Video SEO: get your videos found
Gjethe's video SEO helps videos rank on YouTube and appear in Google results: topic and keyword research, titles and descriptions, chapters that can appear as key moments, thumbnails, captions and transcripts, playlists, and for videos on your own site, VideoObject structured data, video sitemaps and pages built so Google can index the video.
- Free first consultation
- Written quote for your project
- Flexible payment milestones
At a glance
- Platforms
- YouTube and Google
- Includes
- Research, metadata, chapters, thumbnails
- Website
- VideoObject schema, video sitemaps
- Reporting
- Views, watch time, search traffic
Definition
What is video SEO?
Video SEO is the optimisation of videos and the pages they live on so they're discovered through YouTube search and recommendations, Google search and other platforms.
A great video nobody finds has no effect. YouTube is one of the most used search engines in the world, and Google often shows videos in its results. Both reward videos that clearly match what people search for and that viewers actually watch. Video SEO aligns topic, title, thumbnail, structure and metadata with real search demand, while the content does the rest.
Who is it for?
YouTube channels
Creators and brands who want more views from search and suggested videos.
SaaS and education
Tutorials and how-to videos that answer customer questions.
Websites with video
Product and explainer videos that should appear in Google.
Video podcasts
Episodes and clips that should be discoverable by topic.
What's included, and what you keep
What's included
- Topic and keyword research for video
- Search intent analysis
- Title optimisation
- Description writing with links and timestamps
- Chapters
- Thumbnail strategy and design
- Captions and transcripts
- Tags and playlists
- End screens and cards
- VideoObject structured data
- Video sitemaps
- Performance reporting
What you receive
Handed over at the end. Yours to keep.
- Video topic plan
- Optimised titles, descriptions and chapters
- Thumbnails
- Structured data and sitemap for your website
- Monthly performance report
What influences video discovery
| Factor | Where it matters | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Topic match | YouTube and Google | Choose topics people search for and phrase titles clearly |
| Click-through rate | YouTube | Design thumbnails and titles that earn clicks honestly |
| Watch time and retention | YouTube | Advise on structure; edit for retention |
| Chapters | YouTube and Google | Add timestamps that can appear as key moments |
| Structured data | Add VideoObject schema to pages with video | |
| Indexable page | Make video the main content of a dedicated page |
How do videos appear in Google search?
Google can show videos from YouTube and from your own website. For videos on your site, Google needs to find the video, understand it and see that it's the main content of the page. That's helped by a dedicated watch page, VideoObject structured data with title, description, thumbnail and upload date, and a video sitemap.
Chapters, whether added as YouTube timestamps or as Clip markup on your site, can let Google show key moments, linking searchers straight to the relevant part of the video.
Titles and thumbnails work as a pair
On YouTube, the thumbnail and title together decide whether people click. The title should match what people search and promise a specific outcome; the thumbnail should show something the title doesn't say, such as a result, an emotion or a contrast.
Clickbait backfires. If the video doesn't deliver what the title and thumbnail promise, viewers leave quickly, and the platform shows the video less. We aim for packaging that's compelling and accurate.
Video SEO checklist
- Main topic clear in the first words of the title
- Description opening that summarises the video
- Chapters with descriptive titles
- Accurate captions uploaded
- Custom thumbnail readable at small sizes
- Video added to a relevant playlist
- End screen pointing to the next video
- VideoObject schema on website pages
Planning videos around search demand
The biggest gains come before filming. We research what your audience searches for on YouTube and Google (questions, problems, comparisons and tutorials) and find topics where your expertise fits and competition is beatable.
Each topic in the plan comes with a suggested angle, title direction and the key points viewers expect, so the video is built to be found from the start rather than optimised after the fact.
How video SEO works, step by step
Every step has a clear output you can review. Timing is agreed in your quote.
- 1
Audit
Channel, existing videos, analytics and website video pages reviewed.
- 2
Research
Topics and search terms with real demand for your audience.
- 3
Plan
A video topic calendar with angles and titles.
- 4
Optimise
Titles, descriptions, chapters, thumbnails and captions for each video.
- 5
Website
Watch pages, structured data and sitemaps for site-hosted video.
- 6
Report
Search traffic, views, watch time and next steps.
Tools, and what shapes your quote
Pricing is based on your project and agreed in your quote. These are the things that move it.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Number of videos | Each video needs research and metadata. |
| Back catalogue | Optimising many existing videos adds work. |
| Thumbnail design | Custom thumbnails for every video add design time. |
| Website integration | Building watch pages and schema adds development. |
| Languages | Metadata in several languages adds work. |
| Area | Tools |
|---|---|
| Research | YouTube search suggestions, Google Trends, keyword tools |
| Analytics | YouTube Studio, Google Search Console, GA4 |
| Website | VideoObject schema, video sitemaps, Rich Results Test |
| Design | Photoshop, Figma |
Common mistakes to avoid
What we see go wrong most often, and how a good project avoids it.
Clever but unclear titles
People search with plain words. Make the topic obvious.
Misleading thumbnails
Clicks without watch time hurt more than they help.
No chapters
Chapters help viewers navigate and can appear in Google.
Video buried on a busy page
Google indexes video best when it's the main content of a page.
Ignoring old videos
Updating titles and thumbnails on existing videos can revive them.
Frequently asked questions
Can you improve our existing videos?
Yes. Updating titles, descriptions, chapters, thumbnails and captions on existing videos is often a quick win.
Do tags still matter on YouTube?
YouTube says tags play a minimal role, mainly helping with misspellings. Titles, thumbnails, descriptions and the content itself matter much more.
How do I add chapters?
On YouTube, add timestamps in the description starting at 0:00, with at least three chapters. We write them with clear, searchable titles.
Should we host videos on YouTube or our own site?
Often both. YouTube brings discovery; self-hosted or embedded videos on dedicated pages can help your website rank. We'll recommend a mix based on your goals.
What is VideoObject schema?
Structured data that tells Google about a video on your page (title, description, thumbnail, duration and upload date) helping it appear in video results.
Do you design thumbnails?
Yes. See YouTube thumbnail design for our thumbnail service, which is often combined with video SEO.
Can you guarantee views?
No. We can't control algorithms or audience behaviour, but we improve the factors that influence discovery and report honestly on results.
Does video SEO help AI search?
Transcripts, clear descriptions and structured data make video content easier for AI systems to understand and cite. See AI search optimisation.
Can you research topics before we film?
Yes. Topic research before filming usually has the biggest impact on results.
How do you report results?
Views from search and suggested videos, click-through rate, watch time, subscribers and website traffic from video.
Do you work on video podcasts?
Yes. Episode titles, descriptions, chapters and clips can all be optimised for discovery.
Should our website embed YouTube or host videos itself?
Embedding YouTube is simple and brings platform discovery; self-hosting or a player like Wistia keeps viewers on your site and gives more control. Either can be indexed by Google if the page is built well.
How long until video SEO shows results?
Updated metadata can take effect as soon as platforms re-crawl the video, while topic-led growth builds over months of consistent publishing. We report on trends rather than single days.
Can you write video descriptions in several languages?
Yes. YouTube supports translated titles and descriptions, which help videos appear for searches in other languages.
Related services
YouTube Video Editing
Edits built for retention, with chapters and thumbnails.
YouTube Thumbnail Design
Thumbnails designed and tested for clicks.
SEO Services
Technical, on-page and off-page SEO for Google and AI search.
Subtitles & Captions
Accurate captions and translated subtitles.
GEO & AEO (AI Search Optimization)
Visibility in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews.
Get your videos found.
Tell us what you need. You get an honest assessment, a clear plan and a written quote. The first consultation is always free.
- What happens next
- 1You tell us what you need
- 2We aim to reply within 24 hours with questions
- 3You get a written quote for your project