Boost Your SEO with Video

When you think of SEO, you probably associate it with content, backlinks, metadata, and site structure, the elements that traditionally determine a website’s ranking. But times have changed. Websites are more interactive, search results have evolved, and the way people consume information has shifted dramatically.

This is where video comes in. Video is now a key media asset that can support rankings while also improving a website’s interactivity, perception, and overall user experience. Research shows that optimising videos on your site can increase sessions, boost engagement, grow visibility, and drive conversions when done effectively.

What Is Video SEO?

Video SEO is about making your videos discoverable, understandable, and engaging for both users and search engines. Video SEO goes beyond uploading content. Technical setup, placement on the page, and user interaction all play a role in how well it performs.

Video SEO considers:

• Technical optimisation: Metadata, transcripts, and schema markup.
• Contextual placement: Where the video sits on the page and how it complements surrounding content.
• User signals: Watch time, click-through rate, shares, and engagement.

The goal is simple: make it easy for search engines to find your videos and deliver them to people actively searching for related content.

Can Google Index Videos?

Google can index videos, but only if they are configured correctly. Videos must be publicly accessible, embedded on a crawlable page, and supported with clear metadata, including a title, description, and thumbnail. Pages should load efficiently and avoid scripts that block crawling.

Google indexes videos in two stages. It first crawls the page where the video is hosted and then retrieves the video file from a discoverable source. Completing these steps maximises the likelihood that your video appears in search results.

Making Video Searchable

To maximise visibility on Google and platforms like YouTube, videos should be easy to find and understand. This includes:

• Adding a video sitemap helps search engines understand where your content is located.
• Using VideoObject structured data to qualify for rich snippets.
• Writing clear, keyword-rich titles and descriptions that describe the value of the video.
• Including captions and transcripts for accessibility and extra crawlable text.
• Hosting videos on search-friendly platforms such as YouTube, Wistia, or Vimeo, or self-hosting with proper schema.
• Choosing an engaging thumbnail to encourage clicks.

These steps make it easier for search engines to understand your video and present it to the right audience.

Embedding Videos for SEO

Embedding videos directly on your page keeps visitors engaged and sends positive behavioural signals to search engines. To embed effectively:

• Place the video near the top of the page and support it with headings and descriptive text.
• Ensure videos display correctly on mobile devices.
• Wrap embeds with VideoObject structured data to help search engines interpret the content.
• Provide context that complements the surrounding content, helping visitors understand the page.

Well-embedded videos increase dwell time, signalling to search engines that your page provides value. This can improve rankings and boost overall SEO performance.

The SEO Impact of Video

Video has a measurable impact on traffic, engagement, and conversions. Pages with video often generate more organic traffic, achieve higher click-through rates, and are more likely to appear on the first page of Google. Video thumbnails appear in around 26% of search queries, giving your content extra visibility.

Video also improves user engagement. Visitors stay longer on pages with video, increasing dwell time, and are more likely to retain information. Video pages are also more likely to earn backlinks, further improving authority and search performance.

From a marketing perspective, video has clear outcomes. 89% of marketers consider video essential, with 90% reporting positive ROI. Videos help customers understand products or services and can influence purchasing decisions. Video also supports social and voice search, with users turning to platforms like YouTube or Facebook for information, and voice search increasingly pulling from video content that directly answers queries.

Best Practices for Video SEO

To make the most of video for SEO, focus on clarity, structure, and accessibility. Give each video a dedicated page with unique metadata and include transcripts and captions for accessibility and extra crawlable text. Optimise video length according to platform: 7–15 minutes for YouTube, under 2 minutes for mobile.

Use strong, keyword-rich titles, descriptions, and thumbnails, and place videos where they naturally support the surrounding content. This ensures your videos are discoverable, engaging, and helpful for both search engines and human visitors.

Key Takeaway

Video is no longer optional. It helps your website rank better, engage users, and convert visitors.

To get the most from video SEO:

• Focus on technical optimisation so search engines can find and interpret your videos.
• Provide clear, structured, authoritative content that builds trust.
• Use videos that keep users on the page longer and provide an engaging experience.
• Optimise formats for social and voice search to expand reach.

When done well, video works for both search engines and users, improving traffic, engagement, and conversions. Incorporating video into your content strategy is a smart investment for 2025 and beyond