How Video Impacts SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) has evolved significantly over the years. Today, it’s not just about having text-rich pages filled with keywords—video for SEO has become a powerful tool in determining your ranking in search engines. This shift is all about blended search. Blended search refers to how search engines integrate various types of content, including text, videos, blogs, images, downloads, etc., on the results pages. The more types of content you offer, the better your chance of ranking higher. Let’s dive deep into how video for SEO can impact your rankings and drastically improve your website’s search engine performance.

The Rise of Blended Search

Blended search has become the new norm. Search engines like Google have evolved beyond just crawling and ranking text-based content; they now prioritize websites that offer a mix of different media types, particularly video for SEO. This shift is driven by the fact that users are increasingly engaging with video content over traditional text, and search engines are optimizing their algorithms to meet user preferences. In fact, video now accounts for over 80% of all internet traffic, making it an essential component of any successful SEO strategy.

For businesses, this means that incorporating video for SEO is no longer optional if you want to stay competitive. Let’s break down the ways video can improve your SEO and, ultimately, your bottom line.

More Traffic Through Improved SERP Rankings

Search engine results pages (SERPs) are the pages displayed by search engines in response to a user’s query. Being on the first page of Google is crucial, as 71% of all clicks happen on the first page, while only 5% happen on the second page or beyond. That’s a huge drop-off, and missing out on first-page results means missing out on potential leads and customers. Fortunately, video for SEO can significantly improve your chances of ranking higher.

Fun Fact: A webpage with video is 53 times more likely to rank on the first page of Google compared to a webpage without video. This is partly because search engines see video as a high-quality, engaging piece of content that adds value to users. The longer users stay on your site watching a video, the more it signals to search engines that your content is useful and relevant.

Why Video Improves SERP Rankings:

• Dwell Time: The amount of time a user spends on a page. Videos naturally increase dwell time as users engage with your content longer.
• Reduced Bounce Rates: Websites with video tend to have lower bounce rates because video content keeps users engaged and encourages them to explore other areas of the site.
• Social Sharing: Videos are more likely to be shared across social media platforms, generating more inbound links, which are critical for video for SEO success.

Videos Encourage Inbound Links

Inbound links—links from other websites back to your site—are one of Google’s most important criteria for determining page rank. High-quality inbound links from reputable websites signal that your content is trustworthy and valuable. Video for SEO is a great way to generate these links.

Think of it this way: If a site like HubSpot links to your video content, you not only get a valuable SEO boost but also expose your business to a new audience from HubSpot’s readership. The potential for reach and authority is enormous.

Research shows that websites with video for SEO generate three times more inbound links than sites without video. The more inbound links your site has, the more credibility it gains in the eyes of search engines, which can help you climb the rankings.

Increased Click-Through Rates (CTR)

Click-through rate (CTR) refers to the percentage of users who click on your website after seeing it on a search engine results page. Incorporating video for SEO significantly improves CTR because video thumbnails attract more attention than plain text or image results. Videos are highly visual and immediately catch the eye, leading users to click through and explore your content further.

A well-placed video can boost your CTR by up to 34%. This is because videos provide a more immersive experience and promise a richer, more informative interaction than a simple text link might suggest. Higher CTRs lead to higher rankings, creating a virtuous cycle of visibility and engagement.

Boost Conversions with Video

Driving traffic to your website is only half the battle—converting that traffic into leads or sales is the ultimate goal. Video for SEO doesn’t just attract visitors; it also helps convert them. Whether your goal is to generate more leads, make more sales, or simply get people to sign up for your service, video is a crucial part of the conversion process.

Here’s how video for SEO can improve conversions:

• Explaining Complex Products: If your product or service is complex, an explainer video can simplify it for potential customers, increasing their confidence in making a purchase or signing up.
• Humanizing Your Brand: Videos help put a face to your brand, making it more relatable and trustworthy. Consumers are more likely to buy from brands they feel connected to.

In fact, 73% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product or service after watching a video. This stat highlights the powerful impact video has on consumer behavior, proving that it’s not just a helpful addition but a necessity in today’s digital marketing landscape.

Videos and Landing Pages

Videos can also dramatically improve the effectiveness of landing pages. Placing a video at the top of your landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. Why? Because videos engage visitors right away, increasing the likelihood that they’ll stay on the page and complete a desired action.

Improving Mobile Experience

Mobile optimization is another key component of SEO success. More than 60% of Google searches now come from mobile devices. Videos are highly effective on mobile platforms because they provide a rich, engaging experience without requiring users to scroll through long blocks of text.

With mobile users spending more time on sites with video, it’s no surprise that businesses are prioritizing video for SEO on mobile devices. 85% of consumers say they would rather watch a video than read text on their mobile devices. As a result, search engines favor sites with mobile-friendly video content, further boosting your rankings.

Video and Voice Search Optimization

Another trend that’s impacting SEO is the rise of voice search. As voice-activated assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant become more popular, businesses need to optimize their content for voice search. Video for SEO can play a role here as well.

Video content tends to feature conversational language, which is exactly the kind of language used in voice searches. By including video content that answers common questions or provides tutorials, you can increase the chances of your content being surfaced in voice search results.

Improved User Experience

Google’s algorithm is increasingly focused on providing a high-quality user experience. Video plays a significant role in creating a better experience for your website visitors by offering engaging, easily digestible content. This improved user experience can lead to better SEO rankings.

How Video Enhances UX:

• Increased Engagement: Users are more likely to stay on your site and engage with your content when video is present, which signals to search engines that your site is valuable.
• More Interactive Content: Videos can make your site more interactive and user-friendly, encouraging visitors to spend more time on your site.

Future-Proofing Your SEO Strategy

As technology continues to evolve, video for SEO will only become more important for SEO. With 5G networks rolling out globally, video consumption is expected to rise dramatically, providing even more opportunities for businesses that embrace video content. By investing in video now, you’re not just improving your current SEO strategy—you’re future-proofing it.

Brewing Video for SEO

Video content is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have for any business looking to improve its SEO and drive meaningful results. From increasing traffic and conversions to improving user experience and mobile optimization, video for SEO impacts every aspect of your SEO strategy.

If you haven’t already embraced video, now is the time to start. At Digital Brew, we’ve specialized in creating high-quality videos for more than 12 years that not only engage your audience but also enhance your SEO efforts. We’ve got the expertise to help guide you to success. So if you’re ready to get started on your new video or just want to know a little more about our process and everything we can bring to the table, we’d love to hear from you. You can always reach out to us here.

Let’s Brew This!