How to Get Videos to Rank High on YouTube

If you haven’t already noticed Google has long since started putting videos in universal search results… So for top keywords it’s a fantastic way to offer more content. But, how exactly do they index those videos and what algorithm are they using?

First up, comments and views will always have a big impact on a video’s ranking. We all know that Google is a fan of the democratic process and will reward things that other users find valuable. But, that’s not always the key to success. In addition, Google has also outlined how Page Rank and inbound links are important, something that comes from distribution of the YouTube embedding link – to your site, and anyone else who wants to syndicate your video.

YouTube’s Ranking System

When you start talking about YouTube directly, it’s a lot harder to pinpoint what works and what doesn’t for getting your rankings. As of right now, YouTube, despite its Google progeny, is still using Title, Description and Meta tags to determine search listings on the site. In addition to the basic on-page text stuff, you’ll also rank for your overall ratings, any flags you’ve received, embeds off site, shares on site and comments.

The age of the video will also have a big factor, along with views over time. In short, if you can get traffic coming to it, even though your video is a year old, it will rank higher than newer videos with more comments.

The Future of YouTube Rankings

Right now, the easiest way to get a good ranking on YouTube is to use all of the above criteria and link them together into a streamlined SEO process. You need to get traffic to the video and you need to make sure it is keyword rich in the descriptions.

But for all of you wondering why Google is technologically lagging with their video service, don’t fret. They’re currently integrating new tech that will allow videos to be indexed by the watermarks, text on the screen, and the visual context of the video. Why do you think you see so many PowerPoint converted videos?

They convert well to the new spiders that are learning how to extract text from the video and index that as part of the HTML that shows up behind your video. Don’t get too excited yet though. That technology is still developing and will probably not be perfected for a few years yet. For now, make sure to integrate as many keywords into your video description as possible.

The only true way to get higher page views and video distribution is to make a solid, well-crafted video that more people will want to watch. Do that, and you’ll be well on your way to the top of YouTube.