyword should be included within the making it less readable in SERPs (search engine first 25 words of the descripon. result pages). • Overall, descripons should be at least 250 words and include keywords 2-4 mes as the descripon permits. BEST PRACTICES UPLOADING

Video tags and categories allow you to drill down into the purpose of your video and put it in front of your target audience.

HASHTAGS CLOSED CAPTIONS

• Use hashtags in the tle or descripons. • Capons enable search algorithms to “watch” and “read” your video which increases searchability. • Hashtags appear in 3 places: above the tle, in the tle, in the descripon. • YouTube will automacally provide capons for videos, but there are frequently discrepancies • When incorporang hashtags, it’s best to use ones between what the capons say and what is actually that are branded, popular, or locaon-based when a being said. video is ed to a specific place. • Upload a YouTube support capon file (preferably • Keep in mind that while hashtags do make it easier a .scc file extension) into YouTube studio. for viewers to find your videos, it also makes it easier for them to leave your channel. BEST PRACTICES UPLOADING

Video tags and categories allow you to drill down into the purpose of your video and put it in front of your target audience.

VIDEO TAGS CATEGORIES

• Add tags to indicate to the YouTube algorithm which • Much like keywords, categories group your video videos to group your video with, which increases with other relevant videos. discoverability. • To help idenfy a relevant category, check the top • Include the most important tags first. creators in each category to find similaries between their video and yours. There’s no simple • Add long tail keywords for variety. way to do this but by clicking on “Show More in a YouTube video descripon, you will be able to view • Cap the number of tags to 10-12 per video. You will videos in that specific category. be penalized for using irrelevant tags to gain views. BEST PRACTICES AFTER PUBLICATION

As with any SEO, YouTube opmizaon does not end once the video has been uploaded. Consider organizing playlists and building backlinks.

PLAYLISTS LINK BUILDING

• Much like individual videos, playlists should be • One crucial way to drive more views is to have opmized with keywords in the tles and other high value pages link to your overall channel descripons. and individual videos.

• Instead of broad playlists, consider using specific • Consider asking influencers and sister brands to link keywords to group videos. For example, for to the videos from their websites and through their suspenseful ficon books use “The Latest in social media. Psychological Thrillers” rather than “Thrills & Chills.” • Use the brand’s website to direct traffic to videos and the channel with links on relevant pages. YOUTUBE STORIES

YouTube is throwing a lot of algorithm love to their Stories. While they are not as common as Facebook and Instagram Stories, this is an opportunity to reach new audiences in a venue that isn’t overpopulated and just beginning to grow. These videos allow creators to be more informal and don’t require the same producon value as a tradional YouTube video.

• YouTube Stories are only available to accounts with 10K+ subscribers.

• Stories are only available on the YouTube app.

• Stories last for 7 days before disappearing.

• Opportunies include short interviews, behinds the scenes looks, and AMAs to name a few.

• YouTube Stories aren’t shown to be linked to SEO, they do provide the opportunity to reach a new audience in a fun, relatable format. Want personalized support for your digital markeng efforts? Let us help!

CONTACT Emily Lyman CEO & Founder

US [email protected] branchandbramble.com THANK YOU! APPENDIX The proof. Who we are. CASE Just a few instances in which we helped STUDIES others stand out. SIMON & SCHUSTER

Drive book discovery through the creaon and management of mulple online vercals.

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THE SOLUTIONS THE RESULTS

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From the world’s largest enterprise clients to personal brands, our number one focus is helping you achieve your goals. If it exists in the world of markeng, we’ve done it.

OUR PASSION

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OUR RESULTS

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