So how does video help with SEO? And, what role does video have in helping your online visibility and SEO rankings?
This article, I take a look at the importance of video in terms of your click-through rates. And why pages with videos have more than a 50% chance of ranking on page 1 of Google.
How many times have you landed on a web page only to see a cool looking video? Of course, you’re going to click on it. Videos are visual, exciting and make content so much more digestible. It makes browsing the internet so much easier, and this is the main reason why pages with videos will probably rank higher.
Posted by Steven Walberg 1 Oct 2020
Why do videos help with SEO?
Well, its all about time spent on your website and consumer engagement. Let’s break this down into layman terms. Google wants to display pages that are appealing and full of relevant, informative information. If someone lands on your website and actively spends time browsing the site and clicking on videos, Google will note this. The longer they are on your site, and the more time they spend watching, the lower the bounce rates and the higher the engagement—a great formula for SEO success.
Some companies spend an absolute fortune on slick video presentations for this reason alone. You can already see how Google has taken this up by displaying rich snippet content at the top of the search results during this COVID pandemic. All you need to do is Google ‘ COVID Vaccine’, and the first results are all pages with videos.
For other businesses, videos are a quick and easy way to sell your product or service. Take a look at what Bunnings have done here with their ‘ how to install a roller blind’. It’s a highly searched term and if you Google the keywords ‘ how to install roller blinds’ this video comes up # 1. It’s top promotion, and a fantastic way to drive traffic to you’re website. A tradie does it, so it looks authentic, trustworthy, and above all, its a quick watch.
You could apply video content to so many businesses to help with rankings. Think about travel, legal advice, insurance, health, home improvements, the list goes on. Think about this statistic, web pages with videos have over a 50% click-through rate and in a competitive online space is a huge advantage. You want people to see you’re video and you want them to watch as much as they can.
All you need to do is create a YouTube channel for your business and post the videos. Once done, use the link to insert into your post or article.
Is video a good SEO Option?
Most definitely, and as we move into 2021, Google will place more of an emphasis on the user experience. Gone are the days where all you had to do to rank a website was pop a few keywords on a page and create some nifty backlinks. Google now wants quality over and above anything else. Now some business owners may be thinking that they don’t have the time, skill or expertise to create slick video content like Bunnings have done. But, the reality is apparent, and we can see what Google wants for its users.
Another interesting statistic in terms of click-through rates is that videos have five times higher engagement rates. Now that is something that should be mouth-watering to most businesses wanting to get more sales and inquiries. It’s a straightforward exercise, and if you have a decent camera on your phone, your video can be live to a broad audience immediately. Also, think about the social media aspect of posting these videos to the likes of Instagram & Facebook. Essentially, by adding a simple video to your content, you are improving your online visibility massively.
Video in Google search results
Google is displaying more video thumbnails and carousels and videos in its search results right at the top of the page. These video snippets are becoming more popular, and users and getting more used to seeing these types of developments in the SERP’s. It’s human nature to click on a video rather than scroll through a long page of copy and text, and Google knows this all too well.
Research has recently shown that over half of Google searches now have these types of video carousels. For those of you that don’t know a video carousel is a whole bunch of videos that you can scroll through that are relevant to your search query. There are about ten videos in the carousel with the 3 most popular ones displaying first before you have to scroll.
Since 2017 Google has evolved, it’s the search algorithm to include these carousels, and you will start to see these play a more prominent role in the search results.
What is YouTube’s role in the search results?
Everyone knows YouTube, and it’s the second most popular search platform in the world. And, for those of you that don’t know this, Google owns YouTube. Simply put, Google has a massive slice of the search market. So, posting videos on YouTube will have a direct correlation on the search results.
Google, as owners of YouTube, will prioritise ranking YouTube videos over rival platforms. 97% of videos on Google are from YouTube, and the other 3% are from platforms like Vimeo.
It’s worth noting that videos hosted on YouTube will inevitably rank higher on Google’s search results.
How does video help with SEO?
It’s a lot to get your head around but let me break it down for you. Google wants only to put the most relevant, trustworthy and easy to digest websites on page 1. They want sites that are also graphical ( including videos ) and in some cases entertaining. Now, ask yourself this question as you look at your website; ‘does my site have any of these variables?’ If not, then you might have to do something about it, but that’s for another discussion.
If your web page has exciting video content that people are watching, perhaps referring to another person to watch and they are actively spending time on your site, then Google will treat this as a positive sign. Combine this with quality content, and you’re going to appear higher in the SERP’s.
A point to note here is that you can’t just produce any video and hope that this will do the trick. Your video must be informative, entertaining and have a specific value. An effort is required to get a great looking video that’s going to keep people glued to it. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it. Simple as that! But, remember this point video can also work against you if it does not satisfy the user’s search query. If they land on your web page and after watching your video leave the page this can have a very adverse effect on rankings.
Summary
Video and the role it plays with click-through rates, consumer engagement is going to play an invaluable part as we progress more into 2021 & 22. We see the trend already, and the likelihood of it continuing is a certainty.
Video content will increase the value of your website and your online visibility. Videos and the role it plays in SEO are intertwined and not isolated and should therefore be part of your marketing strategy.
If you’d like to learn more about video content and SEO, get in touch with the SEO specialists at SEO Sydney Experts. An enthusiastic, pro-active team of SEO experts, we’ll help you realise the full potential of what’s possible online. Call us on (02) 9360 8514.
This post was written by Steven who is one of the marketing team at SEO Sydney Experts. Steve is one of the veterans of SEO has been in the industry for now over 15 years. If you need a hand with SEO or find that you’re not getting the type of rankings on Google you expect, he can definitely help.
