I bet you've heard this dozens of times: video improves website SEO.
But how?
At first, it might not sound logical. But don't worry, there's a professional explanation for that. As someone who has been in the SEO game for over eight years, with a proven track record of success across three websites, I'm here to break it down for you in detail.
By the end of this article, you'll have a clear understanding of how videos improve SEO and the benefits they bring.
Let's dive in, shall we?
How Google ranking works and what it has to do with videos
Google's multi-trillion-dollar business is built on one simple principle: delivering the information or content you're looking for better and faster than anyone else.
Their ranking systems are constantly scouring the web, assessing and ranking content to ensure you get the best results.
But how do these systems determine whether one piece of content is better than another?
They use specific signals to gauge interest and satisfaction, such as:
- Time people spend on a page
- Interactions like clicks, form fill-ins, and other engagements
- Actions like contacting the site owner
Video content can significantly enhance all of these signals. Let's break it down.
Benefits of video for SEO
1. Increased dwell time
The time spent on a website is one of the main signals Google uses to assess user interest in a source.
The play icon on a video acts as a powerful call-to-action button. Most people would rather watch a video to get the gist of information than read through small and long-form texts.
When you have a video, even a short one like 60 seconds, on your website, you're almost guaranteed that visitors will stay for at least the length of the video. For instance, a 60-second video can easily lead to an average dwell time of 75 seconds or more, which is already a significant boost to your site's engagement metrics.
Useful Resource:
10 Great Examples of 60 Seconds Animated Explainer Videos.
2. Enhanced user engagement
Signals like clicks, whether it's hitting the play button on a video, asking a question in an online chat, or clicking the CTA button to contact the site owner, are strong indicators for search engines. Videos have been proven to significantly increase engagement rates. They explain content better, are more convincing, and often include strong calls to action, all of which boost the chances that people will interact with your site.
Useful Resource:
How to Use a Call to Action in a Marketing Video
3. Improved click-through rates (CTR)
Imagine you're searching for information on Google or Bing. As you scroll through the titles, you notice one that includes the word "VIDEO." You're likely to prefer that one, right? The word "video" in titles, email subjects, or anywhere else can significantly increase click-through rates. So, if you're competing with other sources and have "video" in your meta title, your chances of getting clicks improve dramatically.
4. Video thumbnails in search results
Now, imagine that in addition to having "VIDEO" in your meta title, there's also a video thumbnail. This visual element drastically sets your listing apart from other sources. The chances that people will click on your listing are much higher, and Google knows that. That's why search engine algorithms will prioritize your page. We’ll delve deeper into how search engine algorithms work in the next paragraphs.
5. Search engines prefer rich media content
Winning the SEO game is all about standing out and taking up more real estate in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). When you include video content—rich media that Google loves—you increase your chances of being included in rich results and featured in the video carousel.
6. YouTube SEO
YouTube is the second most popular search engine in the world. By creating video content, you not only get the opportunity to be featured on YouTube but also increase your chances of being featured in Google's search results. In many cases, Google prioritizes video content from YouTube over text content, sometimes even giving it higher rankings.
How to optimize videos for SEO
We've established that video content improves SEO, but like any content, you need to post and promote it correctly for search engines to boost your ranking and for people to click on it. Follow this checklist, and you'll be all set.
- Identify the best keyword
Research and identify the best keyword for your video. Include it in the title of the video or the title of your homepage to ensure it aligns with what people are searching for.
- Create a strong meta title
Craft a compelling meta title for your page that resonates with search intent. Make sure it accurately represents the content of your video and entices users to click.
- Include “VIDEO” in the meta title
Add "VIDEO" in the meta title of your page. A good practice is to include it at the end of the meta title in brackets like this: [VIDEO].
- Keep your meta title short
Ensure your meta title is short enough that "VIDEO" is visible. A good rule of thumb is to keep the entire title under 50 characters when there is a video.
- Use video schema markup
Include information about your video in rich format using schema markup. This helps search engines understand the content of your video better and display it more prominently in search results.
- Optimize your YouTube video
Upload the video to YouTube and make sure it’s SEO-friendly. Use a great title and description that include relevant keywords and accurately describe your video content.
- Include a transcript
Adding a transcript to your video improves accessibility and provides additional text for search engines to crawl, which can help improve your SEO.
- Embed your YouTube video
Embed your YouTube video on various websites like Quora, Reddit, and relevant blogs. This not only increases visibility but also drives traffic back to your site.
By following these steps, you'll ensure your video content is optimized for SEO, helping you rank higher and attract more visitors.
Case studies and success stories
1. River Pools and Spas
River Pools and Spas, a fiberglass pool manufacturer, improved their website SEO by embedding educational videos on their site. They created videos answering common customer questions and explaining their products.
This strategy led to a significant increase in organic traffic. Their website saw a 50% increase in traffic and a 34% increase in leads generated from organic search. The videos helped to keep visitors on the site longer and reduced bounce rates.
2. Brafton’s use of video content
Brafton, a content marketing agency, implemented a strategy of integrating videos into their blog posts and service pages. They focused on creating high-quality, informative videos that complemented their written content.
As a result, Brafton saw a 157% increase in organic search traffic to pages with video content compared to those without. The videos not only improved engagement metrics but also helped the pages rank higher in search results.
3. Yans Media’s testimonial integration
At Yans Media, we saw a dramatic improvement by adding just two testimonial videos to our homepage.
As an explainer video company, this simple addition led to a 113% increase in our homepage SEO click rate and improved our conversion rate by 76%.
We invested only $1,200 per video, and this investment now brings us $13,500 in business on a monthly basis. An incredible return on investment! The testimonial videos provided social proof and built trust with potential clients, significantly enhancing user engagement and leading to more conversions.
Conclusion
Incorporating video content into your SEO strategy can significantly boost your website's rankings, increase user engagement, and drive more organic traffic.
Videos enhance dwell time, improve click-through rates, and provide rich media content that search engines favor.
If you're looking to achieve similar results and elevate your SEO game, contact us for a free strategy call. During this call, we'll provide you with actionable advice and a tailored plan to help you succeed. Don't miss out on the opportunity to transform your SEO with the power of video!
