YouTube optimization: easier to find in 8 steps!

Since 2009, video consumption has increased from 4 billion to 12 billion. In the Netherlands alone, 6.8 million people use YouTube. Among these are more than 1 million daily users!

Videos are valuable content. They offer your visitors the experience they are looking for. Moreover, videos are of great value for the findability of your webshop or website. Google shows videos in the search results. And the second largest search engine is …… YouTube!

How do you rise above the crowd with your video? That is not as complicated as it may seem. With these 8 steps, your video will be at the top in no time!

1. Give your video a meaningful name
Optimizing a video starts the moment you still have the original (RAW) file on your computer. Most video files have an unclear name, but you can easily change this. There are a few rules to keep in mind when setting a video name. It should contain the main subject, the search term you want to use and the title of the video.

At our customer Van Hoorne Entertainment you see a good example: Suske en Wiske De Musical - De Circusbaron Trailer . Suske en Wiske is the main subject, after which The Musical is used as the search term. The title that Van Hoorne Entertainment uses comes after the dash.

2. Use a catchy title
As soon as you upload the video, you have the option to enter a title. Make sure your video title starts with the main search term. You also want to make the visitor curious with your title.

3. Provide a good description
Top! You are already easy to find in the title. To increase findability even more, pay attention to the description of your video. A good description is the most important part of making your video keyword-friendly after the title. Include the most important keywords in the description and do not forget to use the link to the website at the front. A good example of this is:

'' Suske en Wiske de Musical - https: //www.vanhoornejunior.nl/suske -...

Suske en Wiske bring the family performance of the theater season with this new musical! The comic book heroes experience an exciting adventure in the theater together with Tante Sidonia, Lambik and Jerom. A performance full of excitement, adventure, humor and great music that you can no longer get out of your head! Suske en Wiske De Musical - De Circusbaron ''

4. Use tags and labels
After coming up with a good description, you can set up the tags and labels. Make sure to put your video in the correct category. For example, Van Hoorne Entertainment places his videos in the entertainment category. Entering tags does not make you easier to find in Google, but it does help you move up in the YouTube ranking.

5. Add notes
After you upload your video, you have the option to add notes and annotations. You can do this in the video manager. You can not only place texts, but also add links to, for example, the contact form or product page. Take that opportunity!

6. Write a transcript
To make sure that Google and YouTube better understand what your video is about, it is important to make a transcript. A transcript forms subtitles under the video. You can make such a transcript via https://amara.org.nl/nl , after which you can upload it to YouTube.

7. Make use of playlists
Potential customers almost always watch more than one video. Usually they are looking for different videos of a product or service. For these folks, filling out a playlist is a step you shouldn't miss. Organize your videos into playlists to keep you focused. At Van Hoorne Entertainment you can find, for example, the following playlists: Van Hoorne Junior Kids Club, Stichting Lach voor een Dag, TV heroes, Suske en Wiske, Van Hoorne Television productions, You must see this ! And much more!

8. Go for interaction
Last but not least, the number of views and the interaction on your video also play a major role in your findability. The more people give your video a thumbs up, the higher you score. You can generate interactions by regularly sharing your videos through other social media channels. And are there nice reactions? Respond to this again!

Would you like more information about YouTube optimization or do you have a question?