With over 2 billion users (about a third of internet users), 1 billion hours watched daily, and availability in over 100 countries worldwide, YouTube has become the essential platform for publishing videos in just a few years. The platform has such influence that it is also the second most used global search engine, right after Google.

Beyond being a sharing platform, YouTube can be a real asset for improving the SEO of your website, provided that the videos themselves are optimally referenced.

Here, you will discover all the simple and effective tips for properly optimizing your YouTube videos!

For good optimization: select keywords 🗝

Since YouTube was acquired by Google in 2006, some similarities apply in terms of SEO. Indeed, YouTube also references its videos based on the words used and those searched by users. Therefore, by using Google AdWords, you can conduct in-depth research on the different keywords used by YouTube users (based on the subject of your video, for example). This tool will provide you with several keyword suggestions or associated synonyms based on your search.

Similarly, remember to use these keywords within your video and script. Don't hesitate to pronounce them repeatedly, varying with a few synonyms.

Finally, include these keywords in the title of your video as well. This will make it more relevant and inform users about your content.

Provide compelling content 🧲

Logically, YouTube will favor and highlight videos that have generated engagement.

Videos with a high number of interactions, such as comments, views, or likes, will be more suggested.

This is referred to as "traffic." Similarly, content with a high retention rate (percentage of the video watched by the viewer) will also be favored.

Write an appropriate description ✅

A lengthy description of your video is recommended. It is advised to write a minimum of 100 words.

So don't hesitate to double or triple this minimum to have a sufficient quantity of words. In the description, remember to include your keywords and synonyms again to reinforce the quality of your text.

Also, remember to add the URL of your website and your social media URLs. By inserting them into your description, readers are encouraged to click on them, which increases your traffic.

Similarly, to facilitate the reading of your video and allow viewers to watch the part that interests them, consider including chapters. To do this, simply click on "edit video" and in the "description" field of the "add details" page, indicate the list of timestamps and chapter titles. To add a chapter correctly, make sure it lasts at least 10 seconds and that the first one starts at "00:00". Also, make sure to add at least three chapters, all chronologically arranged.

If this is not clear enough, I invite you to watch the tutorial "How to add chapters to YouTube videos."

Tags are important for good referencing 💡

Although necessary, tags are particularly effective when limited to 5 or 6. It is not necessary to select a dozen tags.

However, remember to choose them wisely: start with your main keyword, then include secondary ones, and finally, the name of your YouTube channel to suggest your other videos to users.

Organize your YouTube videos into playlists 📲

Here, you can once again place the keywords you selected during your search on Google AdWords.

Playlists allow you to categorize your videos by themes. Thus, you can write the keywords for each playlist, especially those that link your videos and correspond to a common theme. Your main keyword should be included in the playlist title.

Generate backlinks 🔁

Obtaining backlinks is often challenging, especially when you want them to come from user shares. So, to create initial relevant backlinks, consider sharing your video on your own social media and, if you have a blog, write an article related to the topic of your video.

This multitude of links will also contribute to strengthening your SEO on YouTube.

In general, we can talk about netlinking: Netlinking, link building, or link weaving is the increase in the number of hyperlinks leading to a website, from sites whose audience corresponds to the target audience.

For optimal referencing, subtitle your videos with Noota 📝

Subtitling is an effective way to improve the SEO of your videos. As mentioned earlier, search engines operate based on keywords generated by user searches. When you subtitle your videos, they are classified in Google's algorithm, improving their visibility and your referencing.

With Noota, our automatic transcription and subtitling platform, you can quickly and easily subtitle videos!

To do this, simply import your video into our platform and wait a few moments for your subtitles to be generated. Then, you can make any modifications you want using our editor. You can export your subtitled video and publish it on YouTube or any other platform of your choice. You will also have the option to share it with your circle or colleagues! You can take a free test by clicking here.

If you need assistance, feel free to contact our team; we will be delighted to guide and advise you during the subtitling of your videos.