Video SEO means getting your videos found, both inside YouTube (the second-largest search engine) and in Google results, where videos appear in carousels and key-moment snippets. The good news: the same principles of relevance, engagement and clear structure apply on both. It is part of the multimedia work our SEO services cover.
How YouTube ranks videos
YouTube's goal is to keep viewers satisfied. For search, it looks at how well a video's title, description and content match the query. Beyond that, it weighs engagement signals: whether people click (click-through rate), how long they watch (retention), and whether they like, comment, share or keep watching other videos afterwards.
That means optimisation gets a video considered, but a video people actually watch is what keeps it ranking. For planning what to film, see our guide to video marketing for small brands.
1. Research what your audience searches
- Type your topic into YouTube search and note the autocomplete suggestions.
- Look at what ranks: format, length, and what top videos cover.
- Prioritise "how to", tutorial, review and comparison topics. These have clear search demand.
- Check Google too: if a search shows video results, a video can win there as well.
2. Write titles that earn the click
Include the main keyword naturally, ideally near the start, and make the benefit obvious. "How to Set Up Google Business Profile (Step by Step)" beats "GBP Tutorial Part 1". Keep the important part within the first 60 or so characters so it isn't cut off.
3. Design thumbnails for clarity
Thumbnails drive click-through rate. Use a clear focal point, a face where relevant, high contrast and three to five words at most. Make sure it's readable at phone size.
4. Hook viewers in the first 30 seconds
Say what the viewer will get and start delivering it. Long intros, logos and "before we start" detours cause drop-offs, which hurt ranking. Check the retention graph in YouTube Studio to see where people leave, and fix that pattern in future videos.
5. Write useful descriptions
- Summarise the video in the first two lines, including the main keyword.
- Add links to related resources, your website and relevant products or services.
- Avoid stuffing lists of keywords or hashtags.
6. Add chapters and captions
Chapters (timestamps in the description starting at 0:00) help viewers jump to what they need and let Google show "key moments" in search results. Accurate captions improve accessibility, help viewers watching without sound, and give search engines more text to understand the video.
7. Build playlists and end screens
Group related videos into playlists and use end screens to point to the next video. This increases session watch time, which YouTube rewards.
8. Get your videos ranking on Google from your own site
To have a video page on your website appear in Google's video results: Our guide to rich snippets explains how structured data works.
- Embed the video prominently on a page that's dedicated to the topic, not hidden far down a long page.
- Add a written summary or transcript so the page is useful on its own.
- Use VideoObject structured data with title, description, thumbnail and upload date.
- Include the page in your sitemap, and make sure the thumbnail is accessible to Google.
9. Don't ignore Shorts
YouTube Shorts are discovered mostly through the Shorts feed rather than search, but they can grow a channel quickly and send viewers to longer videos. Use them for single tips, teasers and behind-the-scenes clips. On Instagram, the equivalent is Reels; see our Instagram Reels playbook.
10. What about podcasts and other multimedia?
The same thinking applies. Publish video podcasts on YouTube with chapters and descriptive titles, and give each episode a page on your website with a summary, key takeaways and a transcript. Multimedia works best when every format links back to a page you own. Our social media marketing agency can produce and distribute this content for you.
Measure what matters
- Impressions click-through rate: are titles and thumbnails working?
- Average view duration and retention: is the content holding attention?
- Traffic sources: how much comes from search, suggested videos and external links?
- Website clicks and leads from video, tracked with UTM links.
FAQs
How long should a YouTube video be?
Long enough to fully deliver on the title. Tutorials often run 6–15 minutes; quick answers can be under 3. Retention matters more than length.
Do tags still matter?
Very little. YouTube says tags mainly help with commonly misspelled terms. Focus on titles, descriptions and the video itself.
Should we host videos on YouTube or our own site?
Both: publish on YouTube for discovery, and embed on your site with a supporting page so you also benefit in Google.
Want video that gets found? Our SEO and social media teams plan, optimise and distribute video for growing brands. Get in touch.