Video and SEO

For some people, writing blogs is the last thing they want to do. You have already graduated from a master’s or Ph.D. program and you’re doing additional training to specialize. Blogging couldn’t be further from your mind as you build out your website. However, it is a significant next step in our process to get you ranking well with Google. Blogging gives voice to your therapy approach, your ideal clients, and how you can help.  

Sometimes people wonder whether video blogging has the same effect on SEO as writing blogs. At times, it can be more helpful to speak what you mean to say than write. So, let’s explore where video blogging can be helpful and how to go about doing it if you want to add it as an additional SEO strategy. 

What is a Video Blog?

Video blogging is essentially the same as writing a blog on Google. You’re trying to convey information and get a point across. Rather than writing the blog in 750-2000 words, you’re speaking for an allotted amount of time on a topic.

What Do Video and SEO Look Like? 

With Google’s search engine and blogging, we optimize for meta descriptions, alt text, readability, internal and external links, keywords, and subheadings. Google is the number one search engine, with YouTube being the second biggest search engine. YouTube and Google are connected. Therefore, if you want to optimize videos, you’re going to have better luck with video SEO using YouTube than you would with Vimeo or another hosting site.

Components for YouTube SEO that the Youtube Search Engine is Looking for. 

YouTube SEO Clicks 

YouTube cares to know that people are clicking on your video. It is not enough to post relevant information; Google wants to know that people care about what is enough to click.  

People are Engaging with Your Content. 

YouTube takes note that people are not only clicking and watching your content, but it cares to know that people are commenting, asking questions, liking, subscribing, and sharing your content. Additionally, this means that not only are people engaged, but you continue to put out content that provides continuous value. For example, if you’re doing a self-care series, you may allude to catching parts two and three for more information. This strategy further draws people to your site and increases video and SEO.

You’re Embedding You Videos into Your Website 

This is where choosing a YouTube platform over Vimeo is better for your video SEO. Being able to provide another platform to host your video, affects your rankings. This is another stream of people coming to your website and, you can then index your video on your website, and show up more often for those looking for similar content on the Google search engine side.

Watch Time for Videos Increases 

 YouTube checks to see how much time people spend watching your content. Therefore, if you don’t go into your videos with a clear plan and outline for your message, it is likely to reduce your watch time. Therefore, you may want to mix up how you do videos because static videos are not interesting to viewers.  

Using keywords in Your Video 

For you to show up in the right searches, YouTube, will take note of video tags, focus keywords, video descriptions, and titles.  Therefore, just with blog posts and service pages, keyword research is a must.

Here is how you can get ranking for Video and SEO today!

 Do appropriate Keyword research. 

Always do keyword research first and make sure to rank for some harder tags and easier tags. If you’re ranking only with the most popular video tags, you’re less likely to show up because your views and clicks will be much lower. You can use Tube Buddy to figure out what tags and keywords make sense to rank your video for. Also, use your YouTube studio to look up tags and keywords that people are finding you for. You may show up for a keyword you are not aware of. By optimizing for it, you can gain more traffic. This will guide your planning and help your message to be clearer.  Additionally,  focusing on your niche helps Google see you as an expert, more likely to show up for keywords. 

Place keywords appropriately 

Make sure you have keywords in your tags, titles, video descriptions, and throughout your video. We recommend saying some of the keywords in your video. Just like Google reads every part of your website, it too watches and listens to every part of your video. Optimize your video description (make a description at least 100 words, include the target keyword in the first 2 to 3 sentences, promote the video on social media).

Use appropriate video tags.  

Rank in suggested videos ( in order to rank focus on recent video you watch and current video). Plus make sure to use a few tags in popular videos.

Upload consistently 

The more often you upload to YouTube, the more often you will rank on YouTube SEO. However, if you’re looking to develop consistency make sure you’re specific in your focus. If you plan to focus on depression, anxiety, mental health, trauma, or something like this, don’t then add videos also on food or lifestyle content. You will essentially be watering down your tags making it difficult for Youtube to know what to do.

Engagement is huge for staying relevant. 

This is like how we focus on your service pages for website optimization and then encourage you to write up cornerstones on your focus niches. 

YouTube SEO FAQ’s 

Are there are downsides for SEO and Video? 

Simplifies SEO Consulting Advice on how to use blogs and vlogs for SEO. 

Video Blogging Pros and Cons 

Pros 

• User friendly for beginners 
•  YouTube picks up content faster than Google. 

Cons 

• Takes longer to monetize. 
• Set up is more expensive. 
• Requires more time and maintenance. 

What if I’d Rather Vlog than Blog for SEO?

If you take nothing else from this blog, take this, while video blogging is a great visual aspect to add to your site and can enhance your SEO strategy, it Is not a substitute for writing high-quality blogs and having them optimized. With the way, Google’s search engine is built, writing quality content continues to be a higher priority for Google than video blogging. Videos can add a better visual component to your site and better accessibility for sound and closed captioning, but from the standpoint of how we optimize your site, it is not a complete substitute for blogging. So, if you have considered writing and video blogging together, this could be a great approach to boost your SEO even more. People are more likely to link to you and as mentioned above there are several ways we can add in keywords and optimize for your focus. Don’t let this deter you from using a high-quality video with your blog, but at the end of the day, Google prefers written content over videos.  So we would recommend a hybrid of the two.

Here’s our example of including video for SEO in your blog post:

Ready to Begin Your SEO Journey? 

What other questions come up for you when you consider whether blogging makes sense for your SEO strategy?  Reach out to the Simplified Team if you have further questions on how we can help you. Blogging is a big component of our strategy, but to those who want to add a video strategy, we are happy to guide you with more information. If you’re looking for someone to guide you in that process, get in touch with Simplified SEO Consulting. You will work with skilled mental health SEO specialists who are passionate about the field. To get started follow these simple steps:  

• Schedule a consultation with our Client Success Specialist  
• Learn about the Simplified Team!  
• Start creating an awesome blog and video content for your views and readers. 

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting  

Simplified SEO consulting offers a wide range of services that can help you begin working with your people. We offer Done for You SEO Service packages, online courses, and SEO training opportunities. Our most popular course includes our “Top of Google” online course, and we have 12 weeks of intensive SEO for those who want to learn with a guide. For those looking for a more specialized package, we also offer an SEO strategy package. To get started, schedule a consultation with our Client Success Specialist today!  

About the Author: 

 Jasmine, an SEO Specialist, and Client Success Specialists at Simplified SEO Consulting. You may be wondering where to start with your SEO journey. You’ve come to the right place. Learn how cornerstone content can help.  

Jasmine Jaquess is currently working towards her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. She has been doing SEO with Simplified for the last few months. Currently, she serves as the Client Success Specialist in new client consultation with Simplified SEO Consulting and is an SEO specialist. She specializes in platforms such as Squarespace and Wix but has learned to love WordPress sites as well. She really enjoys hearing the clients’ goals for their businesses and helping them achieve them.