Online Video SEO - How to Optimize your Videos for Search

Online video and video search is HOT! You have surely seen all the buzz on the internet about sites like youtube, blinkx, etc… With this, bloggers have been writing posts about how to shoot video, how to upload videos to these sites, etc… However, few have provided information on how to get these videos seen and discovered. Here enters Video SEO.

In order to successfully optimize your videos for search engines, it is important that you have some knowledge regarding the various aspects of search as well as the difference in techniques with regard to video.

Keyword research is important for Video search engine optimization. However, there are some key differences in terms of the methods that should be employed for keyword researching video terms. In order to know your target audience for seeing your videos, it is important to first conduct some research on keywords and compile a keyword list. This list can be obtained by doing some simple searches for a related product or service. There are not yet any keyword research tools specifically for video. Keep in mind that video searches at this point tend to be shorter keywords, not “long tail” searches. In addition, more than anything, your keyword list should have the word “video” in it. Examples - car videos, car video, racing video, automotive videos, etc….

So, after you have completed your keyword research, I would also suggest that you take an inventory of the various video search websites. In other words, take note of which sites have the highest traffic, which channels and categories are the most popular, etc… You will likely want to submit your video to as many sites as you can but it will certainly be important to get your video on the more popular search engines as well.

You should also keep a track of the audience already searching for your targeted terms. In case you fail to find the same, find the closest related terms being searched. In video search engine optimization user feedback plays a very vital role.

Studies show that people who regularly provide user feedback tend to take frequent action on your uploaded video. This even includes visits to your actual website and end-point conversions.

If your video is popular in the video SERPs, you get the opportunity to submit fresh content. Many websites make a common mistake by providing the same content again and again. Don’t make your video content to simply repeat what’s already out there, instead, finding a fresh “content space” for your target keyword term.

Studies have shown as well that users who watch videos are less interested in watching videos that are more than a few minutes in length. Try to target your videos to be less than 3 minutes in total length. If you have a very long video, perhaps try to create multiple segments or clips from the video targeting videos with 1-3 minutes in duration.

You can even put the actual branding inside the video, such as text or domain name or specific URL as a graphic in the video. Of course, getting users back to your website or business is one great result for doing video SEO in the first place.

So, if you want to get your video discovered, view, and consumed by more and more users, video search engine optimization is the way to go. This is a great new technique for getting maximum exposure to your business, and currently, this is such a new topic, that you can be one of the first to capture your keyword or theme with a video search result.