YouTube optimisation tips, for
video SEO and view maximisation

Building long term YouTube value
Optimise findability + Optimise engagement = Long term YouTube value
Ensuring your creative is best If you set up your YouTube video
Setting up your clips YouTube meta implemented within YouTube - e.g. in the best way, you can guarantee
data to ensure itʼs most easily found. picking the most clickable front an ongoing stream of views and
image, giving it the best title. engagement over time.
“ Setting up in theYouTube video correctly will ensure optimisation tips . . .
especially
your
long term. Here are our 8 YouTube
higher returns,
” www.ViralAdNetwork.net

1. Pick a clickable lead image
Stand out / clickable image
•The lead image is incredibly important to
ensuring your videoʼs clicked on and watched.
•Make sure the image you pick is visually
impactful and engaging.
•Make sure itʼs relevant to the communities
your targeting.
•Make sure the image and and the video title
work together to tell an engaging story.
The lead image of your video is incredibly important in ensuring people
click and watch your video. Getting people to click you video is half the
battle. Once theyʼre watching, itʼs then up to your content to do the work!
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2. Pick a great title
•The title of your video needs to do two jobs: 1) it
needs to encourage people to watch your video Example descriptive and engaging descriptions
2) it needs to be descriptive, so it can be easily
searched for.
•The title should be descriptive, and include any
relevant keywords linked to the content.
•It should be concise (as long titles are shortened
in many display situations).
•It should be engaging - to encourage people to
watch your video. The title of your video needs to work with the front image. The title needs
to be engaging but descriptive, and it also needs to be concise (i.e. short).
Including the brand name can be useful in some circumstances.
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3. Optimise the metadata for search
Example metadata - leading with URL
•To encourage clicks to your website, add a link in the
first line of the description - to make sure everyone
sees it.
•Make sure you include relevant keywords in your
description.
•Pick a category that is relevant, but not too
competitive (as you ideally want to pick up awards).
•Use a moderate number of tags. Make sure theyʼre
all relevant.
The metadata around your YouTube is extremely important for its SEO and
general findability. Make sure all the metadata is relevant, and try to pick
terms that are relevant and frequently searched for.
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4. Enable embedding
•Enabling the *embed code* will optimise the
ability for others to share your video.
•To do this, simply tick the right box in the YouTube Example embed code
set-up page.
•You might also want to add an annotation to your
video to encourage people to embed in their site.
By making your video embeddable, means that others will be able to easily
share it - especially across Facebook and Twitter.
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5. Upload subtitles / captions
•Adding captions optimises SEO ranking, as it
Example captions (in French)
enables Google to understand your video better.
•Simply select the *captions* option whilst setting
your video up, and add in the relevant descriptive
copy at key points throughout the video.
Adding captions to your video will 1) maximise the ability for Google to
understand whatʼs in the video, and improve SEO ranking 2) enable
people from other countries to understand your video content.
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6. Encourage people to watch more
•Adding clickable annotations to you video will Example buttons / annotations
encourage people to spend longer with your content.
•Annotations can be used to link to other videos in a
series, or encourage subscribers to sign up.
•Make sure your annotations appear on screen for long
enough. One trick is to have them held on the end
screen frame for several seconds (some upto 15
seconds).
•Think about annotations when creating your content.
The simplest way to add interactivity to your video is to add *annotations*.
You may want to think about designing these annotations into your video
creative to make the most of this functionality.
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6. Encourage people to interact
•The higher you get listed in YouTubeʼs most
viewed, most discussed, most liked, most
subscribed and top favorited, the more
opportunity for your video is to be viewed.
•Encourage people to interact / comment / like
your video, and youʼll rise up the rankings.
There are special sections on YouTube for most viewed, most discussed, most
liked, most subscribed, top favorited. The higher you get in each category the
more extra views youʼll get. So itʼs good to encourage people to rate,
comment, subscribe etc. to your video and your video channel.
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7. Make engaging content
•The more engaging your content the more likely Example awesome viral content!
people will share it once theyʼve watched it.
•Tips include: make your content relevant to specific
online communities; make it topical; reply to an
existing meme; include something unexpected;
create something useful; do something epic or
amazing!
Thereʼs no silver bullet to creating a viral piece of content, however
following some simple rules will help your content be as engaging as
possible.
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8. Kick-start your campaign
Paid seeding effect from Viral Ad Network
•Boosting the views of your campaign by paying
for seeding via a syndication network like the Viral
Ad Network is an effective way to kick start your
campaign. By paying for people to watch your
video, you will ensure it gets in front of the right
audiences initially helping generate some initial
sharing and virality.
•Tip: invest money in using
www.ViralAdNetwork.net
Giving your campaign a kick start by investing in paid-for-seeding from the
Viral Ad Network can boost the chances of your campaign being shared.
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