Are you familiar with Google’s I’m Feeling Lucky button?
If you search for something on Google, and the first result turns out to be the correct one, you can click that button to skip ahead of the results and take you directly to your desired search result.
It can be frustrating if you have to sift through several pages of unrelated search results before finally finding what you were looking for in the first place!
Now, though, there’s another option to help users find their desired search results in fewer clicks: YouTube as a search engine
Why Should I use YouTube as a Search Engine?
YouTube is currently one of, if not THE largest search engine on Earth.
According to ComScore, YouTube had 1 billion unique viewers in July 2014, who collectively watched over 6 billion hours of video.
Google also recently announced that YouTube would be used as a ranking signal in their core search algorithm starting in 2015! This means that videos you create and optimize will start being listed higher on SERPs when your target keywords are searched. Here’s how to take advantage of it.
There are several advantages of optimizing your videos for better search results.
First, since Google has announced that they’ll be using these videos as a ranking factor, it makes sense to make sure you get yours ranked highly so people actually see them when searching. You can do this by getting high amounts of views, which can help push them up in organic rankings—but I’ll cover more about that later.
What Does Good Quality Mean?
When it comes to online video, there are different ways that your audience can evaluate its quality. A big part of optimizing your videos is making sure they look good on every device they’re being watched on, so you want to be sure your resolution is high enough.
YouTube recommends uploading at least 720p HD quality, but many viewers prefer 1080p or even 4K (aka ultra-HD). The higher resolution you use, though, the larger file size your video will have.
Where Can I Start Creating SEO Friendly Videos?
In your video’s description, leave space for SEO keywords. Some people will copy and paste their keyword phrase into that section, but avoid doing that – it can backfire.
Instead, create an original sentence using your keyword phrase. Take some time to think about how you want people to search for your product or service so you can incorporate those phrases into your sentence without sounding awkward.
“If you’re looking for paint supplies in Philadelphia, be sure to visit our store at 123 Main Street and ask us about our 10% off coupons” might be an example of good SEO text in a description.
On YouTube, all viewers are able to see your description text when they play your video.
Best Practices For Beginners
Making your first few videos can be an intimidating prospect, but there are plenty of ways to overcome your fears and start making great content.
The most important thing is to just get started. Even if you’re not super polished yet, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you keep producing video after video and working at getting better over time.
So whether you’re looking to make some extra money from home or trying to get discovered by talent scouts, follow these basic tips for shooting and uploading great content.