Creating an explainer video is a great way to engage your audience, communicate your message effectively, and boost your search engine rankings. However, when it comes to optimizing your video for SEO, there are certain mistakes that you should avoid. By steering clear of these pitfalls, you can ensure that your explainer video not only captures the attention of your viewers but also ranks well in search engine results pages. Here are some key mistakes to avoid:
1. Neglecting Keyword Research: Keywords are the foundation of any SEO strategy, including video SEO. Failing to conduct thorough keyword research will make it challenging for search engines to understand what your video is about. Take the time to identify relevant keywords related to your industry, product, or service, and incorporate them strategically into your video title, description, and script.
2. Using Generic Titles: The title tag of your video is one of the most important SEO elements. Avoid using generic titles like “Explainer Video” or “Introduction Video.” Instead, try to be descriptive and include relevant keywords. For instance, if you offer accounting software, a title like “How XYZ Accounting Software Streamlines Bookkeeping” is more specific and likely to attract targeted traffic.
3. Ignoring Video Transcripts: Uploading a video transcript can significantly improve your video’s ranking on search engines. Transcripts provide search engines with valuable content that helps them understand the context and relevance of your video. Additionally, transcripts make your video accessible to viewers with hearing impairments, improving overall user experience and engagement.
4. Failing to Optimize Video Descriptions: The video description is another crucial aspect of SEO for explainer videos. It should contain relevant keywords, a summary of the video content, and a call-to-action. Use concise, compelling language to entice viewers to watch your video and include a link to your website or landing page to drive traffic.
5. Neglecting Video Sitemaps: Creating a video sitemap is essential to ensure search engines index your videos correctly. A video sitemap provides information about your video content, such as title, description, duration, and thumbnail image. By submitting a video sitemap to search engines, you increase the visibility of your explainer video, making it easier for users to find.
6. Inadequate Video Hosting: Choosing the right video hosting platform is crucial for SEO optimization. While popular platforms like YouTube and Vimeo offer great exposure, hosting your videos solely on these platforms may not be the best approach. Embedding your video on your website and using a video hosting provider with SEO-friendly features can improve your website’s SEO performance.
7. Overlooking Video Sharing: Don’t overlook the power of video sharing. Encourage viewers to share your explainer video on social media platforms, embed it on their websites, and link back to your website. This not only increases your video’s visibility but also generates valuable backlinks, which are essential for SEO.