Videos have become an important part of search results in recent years. Depending on what search engines deem to be the intent, YouTube videos will likely pop up and rank first for common “how to” questions or queries requiring illustrative guides. But how do search engines rank the videos, and do video embeds help with ranking?
Recent SEO research has revealed that video embeds help rank YouTube videos. Similar to link building, video embeds are seen as a “thumbs up” from other sources, which encourages search engines to rank such videos higher.
Getting to the crux of it requires understanding what YouTube video embeds are, how they work, and why embeds have become a significant ranking factor in moving the needle. Find the answers in this article.
What Are Youtube Video Embeds And How Do They Work?
Video embeds are short code snippets allowing webmasters to refer to certain YouTube videos on their website without necessarily going to the page. Unlike hyperlinking wherein you cloak the link with words, symbols, or numbers, video embeds come in code snippets that can be pasted directly on the desired page.
Video embeds are an excellent way for webmasters and bloggers to offer more information about certain topics using audiovisual means. It also helps with visitor retention and offers page rank value. However, it also signals to search engines that the embedded YouTube video is valuable and should be ranked better.
Why YouTube Video Embeds Are a Ranking Factor
Understanding the contribution of video embeds can help you to better understand how it affects ranking and video results. Here are some reasons why embeds are a ranking factor.
Shows Authority And Value
Search engines are interested in ranking valuable and authoritative content. This means they are always looking for media that deliver excellent information to internet users. Embedding your video on web pages signals to search engines that your content is valuable and useful. The search engines will, in turn, reward such loved and valuable videos by ranking them higher for others with similar queries to enjoy.
Video Embeds Can Help Increase Youtube Traffic
Video embeds are a great thing for all parties involved. For the webmaster, interesting and detailed video increases their on-page engagement and reduces bounce rate, which suggests that the page is valuable and improves their ranking.
On the other hand, embeds are also a great way to generate YouTube views and traffic. Most online users are likely to click through to find more information or helpful tips on the YouTube page/channel.
Encourage Visitors To Act
The internet and search engines prioritize scannable content. With scannable content, visitors may easily miss Call To Action (CTA) wherever they are placed. In fact, most visitors will likely not read the entire content once they’ve found a concrete answer to their query.
Embedding YouTube videos is an excellent way to circumvent the process, ensuring that visitors get the call to action delivered through audiovisual needs. By inserting your call to action, whether on screen or in the script, you can get more visitors to act on your directive, thus driving revenue and improving engagement.
Can YouTube Videos Be Embedded On Other Websites?
Yes. Embedding YouTube videos on other websites is just as simple as copying and placing the video embed code on the target website. In most cases, this can further add to your video popularity and ranking factor.
The possibility of embedding YouTube videos on other websites has helped increase the quality of videos produced in modern-day video marketing. This is because brands, businesses, and channels aim to rank higher by appealing to an organic audience that can embed their videos on their websites.
With a video deemed helpful, more bloggers or web administrators are likely to pick up on it, thus improving the number of shares and likes, drawing in more traffic, and improving the video’s ranking on search engines.
Creating High Quality YouTube Videos To Earn Embeds
Ranking your YouTube video is similar to ranking your content on search engines. Below are some tips to help create a sharable and engaging YouTube video.
- Select a good topic or content
- Have the right video production equipment
- Make a good first impression on viewers
- Deliver content in an interesting, simple, and easy-to-understand manner
- Add a call to action, e.g. “like and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more,” or a short and catchy sales pitch for your products/services.
Following the steps above can help you create the right YouTube videos that position your page to earn embeds and rank higher on search engine result pages.
