Gain More Views: Beginner’s Guide to YouTube SEO

The 12-step YouTube SEO Guide for Beginners Who Want More Views

Shanoon Cox

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

The joy of creating on YouTube is often dampened by the disappointment of underperforming videos. You have published your content and it’s not getting the views you had hoped.

Well, let’s change that!

In this guide, I’m going to walk you through YouTube SEO from the very start to the very end.

Nothing complicated. No paid programs or expensive apps needed. We are going back to basics and get your videos discovered.

Ready?

Let’s Go!

Part 1: Research Your Topic and Competitors

Come up with a video idea . Can’t come up with one? Let me help. I heard you can make a mean scrambled egg, why don’t you show the world how you do it?

Excellent! Let’s go with that idea.

Wait, don’t go making the video yet. First, we have to do some research. We need to know what videos already exist out there.

Do a quick search on YouTube to see what videos already exist on your topic.

Uh oh… your video will be competing against celebrities like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver.

Okay, don’t panic! There is a fantastic quote, credited to bestselling author, Jon Acuff , that goes:

While researching your competition, you will feel overwhelmed, but remember, you are at the beginning, and Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver are not even at their middle, they are way passed the finish line. You still have a long journey to go, so don’t get discouraged, get inspired!

Watch those videos and understand what they are all about.

Understand that people watch YouTube for 3 key reasons:

- To be entertained

- To learn something new

- To be inspired

A video that can hit all 3 marks is going to be positioned for success. Don’t fret too much about the competition, as long as your content is good, you will see improvement.

So if you think this scrambled egg idea can hit those 3 marks, then I encourage you to go to the next step. If you don’t, let’s regroup and brainstorm some more YouTube video ideas .

Step 2: Find Keywords

Now that we’ve decided that we are sticking with the video idea, we are ready to do some keyword research. Keywords are the words and phrases people type in the YouTube search bar to discover videos.

Come up with as many relevant keywords as you can. Start by entering a keyword into the YouTube search bar. This will tell you what are the most popular searches associated with that keyword:

Once you have an idea of what people are searching for related to your topic, you’ll want to find more relevant keywords. I like to use the free app, Ubersuggest to do that.

This app gives you a whole list of long-tail keywords, which are 3-4-word phrases which is specific to what your video is about.

Some you will use to dig deeper in and other you will deem irrelevant to your videos. A good way of determining the value of a keyword is by the stats the application shows.

How to Read Keyword Suggestions

Once you have a list of keywords, you will see some numbers on the right-hand side. Here is what each one is about:

- Search volume is the number used to identify the popularity of the keyword. The higher the number the more people are searching for it.

- CPC is the value accredited by YouTube, determining how much advertisers are paying to target audiences who search for that keyword and click on the link.

- Competition is the number used to qualify how many other content are using that keyword.

The two categories that matter most to us right now is Search Volume and Competition. We want keywords with high search volume and low competition rate.

In the example above, you can see that the keyword “avocado scrambled eggs” has a Search Volume of 1,000 and a competition rate of 0.0. This is a good keyword to target, if you can incorporate an avocado to your dish… which of course you can!

Step 3: Write Title

I know you might want to deal with the Title, Description, and Tags after you’ve filmed and edited your video. But if you want to apply a YouTube SEO-focused strategy, then these should be addressed before you even pick up a camera as it can greatly dictate the content you end up creating.

A good YouTube title sparks curiosity, evokes emotional reaction, and promises value to your viewers.

Of course you can title your video simply: Making Scrambled Eggs

But does it spark curiosity? Not really… most people can make scrambled eggs.

Does it evoke any emotion? Maybe hunger… but even then, not really…

Finally, does it promise value? Well, assuming that most people can at least crack an egg into a pan, then hardly.

Your scrambled egg is special! Your video is special! We need to evoke that in the title — and as long as you are not writing any clickbait and deliver on what the title suggest, you can do this.

So, how about this: Are My Amazing Scrambled Eggs Better Than Gordon Ramsay’s?

Hmmm… Well, is it? We know that the Gordon Ramsay’s video has almost 30M views. Many people have already tried cooking it, I’m sure. There is only one way to find out, by encouraging others to try it over Gordon’s.

You don’t need to go for a somewhat contentious title like this, but that’s the idea, you want something that gets people curious, make them feel a certain way, and in the end, make them better for having watched your video.

See how a good title can guide the rest of your video?

Step 4: Write Description

You aren’t going to be writing the description for the viewers necessarily, you are going to be writing it for YouTube’s algorithms. The better YouTube understands what your video is about, the better they can show it to people searching for it.

This means you need to include the keywords you were researching at the beginning of your description, as YouTube will be using them to identify the content of your video. 1 or 2 keywords that best represent your video is enough. Don’t stuff the title with too many keywords or you’ll risk sounding like a robot.

But also use the description for practical uses too, if you have additional information such as supportive links, outline of the video’s content, a list of materials, step-by-step guide, or a recipe that you think your human viewers will find useful, you should input that in the description as well.

Step 5: Write Tags

Thank goodness we did the keyword research in Step 2, because coming up with tags is not as easy as it looks.

Pull 15 keywords from the list and keep it somewhere safe.

Note: The keywords you used in the title should be found in your tags, and since they are the most important ones, you should place them first.

Organize your keywords in the tag as such:

Have the specific keywords at the top, followed by more general keywords, and then branded ones:

Specific: How to make scrambled eggs

General: Scrambled eggs

Branded: Gordon Ramsay scrambled eggs

Part 2: Make The Best Darn Video Possible

It doesn’t matter how relevant your keywords are or how epic your title is, if you video sucks (i.e. your viewers click in and leave right away), YouTube will not show it in search.

Even if you haven’t created any videos yet, you can follow these next steps to ensure you are following the best practices to structure your video.

Step 6: Plan and Film the Hook

The first few seconds is where the largest percentage of your earned viewership will drop off. Odds are 20% of your viewers won’t even get past the first 10 seconds .

What you need is a hook, an intro that ensures this video is what they want to watch and let’s them know what they can expect.

Step 7: Film B-Roll

One static camera shot of you talking or cooking or giving a tutorial can cause your viewers to lose attention.

In order to keep your viewers interest, you will need b-roll, or supplemental footage you can cut to give you video more life.

While jump cuts (cuts made on a sequential clip of the same subject or in the same camera position) are fine, having additional footage to cut to will make your video feel more fluid.

So when you are filming your scrambled egg video, make sure you get some footage of you cracking the egg, scrambling it, and serving it on the plate.

Step 8: Encourage Viewers to Engage in Video

Liking, disliking, subscribing, and commenting on your video will all help your performance indirectly.

While YouTube wouldn’t rank your video higher simply because you have more likes subscribers, or comments, engagement from viewers help your video get discovered. If you get a like or comment from a YouTuber with a lot of subscribers, your video may be visible to those who are following that YouTuber for a while.

The best way to get engagement from your audience is to encourage them to like and subscribe or ask them a question or start a dialogue.

For example, in this scrambled egg video you are making, at the end you can ask, “So what do you think, is this better than Gordon Ramsay?”

Who knows, who will respond.

Step 9: Design a Thumbnail

You could have made a brilliant video, but if you have a poor quality thumbnail that is unattractive, then the overall performance of your video will suffer — and good SEO can only do so much after that.

Your viewers will absolutely judge your video by its cover so it’s important to put some thought into it and not solely rely on the three random thumbnail choices that YouTube picks for you.

Take a look at your competition. If they all look the same, do something different. Add text or a human face (preferably yours) to evoke emotion, as viewers are more likely to click into a video if they see an expressive image.

Don’t want to pay money for a photo editing software such as Photoshop?

You can use an online service called Canva or download GIMP , an open-source photo editor much like Photoshop, but far less powerful. These will help you get the job done as you are starting out.

Want to know more thumbnail maker? Check our picks of the best free YouTube thumbnail makers .

Part 3: Publishing With Attention to Optimization

Well done finishing the video! You are almost there… but not there yet.

Come on, keep going!

Step 10: Fill Out Your Videos Assets

The video is done, the thumbnail is designed, and you have all your title, description, and tags ready to go. This step is easy, upload the video, and fill out the assets, and give yourself a pat on the back.

Step 11: Add Transcripts

In addition to making your content accessible for people who don’t want to or can’t listen to the audio in your video, adding subtitles and closed captions will help YouTube understand the spoken content in your video.

While YouTube does have an automatic subtitle generator, it’s not reliable enough to be used for identifying the keywords you use in your video.

You can choose to write out the whole transcript of your video yourself, but if you are press on time, which of course you are, you can simply go and edit the automatic transcript already available in your video. By the way, you can also use some automatic transcription software.

Step 12: Add Video to Playlist

Finally the last thing you need to do for your video is to add it to a playlist. Even though it might be the first video in the playlist, it helps YouTube identify your video if you organize it in a playlist. As you accumulate more content, having videos in playlists makes content easier to find and keeps relevant videos together.

When viewers searches, having your videos in playlists increases the chance of it being discovered.

So if your first video is about scrambled eggs, maybe you next video can be about the awesome butter toasts.

I guess, you are on your way to making a pretty badass breakfast playlist. I personally can’t wait to see it!

If you treat SEO as an afterthought, only after your video is created, you are not using it to its full potential. If you follow these 12 steps during the course of your production, you will find that SEO doesn’t simply help your video perform at the end, but contributes in all the other phases of creating your video as well.

Besides considering YouTube SEO, you should make a good YouTube video as well. Filmora is a powerful video editing software that features lots of templates and effects. Get the free trial version below and have a try today.

Do you have any questions about SEO? Please leave us a comment below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Key Points to Remember: A Comprehensive Look at YouTube TV

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube video editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

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YouTube TV has a distinctive set of features that make it incredibly enticing — so much so that it is comfortably among the top three live TV providers in the United States in terms of paid subscribers. This is due to a variety of circumstances. YouTube TV is simple to use. It has a channel lineup that is competitive with all of the others.

In addition, the YouTube TV price is reasonable. You can watch YouTube TV on almost any current gadget. And the fact that parent company Alphabet (aka Google) has been heavily marketing it over the last few years hasn’t hurt either.

A lot is going on with YouTube TV, and it’s only gotten better with time.

What Exactly Does Youtube Tv Entail?

YouTube TV, in a nutshell, is a live TV streaming service available in the United States. It’s an Internet-based replacement for cable or satellite television that works on phones, tablets, TVs, and web browsers, allowing you to watch TV, in the same manner you always have from anywhere you have an internet connection, whether at home or on the road.

When it first started in 2017, YouTube TV was limited to a small number of areas in the United States. That changed in 2019 when a significant expansion included support for all 210 markets. It has also substantially grown its channel library throughout the years. There are currently over 85 stations available on YouTube TV, including four major national broadcasters: ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox.

Despite its name, YouTube TV is not a part of YouTube; Google maintains both as different companies. However, there are some instances where the two overlap, such as with YouTube Originals, which essentially means that you may end up viewing a few series on both platforms. Nonetheless, YouTube TV is not the same as YouTube, and you’ll need two apps on your streaming device to access both.

Click here

![youtube tv](https://images.wondershare.com/filmora/article-images/2021/youtube-tv-1.jpg)

How to Watch YouTube TV?

Using a computer

Ensure that your computer is on the same Wi-Fi network as Chromecast.
Open your favorite browser and navigate to tv.youtube.com.
Choose the show or movie that you wish to watch.
When the video has loaded, click the Cast icon. If you’re using a Mac, click the AirPlay button in the menu bar.

Using a mobile device

Connect your mobile device or PC to the same Wi-Fi network as your streaming device.
On your mobile device, open YouTube TV.
CThe cast should be selected.
Choose your device
Control YouTube TV on your TV with your mobile device.

Is Youtube Tv A Good Investment?

YouTube TV is the premium live TV service to choose from because it has the best channel selection and an unlimited DVR. YouTube TV has proven to be one of the greatest live TV streaming services, with an excellent channel selection and an unrivaled user experience, since its introduction in 2017.

While the price has nearly risen since then, it is still a better option than any of its premium competitors, including Hulu Plus Live TV, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream. Aside from channels, YouTube TV is simple to use, stylish, and fast on a range of TV and mobile devices. Its cloud DVR is the best in the business, with unlimited storage and nearly all of the features of a hardware DVR like TiVo.

What can you get from YouTube TV?

YouTube TV is distinct from YouTube, the free video site with over 2 billion monthly users. With live channels and on-demand programmers available on a variety of devices, YouTube TV offers a similar experience to cable television. It is compatible with Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, and various other smart TVs, phones, tablets, and web browsers.

Which networks are supported by Youtube TV?

YouTube TV allows you to watch live and local sports, news, and entertainment from more than 70 channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, HGTV, TNT, and others. YouTube TV also offers local and regional content, providing complete local network coverage in over 98 percent of US TV households. YouTube TV is an online streaming service that allows customers to watch live television on computers, phones, and other compatible devices. It requires a high-speed internet connection and is a practical alternative to cable television for those wishing to cut the cord.

YouTube TV offers a variety of paid add-on channels. These are channels that need a fee in addition to the regular YouTube TV fee. However, this is the greatest method for accessing uncut and unedited movies on YouTube TV.

The following are among the premium add-on channels available on YouTube TV:

ALLBLK ($5 per month), AMC+ ($7 per month), Acorn TV ($6 per month), Cinemax ($10 per month), ($5/month) Comedy Dynamics, CONtv ($5 per month), CuriosityStream ($3 per month), Docurama ($5 per month), Dove ($5 per month), EPIX ($6 per month), Fandor ($4 per month), Fox Nation ($6 per month), Hallmark Movies Now ($6 per month) and so on.

Price and Add-ons for Youtube TV

The current monthly fee for YouTube TV is USD 65, Plus tax, which brings the total to around $72 each month)

That isn’t to imply that’s the only price you’ll ever pay for YouTube TV. It has various alternative add-ons that offer you access to even more episodes, movies, and sports for a cost. The option to view some shows and sports in 4K on YouTube TV is a new huge one.

The following are the optional add-ons for YouTube TV:

4k plus ($20 per month after a one-month trial; $9.99 for the first year for early adopters)

On-demand shows and series such as What We Do in the Shadows, Struggle Meals, American Titans, Snowfall, and others fall under this category. But it shines when it comes to live sports from networks like ESPN and NBC. Offline watching of recorded programming is also available with 4K Plus, as is the opportunity to watch on your home network as many devices as you like.

HBO max ($15 per month)

New HBO Max Originals and included networks, as well as all of your favorite legacy HBO content.

Entertainment plus ($30 per month)

This service provides a wide range of entertainment options. HBO Max, Showtime, and STARZ are all included.

MLB.TV ($27/year)

All out-of-market games are included.

Showtime ($11.95 per month)

Movies and programs of high quality. It has a 14-day free trial.

Starz ($9 monthly)

Movies and programs of high quality.

Hallmark movies now ($6 per month)

All of your favorite Hallmark movies and TV shows. It includes a seven-day free trial.

Frequently Asked Questions About Youtube TV

What is the maximum number of people who can watch Youtube TV at the same time?

YouTube TV lets you stream content to up to three devices at once, and you may share your account with up to five family members. You can get unlimited streams over your home Wi-Fi if you upgrade to the 4K Plus plan ($19.99 more per month).

Can you view programs on Youtube TV later?

You can reactivate watch history at any moment to use this function. To indicate that a video was seen on a mobile device: Find the TV show episode you wish to watch and mark it as watched. That was a long press on that episode.

Is Youtube TV available for free with amazon prime?

While Amazon Prime does not contain YouTube TV, it may be downloaded and installed on a Fire TV device. YouTube TV is a live TV streaming subscription service that is not free with any other subscription. Amazon Prime customers do not get free access to YouTube TV.

Is it possible to stream Youtube TV outside of my home?

While traveling in the United States, you can watch YouTube TV; however, the available shows may differ depending on your location. Local networks in the area you’re visiting. Please keep in mind that you cannot record local programs outside of your home area. You’ll see the live version that corresponds to your current location.

Where does Youtube TV get information about your location?

Google asked for our ZIP code when we originally joined up for YouTube TV, which established our Home Area. Then, we confirmed this position using our iPhone’s device location permissions. This location dictated which local affiliate networks we could view, but we couldn’t watch these networks while traveling.

Conclusion

● If you have a relatively recent phone, tablet, TV, or computer, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to view YouTube TV. Because the watching experience is so similar across platforms and devices, YouTube TV is one of the most mobile-friendly solutions. However, it requires Wi-Fi or 4G to function, which means it lacks the offline capabilities of other alternatives.

● YouTube is popular among cord-cutters because of its extensive channel options. You’ll have to sift through the entire list of supported channels in your area to see whether it contains what you’re looking for. If so, YouTube TV may be all you need.

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A lot is going on with YouTube TV, and it’s only gotten better with time.

What Exactly Does Youtube Tv Entail?