Optimising videos on YouTube is about to get easier. Find out more about the YouTube Search Insights rollout coming to the platform soon.

Optimising YouTube Videos Made Easy With New Tool

In recent weeks, a YouTube update has meant the launch of a brand-new feature designed to simplify the process of YouTube keyword optimisation.

Optimising YouTube videos for SEO was formerly a lengthy process, which required several steps along the way to ensure that the content was as visible as possible for the masses trying to find it. Those steps of YouTube video optimisation will continue to be relevant, but the keyword research part of it just got a whole lot easier.

Find out more as we detail the new YouTube update, current best practice and more.

Optimising YouTube Videos For SEO: Best Practice

Currently, aside from the new update - which makes YouTube video optimisation as a whole, much easier – there’s a best practice for optimising YouTube videos for SEO.

It’s easy to forget that while YouTube is a video distribution platform first and foremost, it’s also a search engine, allowing users to find videos relevant to them and their searches. While, for example, Google might work slightly different in finding you an answer to: “How to fix a hoover”, you’re likely going to find the same result, just in a different content format.

YouTube video optimisation works in a similar way to web page does – and there is best practice for you to follow:

• Renaming the video file using a target keyword.
• Ensuring that the video’s title contains the keyword, in a natural way.
• Optimising your video description to include relevant information, and ensuring it contains the keyword.
• Ensuring you place tags on your video with popular, relevant key terms.
• Ensuring your video is placed in the right category.
• Uploading a custom thumbnail image for search results.
• Adding cards in-video and end screens to increase viewership and viewer retention.

Top Tip: Uploading an SRT file can add subtitles and closed captions, which very much like alt text on a web page (alt text describes what an image is to someone and is important for text-to-speech software used by the visually impaired), can have a profound impact on your YouTube optimisation. Not only that, but you’re having a positive impact on those who need subtitles and closed captions.

Introducing YouTube’s New Tool

The latest update will make YouTube keyword research easier than ever before. And not only that, but the videos you create can be tailored to what your viewers are searching for. This new feature is called Search Insights.

It’s currently being tested with YouTube Studio and allows users to gather insights and data on what their audience is searching for, what the general YouTube user is searching for, estimated search volumes, and where content gaps are appearing for terms. This data can help creators and brands make content that is as relevant as possible to what viewers want to be watching.

Insights are aggregated, so individual data isn’t available, but knowing what your audience and the YouTube userbase is doing will be a vital part of YouTube video optimisation moving forward.

How To Use YouTube Search Insights

So, are you wondering how to YouTube Search Insights as a tool for YouTube video optimisation?

Brands will be able to tailor and save searches within the tool and the information that it provides for easy future access - you can type a specific topic or keyword in the search bar of the tool to find data on the keyword you’re searching for. This can then be used as the research phase for your next video, and the data may be helpful in telling you whether it’s going to perform well or not at a base level.

The tool will also tell you whether users are unable to find information they were looking for, and flag it as a content gap – allowing to potentially tailor your video content plan in a way that fills this gap, and benefits both your channel and the user.

With the estimated keyword search volume available to see too, brands and users can use this information to dig down into the numbers – and whether producing a video around your YouTube keyword research would prove beneficial or not.

When Is YouTube Search Insights Available?

Well, YouTube’s new tool isn’t quite available to everyone just yet – but it’s being rolled out sporadically and is still in its testing phase.

YouTube have said that further announcements will come when the tool expands to more users, meaning you might be waiting a little while to utilise the full benefits of the new update.

Until then, however, it’s worthwhile optimising YouTube videos for SEO. If you’re wondering why certain videos aren’t performing on your brand’s channel, then this is the first step to consider!

Looking to delve into YouTube optimisation? Find out how our content team can help your videos be seen by getting in touch.