Video SEO: How to Rank on YouTube and in Google

Video SEO is one of the most underutilised organic growth channels. YouTube is the world's second largest search engine with over 2 billion monthly users. Google increasingly displays video results for informational queries. The opportunity is large and competition is lower than for text-based content.

YouTube SEO: the key ranking factors

1. Title - include the target keyword naturally in the first 60 characters. 2. Description - write 150-300 words with the keyword in the first two sentences. 3. Tags - include 5-10 relevant keyword tags. 4. Thumbnail - custom thumbnails increase CTR by up to 30%. 5. Watch time - the most important signal; create content that holds attention throughout.

Getting video results in Google

Google shows video results for 'how to', tutorial and review queries. To rank: add VideoObject schema markup, include a transcript for indexability, and host on YouTube (Google's own platform gets preferential treatment in search results).

Repurposing video content for SEO

Every video should have: a dedicated landing page with embedded video and transcript, a blog post built around the video content, and social media clips for distribution. One video becomes five pieces of content - the most efficient content production format available.

Conclusion

Start with your top 5 most asked questions. Record a short answer for each. Upload to YouTube with optimised title, description and thumbnail. Embed on your website with a transcript. That is a complete video SEO strategy for most businesses.