When we consider social media and social platforms, it's easy to overlook their potential beyond just being social spaces. An important point to note is that YouTube is owned by Google, which explains why we often receive video suggestions when we search for specific topics on Google.
As a result, it's not surprising that YouTube ranks as the second most used platform for searching for content and answers. You can find experts sharing knowledge on virtually any imaginable topic there. YouTube and Google themselves have already seen the potential as a “search engine” and constantly add new features such as “shorts” and community threads for creators to reuse content and interact better with their followers. The more content, the more likely it will show up in search results.
Brands have already embraced the potential of a YouTube channel for online product promotion. Moreover, they have become skilled in effectively partnering with influencers and seamlessly integrating product placements into their videos for successful marketing.
But besides filming content and publishing it, there are still some steps that should not be overlooked to fully excel on YouTube. How can you score in the search ranking? What does it take to be the right answer to people’s questions?
We will break down how to treat YouTube as a search engine below.
FIRST STEPS AFTER UPLOADING YOUR VIDEO:
- Find the right title with catching keywords. Imagine what a person would search for and add it to your title.
- After uploading the video, you need to make sure that your thumbnail (the first picture people will see of your video when they see search results) needs to have a high resolution. This helps to score high on search results based on the YouTube algorithm.
- Also, interchange and play around with different thumbnails and titles.
- You need to have a description with useful keywords and useful info texts that lead people to your video.
- Add links to other pages and links to your social media accounts in the description box.
- Use the correct “hashtags” (or in other words keywords) to score higher in searches.
- Add end screens and link to other videos that relate to the video’s topic.
Tip: At Cocomore, we are specialised in writing content that ranks highly in search engines. Get in touch with our editors to discuss your needs!
SECOND STEPS TO FINISH YOUR UPLOAD:
After the first steps are done, complete your upload with the finishing touches:
- Use timestamps to divide your video into chapters. You can write the timestamps in your description text and give them titles, so viewers know what to expect. This could be described as a ‘table of content’.
- Engage with comments: Interact with them by responding, liking, and pinning some at the top of the comment section. This fosters a sense of community as your viewers feel acknowledged, and it can potentially boost your standing in the algorithm's ranking.
Tip: For building and managing a community on your channel, having a community manager comes in handy.
WHAT FOLLOWS NOW?
By following the steps outlined above, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search results and building a thriving community around your content.
After the set-up is done, it’s time to experiment and see how well the content is performing. And for that, analysing your data is the next key to success!
Read more about how TikTok is used as a search engine here.
