SEO on YouTube: How to Get Noticed on the Platform (and Beyond)

Also known as the TV of the world, YouTube is the most well-known platform for creating and consuming video content. There’s something for everyone: DIY, sports, video games, recipes, music videos, film trailers, influencers, and even small and large businesses that choose to communicate through videos.

Due to this vast variety and quantity of content, it’s crucial to understand how to get noticed on YouTube: optimizing and ranking your videos among the top search results essentially means increasing views and growing subscribers to your channel – without using paid promotions.

Similar to search engines like Google, YouTube also relies on specific algorithms to deliver the best results – in this case, videos. And the activity of Search Engine Optimization on YouTube serves precisely this purpose.

Let’s understand why implementing a YouTube SEO strategy is useful, the advantages to consider, and the achievable outcomes.

Why Get Noticed on YouTube

To understand the usefulness of a YouTube SEO strategy, it’s necessary to take a step back and comprehend the evolution of video marketing in the digital world.

It’s a continuously growing trend based on a simple concept: video is one of the most faithful means of conveying reality. Compared to text or images, videos convey a more immersive message, creating a direct emotional connection.

It’s no coincidence that more and more video production and sharing platforms are emerging, like TikTok and Twitch, or that current social media platforms are implementing new video features like Facebook Watch and Instagram Reels.

Whether they’re shorts, video documentaries, in-stream or live videos, 2020 marked the beginning of a new era of video content in digital communication. According to statistics:

• 6 out of 10 people prefer watching videos online rather than TV;
• 1 in 3 businesses tested video marketing in 2020, and 1 in 2 increased its usage;
• By 2028, 80% of global mobile data traffic will be video content.

However, among the many platforms, YouTube remains the most globally recognized and utilized portal for video content distribution. Several facts confirm this:

• It’s the second most used search engine after Google; 
• It’s the second most popular social network after Facebook; 
• It hosts over 2 billion users worldwide.

What is YouTube SEO and How the Algorithm Works

Of course, it’s impossible to develop YouTube SEO strategies without a basic understanding of how the platform’s algorithm works.

While Google evaluates both content quality and web page performance, YouTube itself claims to rely almost exclusively on user engagement.

In simple terms – the more a video captures users’ attention on the platform, the more it will be rewarded by the search engine. Greater interactions related to the video lead to higher visibility.

In fact, some of the key ranking factors are based on parameters that describe how YouTube views work, including:

• CTR: the percentage of users who click on the video;
• Bounce Rate: the percentage of users who exit the video before it ends;
• Watch Time: the total time in hours of video viewing for all users;
• Retention: the duration of video viewing expressed from 0% to 100% as the ideal value.

Additionally, the quantity of interactions is also evaluated: comments, likes/dislikes, and channel subscriptions.

A key role is also played by the presence of optimized metadata and video embedding on web pages, which directly or indirectly influence the video’s ranking on YouTube. Thus, it’s possible to distinguish YouTube SEO optimization activities into three parts:

• Optimizing video content production
• On-platform optimizations for YouTube search
• Off-platform optimizations for web pages

Planning Video Content Production

The platform suggests it: the quality of the video itself is essential for achieving the best placement on YouTube. Some considerations include:

• Conducting initial keyword research: understanding the search terms used by your target audience and using them in turn is necessary.
• Identifying search intent and following trends: each search keyword has a specific intent; among the most common are How To, Tutorials, Reviews…
• Creating high-engagement videos: apart from following a script and editing, it’s useful to start with a strong introduction and end with a call to action.

On-Platform Optimizations for YouTube Search

YouTube SEO optimization can be performed on video content and the channel as a whole: this is why it’s useful to divide the on-platform YouTube SEO strategy into two phases.

When uploading a video to the platform, special attention should be given to metadata: YouTube defines them as information that tells users what to expect from the video. Optimizing them is an integral part of SEO activity: carefully written titles and descriptions, prominent tags and hashtags, visually appealing thumbnails, well-designed end-of-video cards and screens, accurate closed captions, and complete translations in multiple languages. These are all elements that contribute to making videos more performant.

Similarly, perfecting the YouTube channel can also contribute to enhancing the content’s evaluation by the platform. One can work on optimizing various parameters: creating a visually designed and captivating banner, providing an effective channel description, fully utilizing playlist and featured content functionalities.

Off-Platform Optimizations for Web Pages

Aligning YouTube videos with website content is key to having a comprehensive video SEO strategy. Videos can be an opportunity for Search Engine Optimization for many websites, especially when embedded: instead of redirecting users away from the site, an on-page embedded YouTube video allows them to watch the entire content directly on the page. Both channels benefit: YouTube video metrics increase, and the page’s user engagement performance improves.

Conclusions

As the second most-used search engine and globally recognized social network, YouTube is a platform not to be underestimated for your digital marketing strategy. Video is a very powerful communication tool, capable of enhancing user experience.

Furthermore, working on content positioning on YouTube is conceptually similar to optimizing website content for Google’s SERP: the common goal is to satisfy user search intentions by analyzing queries and generating useful content.

If you’re interested in learning more, contact us or discover our SEO digital strategy!