Everyone wants to rank well on Google but do you realize that YouTube is the second largest search engine? Not only can you start spicing up your website blog posts with your own original videos but the real cheddar is the traffic that YouTube can bring to your website!
To start out you do not need to worry about doing fancy video editing or highly produced, long videos. Just start out by capturing some of the local sights and wildlife in some simple clips that are less than 5 minutes long. If the subject matter is interesting or rare and (if it’s interesting to you) then it may be a potent way to give your potential guests a taste of your locale.
Tips for optimizing YouTube videos to drive traffic to your website:
- Include your carefully chosen keywords in the title of the video. Make the title accurate but click-worthy.
- Include keywords in the video file name.
- Optimize your video description.
- Use video hashtags.
- Select an appropriate video category.
- Use eye-catching thumbnails (1280 x 720 pixels is the recommended size).
- If the video has conversation in it, upload the transcript. Google indexes YouTube transcripts!
Below: A couple of fun examples of simple but effective YouTube thumbnails.
Below: Example of a clear, fun title and description with links to the website to drive traffic. (Notice use of a the catchy click-bait term “Bomb Cyclone”)
Be sure that everything is perfect and in place and complete BEFORE launching your video, live, the first time! This is important because your video will never get as much “juice” in the algorithms as the very first time it’s posted. Resist the urge to just get the video up there and then go back and refine later. Doing that means a missed opportunity!
YouTube video ideas and tips as well as best practices for all social media are included with all RedSpiralHand marketing/seo/blogging strategies. The strategies are researched for each client’s specific business niche and locale. Contact us and we will help you build a stronger presence on search engines to drive more targeted traffic and increase bookings/business.