Did you know that 70% of videos that people watch on YouTube are “Suggested videos”?

Yes, but YouTube probably suggests these videos because they are high-quality ones.

Well, not really.

The algorithm checks if your video is optimized and relevant to their search query so that viewers find your content easier and stay on the platform longer.

Optimizing your YouTube video title and descriptions can help your video rank better, reach your target audience, and get more viewers.

In this article, we will talk about 7 tips to optimize YouTube videos for SEO, so you can apply them immediately and boost your views.

Let’s jump right in.

What is a YouTube SEO strategy?

A YouTube SEO strategy consists of the right words you write in the right places.

Why is this important?

The algorithm uses this information to show your video to the right target audience searching for the queries you provided within the title and description.

If you optimized your video and channel for the right keywords, your content might pop out when someone enters that keyword in the search box or watches a similar video.

In order for your video to show up at the right place at the right time for your target audience, you need to use keywords that best describe the content of your video.

Since YouTube can’t analyze your video precisely and determine if the content matches the keyword, you need to navigate them by optimizing it.

How can I find the best keywords?

You can find the best keywords by typing the keyword that best describes your content in Google’s search box and using the words that the algorithm suggests.

google-search-query

Once you have your keywords, the next step is to put them in the right place. 

Keep reading to find out the steps you can take to optimize your YouTube videos today.

The best 7 tips to optimize your YouTube videos for SEO

1.   Put the main keyword in the title

The title is the first thing the viewers see, so the keyword should grab their attention and draw them to click on the video.

Try to incorporate the main keyword so that it sounds as natural as possible, and use the keyword that best describes your video.

Here is an example of a good SEO-optimized title for a YouTube video.

youtube-optimized-video-example

The title is “How to start a career in digital marketing,” which is a long-tail keyword that best describes the content of the video.

In that way, viewers who want to know more about a career in digital marketing will probably click on this video because they expect to see just that.

Also, when someone enters “a career in digital marketing,” YouTube’s algorithm will probably push this video to the front.

Tips for finding the best keywords for your video’s title:

  • Find the keyword that best describes the video - If you are not sure which keywords best describe the video, think about the topic of the video. If your topic is “makeup,” enter it in the google search box, and find the best results underneath. You will probably find something like “ makeup for beginners” or “ makeup for a night out,” and choose the one that most precisely describes the video.
  • Use a long-tail keyword that will be more precise - For example, “ start a career in digital marketing” is more precise than “ digital marketing.”Therefore, if you use just “digital marketing,” your video can get lost among other videos.
  • Use the same keyword in the title and the video description - You have a better chance of ranking higher if the keyword is used repeatedly, but don’t overdo it.

2.  Use the main keyword in the file name

The first thing YouTube’s algorithm gets from your video is the file’s name. 

If the file’s name doesn’t describe the content of the video, it will be much harder for you to rank high.

But, if the file has the main keyword that you will use in your description and title, you might rank better immediately.

Therefore, before uploading your video, make sure you do your keyword research, and find out what is your main keyword.

3.  Use multiple keywords in the video description

The first thing your viewers notice is the video’s titles, and the second is the description.

You can easily optimize your video by adding 3-5  different keywords in your description.

Tips for using keywords in the video description:

  • Use the main keyword ( the one in your title) at least 2 times, and you will have a higher chance of ranking high for that keyword.
  • Use other long and short-tail keywords to rank for multiple keywords so you can reach a wider audience.
  • Don’t overuse keywords in your text - Don’t use more than 4-5 keywords because it may sound unnatural to viewers, so they won’t understand the description.

Here is a good example of how you can use the same keyword, “ marketing strategy,” in your video description and the title.

seo-optimized-video-description

The easiest way to create a killer description with the right keywords is by using a video description generator.

But, how to choose the right one?

TextCortex is an AI writing tool with a template for YouTube video descriptions.

You don’t have to worry about using the right amount of keywords or sounding unnatural. 

To use TextCortex, all you need to do is:

  • Choose the "YouTube descriptions" template within Creator Suite
  • Enter the video title
  • Enter the keywords
  • Click “Create.”

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With TextCortex, you don’t need to worry about the right amount of keywords or the length of your texts.  

With this AI writing tool, you can create SEO-optimized descriptions and rank higher without investing a lot of time.

4.  Choose a category for your video

Choosing a category for your video on YouTube will help the algorithm suggest it when people watch similar ones.

That means if your video is under the “science and technology” category, it will appear as suggestions under the videos in the same category.

This is also important because your target audience will watch videos that have a similar topic or the same category. 

Therefore, you won't reach your target audience if you don’t set a category or use the wrong one.

To set your category, all you need to do is:

  • Go to advanced settings
  • Click on category
  • Click on save

5. Use keywords in your subtitles

You can’t optimize the words you say in the video, but you can optimize the subtitles.

Subtitles are important because they make it easier for the viewers to follow the action.

Plus, they are more inclusive than just the video because of foreigners.

Also, the algorithm can’t rank you based on your words, but it can rank you based on the keywords in the subtitles.

Tips for subtitles:

  • If you use YouTube’s automatic captions, make sure to correct the errors so that the text matches your speech 100%
  • Make sure that you say the keywords in the video so that they appear in the subtitles
  • Creating subtitles in different languages can help you satisfy an international audience, and attract a wider public.

6. Make hashtags out of keywords

Hashtags are excellent ways to boost your SEO and put your videos under a specific category.

You can easily create hashtags from your keywords. Here is an example:

dan-lok-youtube-seo-description

The title “ how to start social media marketing as a beginner” is divided into hashtags such as “ how to, “ social media,” and “ digital marketing.”

Just make sure to use relevant hashtags that describe the content of your video. 

You can use as many relevant hashtags as you want. Keywords in your caption and description are the 

7. Add cards to link to other videos or content

YouTube likes keeping people on the platform for as long as possible. 

Therefore the algorithm will be in your favor if you keep viewers on YouTube longer.

Cards appear at the end of the video and are CTAs that offer viewers more information about the topic.

What can I link to the card?

Your cards can be CTAs that:

  • Ask viewers to subscribe - The link will take the viewers to your channel, where they can find out more about you or watch other videos.
  • Take them to your other videos - Make sure you link a video that is related to the topic, so there is a higher chance the viewer will click on it and stay watching your videos.

Here is an example of a video with 3 cards:

You can use this video as an example of which cards to put and where to put them so that people will click and continue watching you.

Create SEO YouTube video descriptions faster

Optimizing your videos for YouTube’s algorithm will help you reach a wider audience that will click on your video.

By using the right keywords in your title, hashtags, and descriptions, you are helping the algorithm categorize your videos and show them to your target audience.

Yet, it is not enough to just randomly put the keywords in those places.

Content creators find the most time-consuming is writing a good description and incorporating the keywords naturally.

That is why we created TextCortex.

TextCortex is an AI writing tool that can help you create your SEO- optimized descriptions faster and focus on creating videos.

You don’t have to spend hours writing.TextCortex can help you:

  • Create long-form content from scratch, or a single sentence
  • Extend your text to include more details or keywords
  • Rewrite or summarize your text in seconds

Sign up for TextCortex for free and optimize your video’s description with the right keywords in a couple of seconds.