YouTube SEO is the process of optimizing your videos, playlists, and channel to rank high in YouTube’s organic search results for a given search query.
Rather than trying to dip into every traffic source in YouTube analytics, I’ll be focusing on ranking videos in YouTube search and sprinkle a few tips to “double dip” your video rankings in Google search.
So I won’t be covering suggested videos, browse features, and other traffic sources.
Go to YouTube Analytics > select a video you want to optimize > audience retention.
You’ll see the average view duration, percentage viewed, and clicking on the graph will show you the audience retention graph for that video.
2.Audience retention graph
This graph captures all views for every second watched in the video. A retention curve is then plotted as percentages.
You can use retention to identify popular parts in your video. If you’ve done a good job engaging your viewers, you’ll see a gradual curve. Also, you’ll notice little bumps in the graph, which some creators refer to as “True Engagement.”
Learn from these hints and use them to identify how you can make future videos more engaging.
You can also look for strong drop-off points. Analyze why people are leaving and add YouTube cards in those places.
In fact, our channel has amassed over 3 million minutes of watch time in that same 7-month period (~6 years worth of attention).
Our channel isn’t huge, we publish one video per week, and our industry isn’t exactly “exciting.” And compared to our top competitors, our subscriber count is microscopic.
Our channel isn’t huge, we publish one video per week, and our industry isn’t exactly “exciting.” And compared to our top competitors, our subscriber count is microscopic.
But that’s what I love about YouTube SEO.
Anyone and everyone has the opportunity to entertain, engage, and rank.
In this post, you’ll learn how to rank your YouTube videos from start to finish.
So if you target topics with search traffic potential and rank for them on YouTube, you can get views to your videos. This works even if you have zero subscribers.
How do you find these topics?
The easiest way is to use Ahrefs’ free YouTube Keyword tool
Just enter any relevant word or phrase, and it’ll show you up to 150 keywords and their monthly search volumes
YouTube explains their discovery and search ranking algorithm in two sentences.
Videos are ranked based on a variety of factors including how well the title, description, and video content match the viewer’s query. Beyond that, we look at which videos have driven the most engagement for a query, and make sure it’s easy for viewers to find those.
So yes, keywords matter from both on-page and “in-video” perspectives. Matching search intent is critical.
But the key ingredient to effective video SEO is high engagement.
They want you to keep viewers on their platform for as long as possible (even if it’s not on your own videos).
That’s because more video views = more ads shown = more money in the bank for Alphabet Inc.
Most importantly, they want you to drive engagement to your videos and they’ll reward you with visibility.
Most engagement metrics can be measured in YouTube analytics as likes/dislikes, comments, CTR, audience retention, average watch time, end screen clicks, card clicks, and the list goes on.
Bottom line?
If you can’t engage your audience, your chances of ranking your YouTube videos for a meaningful keyword are slim to none.
Enough chitter chatter.
Let’s get down to the 7-step process to rank your videos higher in YouTube search.
By implementing these SEO strategies, you can increase your site’s visibility, attract more visitors, and ultimately convert them into customers. Would you like to delve deeper into any specific aspect of SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing your website or content to improve its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). The ultimate goal is to drive organic (non-paid) traffic to your site. Here are key SEO strategies:
Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that potential visitors are searching for. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find terms with high search volume and low competition.
On-Page SEO:
Title Tags: Use keywords in titles and keep them under 60 characters.
Meta Descriptions: Write compelling, keyword-rich descriptions under 160 characters.
Headings (H1, H2, etc.): Organize content with clear headings that include primary and secondary keywords.
Content Optimization: Ensure content is high-quality, informative, and relevant to the keywords. Use keywords naturally in the body text.
Internal Linking: Link to other relevant pages on your website to improve navigation and SEO.
Technical SEO:
Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly.
Page Speed: Optimize load times for a better user experience and ranking.
XML Sitemap: Help search engines crawl your website effectively.
HTTPS: Use secure HTTPS protocols to protect user data and improve rankings.
Off-Page SEO:
Backlinks: Get high-quality backlinks from reputable websites. This signals to search engines that your content is valuable.
Social Media Engagement: Share content across platforms to drive traffic and build brand awareness.
Guest Blogging: Contribute content to other sites to increase backlinks and traffic.
Local SEO: Optimize for local searches by claiming and optimizing your Google My Business profile and using location-specific keywords.
User Experience (UX): Improve site navigation, readability, and interactivity to keep visitors engaged and reduce bounce rates.
By implementing these SEO strategies, you can increase your site’s visibility, attract more visitors, and ultimately convert them into customers. Would you like to delve deeper into any specific aspect of SEO?