Youtube is one of the largest video content providing platforms in the world. It also has become the world’s second-largest search engine.

This is the reason why this platform becomes a significant place to focus our attention. 

The most important thing is that you should start putting out content on Youtube but the only problem you will face is to optimize it.

The YouTube SEO seems a bit difficult but it’s the small things that make a larger impact.  

Want to know the best thing about this review?

In this whole review, you will be able to know every aspect of YouTube SEO along with every little detail of it.

We will give you proper details of the whole process of YouTube SEO along with the things that are essential for maintaining it. 

We will give you the right understanding of why YouTube SEO can help you in a great deal for establishing your brand.

It can boost the sales of your business and enhance the working capabilities of your service outreach. 

The best part is that we will provide you step by step instructions in detail that will help in maintaining a better YouTube SEO practice or your business. 

So, let’s get started with the good stuff, shall we? 

Without taking more of your precious time we will help you know all the information regarding YouTube SEO.

You will get to know all the in-depth detail of every aspect of YouTube SEO along with its implementation.

But before we get to that part you must know what YouTube SEO is and how does it work.

What is YouTube SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation.

Search Engine Optimization is a practice of designing web content that helps you to boost your ranking factors and make your content rank highly in the search engine results pages.

This is an ever-changing practice. As we know that the search is the gatekeeper to your content, so you must optimize your website for the search.

This helps to attract more and more traffic and to grow more and more following.

If you do not adhere to these practices, then your YouTube channel will not be able to grow and all of your hard work will be in vain.

With the help of YouTube so you can easily optimize your channels, description, meta-data, and videos.

Videos can be optimized for this search inside and outside of the video.

Harnessing the power of the text of your video is a key component of YouTube SEO. you can do this in the form of closed captions, transcripts, and subtitles.

When Google-owned YouTube, it launched as a powerhouse status in video search as both of the companies share the data seamlessly.

Immediate indexing by Google is the most important benefit of uploading the videos to YouTube.

Your videos must follow the tenets of SEO because it gives necessary indicators to the search engine to find and index your videos.

Here are some secrets which will help you to maximize the views on YouTube and boost the search ranking factor of your videos.

How does YouTube’s Search Engine Algorithm Work?

Just like Google has an algorithm that helps it rank the pages in the search engine results pages.

YouTube has also an algorithm. Just like Google the YouTube also utilizes the results page style for its videos.

The YouTube algorithm determines that what people watch on YouTube most of the time. Most of the YouTube users watch videos that are recommended by the algorithm.

If you are a creator and is working for getting more and more views then a complete understanding of the YouTube algorithm is very important.

The algorithm helps in YouTube SEO.

What is the Goal of YouTube’s Algorithm?

The goal of the YouTube algorithm is to provide searchers with relevant and personalized videos.

This algorithm works in five separate sections of the YouTube which are:

This means that for each of the sections the YouTube provides the users with the options which they love.

The algorithm helps YouTube to know what videos the audience love. Let’s talk about each section separately.

1- Home and Recommended Results Algorithm:

Home results are the videos that are appeared on your home screen when you log in to your YouTube account for the first time.

Whereas the recommended results appear on the home page in the form of a single channel and videos.

The algorithm for home and recommended which news greatly focuses on the user’s history.

The questions which help YouTube how to choose the videos that satisfy the user:

Secondly, the algorithm also focuses on the interaction between the top videos and the videos you are targeting.

The greatest thing about this is that it will not suggest the same channels and the same videos again and again, and will create the suggestions based on all the previously watched videos.

The algorithm very well knows that in which type of videos you are interested in.

You must aim to keep the user’s engaged for as long as possible if you want to rank in the ” Home” section of YouTube.

Your main goal is to keep the people in a cage and be interested in your video.

Moreover, if you want to rank in the “recommended” section then all you have to do is to close your videos with a strong call to action which suggests your next video.

It must compel the user to open your next video.

2- Trending Results Algorithm:

This algorithm provides you the videos that are new and popular in a specific country or the country in which you live.

These videos are not sponsored, which means that the uses do not have to pay for these videos to be shown in the trending results.

Some of these videos on the trending list are expected. This includes videos like a new song or which have emerged to be viewed most in recent days.

If you want to rank your trending section then all you have to do is to make the widely relatable and broadly appealing videos.

These videos will be easily shared so that they can get more and more views.

If you do this, these videos will reach tons of different audiences besides your subscribers.

3- Search Results Algorithm:

When you search for a specific term on your search for then the search results algorithm appears.

For example, if you are searching ” how to bake cookies” then you will be provided with many results in many pages.

But it is the search results algorithm which helps YouTube to choose which we did use should get to the first page.

It does it by comparing the relevance of your videos to the user’s search. It compares the keywords which are used in the description and the title.

Then according to the YouTube SEO, the most relevant videos appear at the top.

You must make sure to write extended descriptions for your videos If you want to rank in the search results.

You must make sure that you should not write the content in the description that isn’t relevant to your video.

4- Subscriptions Results Algorithm:

The next is the subscriptions result in the algorithm. Whenever someone subscribes to your channel, taken is it is seen all your newly uploaded videos by visiting the subscription page.

YouTube uses view velocity to rank a user’s subscribed channel results.

View Velocity is the number of the subscribers that was your video immediately after it is uploaded.

The higher the view velocity the higher will be the rank of your videos.

The subscription ranking algorithm doesn’t only consist of the view velocity but it also helps to consider the number of the followers your channel has when it is ranking your videos.

To rank in the “subscriptions” result, all you have to do is to be genuine when you ask for the subscribers.

You have to explain the benefits of subscribing to new channels so that more and more people can join your channel.

How to Rank YouTube Videos in 2021 (Steps)

For ranking the YouTube videos there are various factors involved. YouTube’s discovery and search ranking algorithm explain this quite well.

It says the videos get ranked based on a variety of factors. The title, video content, description, and how well this matches the viewer’s query.

Then they also look at the videos having driven the most engagement. YouTube ensures that those videos are easy to find by the viewers.

Similarly, from an in-video and on-page perspective, keywords are a vital factor.

Here’s the deal!

Even though keywords play a key role yet there is another factor to effective video SEO.

This ingredient is High engagement. This will be beneficial for you as more views lead to more ads means money.

When you drive more views towards your videos, YouTube offers you visibility. Hence if you can’t engage the audience, there are little chances that you will rank.

Here are these 8 steps you must follow to rank YouTube videos.

Step #1: YouTube Keyword Research:

If you intend to get traffic then you need to target keywords with search volume.

Creating keyword-targeted videos is not the only way.

Instead, you can engage in attacking trendy topics, create content for existing customers, capitalize on suggested views, etc.

Here’s the deal!

The thing about YouTube is that like SEO for Google, it doesn’t have a keyword research tool.

A lot of third-party tools probe out irrational numbers via Google Keyword Planner.

1- YouTube Suggest Paired with Google Trends:

The suggestions of YouTube are quite the same as that of Google Suggest. All you need is to type the focal keyword in your search bar.

And it will show a list of all relevant queries containing the target keyword.

Or before your keyword, you can also use an asterisk that acts as a wildcard. As there is no specific/official tool for checking search volumes.

Hence you can opt for Google Trends to throw a few suggestions of YouTube.

2- Bulk Keyword Analysis:

When you search for a bulk of keywords, then the most useful tool is Keywords Explorer.

For this, you can use TubeBuddy’s chrome extension or vidIQ’s. All you need to do is search a query on YouTube then check on the right sidebar.

There you will see TubeBuddy’s most used tags or VidIQ’s related queries sections.

First, select all the relevant keywords then copy and paste them in Keywords Explorer. The results will show all the keywords according to the database of search volume.

What’s the bottom line?

Even though search volumes are a great option yet the real deal is in generating new ideas for keywords.

Step #2: Identify Search Intent:

In a search engine, keyword or search intent refers to why we search for a query. Search engines are pretty great to determine it.

All you need to do is search the keyword that you intend to get ranked on YouTube.

Next, analyze the top results like 3 to 5, and what is the content of these results for better YouTube SEO.

Here’s the kicker!

Use incognito and a VPN for the location you want to rank. YouTube will agree to a video on a step-by-step tutorial.

What if you want to get a gaming video ranked? Then YouTube asks you to go for a listicle sort of video.

Another factor while working on search intent is to use the right keyword. Don’t end up using terms that may confuse, like the viola.

Now, users won’t know if this is the actress or the plant you tried to rank for.

A pro tip here is to create a sheet then add a column as Search Intent.

Step #3: Satisfy Search Intent with a High-retention Video:

Audience retention can be the key to infer satisfaction. This results in likes, comments, shares, and higher rankings thanks to high retention.

The goals set by YouTube for better YouTube SEO are:

Hence you need to create videos that not only retain the attention but are more engaging.

Here we have a few tips to help you with high-retention.

a) Plan Your Videos Before you Create them:

The deal here is that if you want to get high-retention, plan out the things beforehand. Various people can be spontaneous and get it all done.

Whereas some of you might be introverts and speaking skills are not the best trait of these people. But this should never be the hurdle in your path.

What’s the bottom line?

For instance, you start with a how-to video, if you stumble over your words, it will be a setback. Or if you end up asking the audience to wait, this is bad.

Hence planning things and creating a script can be very helpful. Not only you can add keywords in the video intentionally but also will remain concise with your idea.

b) Start with a Strong Hook:

Now, the real trick is within the first few seconds. You have to succeed in grabbing the attention in these seconds. The result will be a boost in your retention graphs.

As we all are aware of the fact that every vocation is not the same. Hence there is no one formula that is applicable for every person.

But here’s the kicker!

You can use this mind-blowing RIP formula comprising of 3 components.

1. Relate

The best way to grab the attention of the viewers is to understand them.

In other terms, if you depict that you understand their interests, it would help a lot.

Here are a few tips to relate to the viewers.

1. Identify the problem

When the viewers search for a certain keyword, they intend to find answers.

Hence you need to provide them the solutions to their problems that they need

1. Proposal

At last, provide them with a strong reason to stick around your videos.

For instance, the video with a compelling title will grab more attention. Hence ultimately resulting in high-retention and traffic.

c) Ask Viewers to Comment, Like, and Subscribe:

You can’t get more likes, subscriptions, or comments by creating content only. It will help in gaining better YouTube SEO results. 

Here’s the deal!

You need to ask the audience to do so. If you ask the viewers, it results in a higher engagement ratio towards the videos.

What you need to do is, ask them at the very end of your videos.

The reason for opting the end is to deliver the content, the value first. But as some people are not so keen on watching the whole thing.

In such a case, the trick is to not sound needy yet ask for engagement. Another trick for engagement is to say something about diverging topics.

For instance, suggest the viewers mention about a certain topic in the comment section.

Now, this will not only capture their attention but they will also like or comment. Also, this gives you an in-depth view of the viewer’s insight.

Step #4: On-page Video Optimization:

When talking about on-page optimization, we add it up to these 4 things for a better YouTube SEO:

These 4 elements are vital and play a role in influencing those CTRs. As there won’t be any views if there are no clicks on the videos.

Crafting the Perfect Title and Thumbnail Combo:

YouTube launched its Beta Studio back in March 2018. This is a new platform for analytics with new metrics “impressions click-through rate.”

YouTube seems to be pushing the creators to enhance the importance of CTR. It requires the creators to boost the CTR in the video analytics funnel.

Want to know the best part?

Not only will you get more views but YouTube will suggest your videos to its audience.

This suggesting would be outside the organic search (consider it a brownie point).

Below are a few practices according to YouTube to create clickable/searchable videos.

1. Use your Keyword in the Title:

YouTube suggests you use the keywords in your titles and descriptions. Now, in the case of keywords, this can be an actual helpful trick.

These keywords need to be concise and accurate to gain attention.

According to a study by Briggsby, around 90% of top-ranked videos contain a keyword in their titles.

Hence you can also start with adding partial keywords if not direct keywords.

1. Keep your Titles Under 60 Characters:

People often make a major mistake; making the titles too long. Whereas YouTube suggests only using a minimal number of characters in your titles. 

Here’s the deal!

A short, concise title will not only save you from losing those important clicks.

But also saves these clicks from a reduction in suggested, search, or browse features.

Write Searchable Descriptions:

If your video has the right keywords, it will automatically boost the watch time and views. The reason?

The right keyword helps your video to appear in the search results.

Briggsby’s same study revealed that up to 75% of the top 20 results used such descriptions.

This term right keyword includes the target keywords as well as relevant keywords.

Tags:

To give a context to your videos, Tags can be a great tool. These can also help your videos to rank up in YouTube searches and suggestions.

YouTube has made this pretty simpler for you all. By recommending you to add phrases and keywords that best describe your videos.

Also, TubeBuddy and VidIQ are among the best tools to check the competing video tags.

Try to look for common tags with the competing videos. And only then add a suitable tag to your video.

Step #5: In-video Optimizations:

After the on-page optimization, here comes the in-page video optimization for YouTube SEO.

Though the real 80% battle is to create the video there are various other elements.

Consider these extra optimizations as the remaining 20% of the battle. Now, these optimizations will help in enhancing the retention rate and user experience.

1- Transcripts / Closed Captions (CC)

It is a common belief among creators that YouTube read closed caption files. These help YouTube with a better understanding of the context of the videos.

It only gets better!

YouTube then creates a transcription file and catches most words but this is not it. The viewers can be from any corner, around the globe.

Your native language might be different from their native language. But if you add a description of the videos, there won’t be much of a problem.

All you need to do is; click on the video you intend to edit from the videos page. Next, select the Subtitles/CC tab and voila!

The remaining part of your job is to paste in the script and check if written and spoken words match.

Once you submit this file, the rest will get handled by YouTube. The script will be auto-synced to your voice.

But it is best to watch the video once again to ensure the scripting is perfect.

2- Cards:

YouTube cards are to encourage the viewers into taking these below-listed actions:

All you need is; select the card type you want to use, and choose an appropriate option. Either a playlist or a video, then select a timecode to trigger it.

So when that particular timecode hits the title slides in as a suggestion. Once the viewer clicks on the info icon, they can opt to watch the video.

3- End Screens:

End screens are pretty the same as the cards and are used to keep viewers on YouTube.

There is a certain pattern to these; the subscription button and suggested video.

This brings in more subscribers and also the viewers keep consuming your content.

Step #6: Publish and Promote Your Video:

Before publishing any video a lot of hard work and effort goes in. The first 24-48 are the critical ones as they decide the fortune of your videos.

So here are a few tips to help you in promoting the videos in the first 2 days.

Find the Best Time to Publish Your Video:

This may not seems to be a big deal but it can have a straight impact on the views. What is the point of publishing a video if the target audience is asleep?

Here’s the deal!

With the help of real-time reports, identify the peak points, and monitor them. Then pick up a time when your audience is active or watching videos.

Often this will change now and then yet you will notice a pattern. Try to publish your videos on weekends when the majority of viewers are free.

It will help in maintaining a better YouTube SEO practice for the success of your channel.

Respond to Comments;

YouTube is another social platform so you also need to socialize with your viewers. When you start posting your content, try to be more active.

You should try to engage more by replying to all the comments for a week at least. Then like the comments that show a positive response to your work.

According to YouTube, the viewers with likes on their comments are 3 times more likely to engage with you.

Hence they will for sure respond to any notification from your side.

Promote to your Existing Audience:

While you may strive to gain the attention of a new audience, don’t forget the existing one. Use a blog, social media accounts, or newsletter to promote your videos.

Remember that these people have been with you since the beginning. Hence a little effort from your side will not go wasted and would rather get appreciated.

Try social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or send them an email (newsletter). In these emails tell about any upcoming videos, etc.

Step #7: Post Video Analysis and Optimization:

Once your video goes out there, it is no longer yours. In other terms, you can’t make any changes, edit or redirect it. Yes, this feels pretty miserable but that’s all right.

Instead of letting go, learn from the mistakes and correct them in the next videos. Here are a few tips to help you in improving YouTube SEO:

Analyze your Audience Retention Graphs:

You can check these graphs by; goto YouTube Analytics and select any video to optimize.

Then select audience retention, here you can check the average view duration. Or the percentage of clicks and views in a graph.

Audience Retention Graphs:

An audience retention graph represents a retention curve plotted as percentages.

It captures the views of each second watched in the video.

It only gets better!

This graph can be helpful to know the popular parts of the video.

Check out the little bumps in the graph, notice why people liked or dislike a certain part.

Step #8: Optimize For Session Watch Time:

The total time a viewer watches videos without leaving YouTube is the Session watch time. It is an important factor that affects YouTube SEO.

By 2012, this became a pretty important raking factor. If you succeed in increasing session time it gives you 2 benefits.

Apart from cards and end screens, use these tips to improve the session time.

1- Create a Series:

Start with creating your series like many creators do. Often we, ourselves start from 1 particular video and end up watching the whole series.

The 490 episodes of Casey Neistat’s vlog is a living example of a series.

Not only series can hold up the attention for longer but also increase the session watch time.

2- Use Series Playlists:

We all know what a playlist is; a video list with a set order that it plays in. But when we talk about a series playlist, includes one extra component in its definition.

It is a way we creators use to tell YouTube about our group of videos being in an official list of videos.

This is pretty much what Netflix does with the episodes and season of your favorite shows.

A series playlist can help YouTube to better understand which video to suggest next. In this way, you can easily claim the up-next spot on YouTube.

Why YouTube SEO Is Important? 

Before we know why youtube SEO is important. We should know what youtube SEO is. SEO stands for search engine optimization.

On youtube, it is the process of optimizing the ranking of your videos. That helps to make your videos top trend on youtube.

Optimization of your website search is necessary to attract the people. That attracts the traffic towards your videos and content.

You should use the keywords on the title of your videos. That optimizes the people’s research towards your videos. It makes you popular.

Keywords are terms peoples mostly use in their search. If you follow the keywords your videos are on the top of people’s search.

Keywords are the key part of Youtube SEO. You have to capture the attention of the people to generate the traffic on your channel.

You have to keep the viewer’s requirements in mind while developing the content. Try to involve the keywords in the title of your video to come at the top of the viewers’ search.

Your content of the video should impact the minds of the viewer for a long time. 

There are different ways to improve youtube SEO. Some of them are explained as follows.

1- Add Accurate Closed Captions:

Now youtube adds the caption on your videos automatically. These captions are not comprehensive.

That makes it difficult for the people to understand your content of the video. You should add the accurate and closed captions by yourself.

That helps you to convey your message or information in the content easily.

2- Youtube Keyword Search:

The first way to optimize youtube SEO is the keywords. These are the backbone of youtube SEO. Youtube keywords are attached to google.

You cannot get the search traffic on youtube if you do not target the keywords.

Unfortunately, unlike Google, youtube does not have any keyword search tool. That is why you should deploy the third party tool to find the keywords on youtube.

3- Identify the Search Intent:

Search intent is the reason for which the persons search their problem on the search engine. the search engine determines the most of the part of the query for you.

Just you have to search the keyword that ranks your video on the youtube SEO. The keyword should relate the content of your video. 

4- Capture Search Intent with a High-retention Video:

You can capture people’s attention by creating good content. The other sources of getting the people’s retention are the comments and share.

Ranking the video also include in it. YouTube SEO helps the viewer to find the video they want to watch.

That also helps to capture long term viewer attention. To get the retention of the viewer you have to create the quality content.

You should plan the video before making it. After planning you should write the script and analyze its credibility.

What Impact Does Youtube SEO Have On Earning Money?

Youtube is the second most used search engine in the world. Google is at the top of the list of search engines.

There are different ways from which you can earn on the youtube. For the beginner it little difficult to earn the money from the youtube.

But if you are famous and have views of the million on your videos in the month. Then you can earn a handsome amount from youtube.

Youtube SEO helps you to generate traffic on your channel. It also helps you to increase your popularity.

Greater the viewers on your youtube channel larger the money you earn. Youtube SEO has a huge impact on earning money. 

Different ways of earning through youtube are the following.

1- Advertising Money:

It is not easy to get a million views in the month. For earning the money for the advertisements you have millions of viewers.

Youtube SEO helps you to generate that huge traffic on your channel. It helps you to put your video in the top searches of their daily routine.

That helps you to capture their attention for a long time.

2- Sponsorship Deals:

For this source of earning on youtube, you should be a famous star. For getting the popularity you need youtube SEO.

That helps you to get subscribers and the viewers on your channel. When you start getting views in millions in one month.

Then people start contacting you for the paid promotion of their product.

They offer you a handsome amount of money by promoting their product to your videos.

3- Building a Brand:

It is the main purpose of youtube to build a brand. At first, you have to develop such content that people wanted the most.

Then you know the right method of how to put your videos on the top trend. This is the work that youtube SEO has to do for you.

When you become famous you got a lot of emails in your inbox. That I saw you on youtube and I like your videos and content.

That is the time you become the brand. Now, people listen to what you say and follow the trends that you ask them to follow.

Now, most of the product developers contact you for paid promotions. Most of them want you to become their brand ambassador. This helps you to crack the deal easily. And you earn a handsome amount of money.

4- Lead Generation:

This is the platform where you can develop the biggest consultant leads. But it is not the one-day procedure.

First, you have to focus on your audience. For getting their long term attention you have to develop the best content.

You have to show consistency while making and uploading the videos. When you become star people start following your way of living.

They start contacting you like my client saw your video on youtube. You have a lot of potentials.

Do you work with my company? It is the time when you got paid for all the hardships you face.

Wrapping It All Up!

With all that is being said we conclude with the fact that you will not find better assistance for YouTube SEO anywhere else.

As you will go through this review you will be able to everything but if there is still something you can ask us anytime and we will be there for your assistance.