Until recently, optimizing video content for search engine was never really a concern amongst marketers or webmasters. However, with the launch of Universal Search from Google, we can expect to see more and more video results occupying the search engine

George Assimakopoulos

Principal

Video optimization as part of your search engine optimization efforts can be an effective way to expose audiences to your site who may have otherwise not been familiar with your products or services. The challenge remains in the fact that there are no proven tactics in optimizing video content for better search engine placement. Furthermore, there is no confirmed practice that enables sites with video content to be indexed higher by Google. In fact, most of the video search results that show up in Google are actually clips that were submitted to Google Video or through YouTube (which is now a Google property).   

Nevertheless, here are certain standards to follow for optimizing video content:

– Practice #1: Give your video a Catchy Title – One way to get users to view your video is to give it a catchy title that contains a related key phrase that is relevant to your product, service or brand. Additionally, incorporate your URL inside your video so that it is seen. This is easily done with a watermark image logo.

– Practice #2: Optimize your video for Important Key Phrases – You might want to optimize your video for terms users are likely to be searching for. Consider naming the file name of the video with these keyword terms as well

– Practice #3: Tag Your Videos – tag your videos with key phrases that are reflective of the content

– Practice #4: Remember Inbound Linking Factors – Link to videos using important keywords in anchor text

– Practice #5: Add Descriptive Meta Data – optimize your video for relevant keywords and include a keyword rich description of your video content

After these standards are incorporated – consider the following tactics as additional SEO practices that may support video content optimization:

– Syndicate Your Video by submitting the clips to RSS feeds and directories

– Provide Transcripts of your Videos in standard HTML. Textual content is still a favorite with the search engines. If you want video to rank well, you may need to give the search engines something to index and rank. Surround your videos with on page copy that can be indexed by the search engines

– Make use of a Video Sitemap – For video that is native to your own website, make sure that users and search engine spiders can find your video content. The easiest way to do this is through the use of a video sitemap on your site. Use important keywords in the anchor text links to your videos featured on your video sitemap