Video SEO Checklist
A complete checklist to optimize your videos for search — boost visibility across YouTube, Google, and other platforms.
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Keyword Research & Planning
Do Keyword Research Specific to Video
Use YouTube’s autocomplete, TubeBuddy, VidIQ, and Google’s “Videos” tab. Focus on what people search for videos (e.g. “how to tie a tie tutorial video”).
Use Playlists Named After Core Topics
Organize your videos into thematic playlists with keyword-friendly titles. Playlists themselves can rank and push related traffic.
Video Creation & Pre-Upload Optimization
Include Main Keyword in Video Filename
Name your video file something like email-marketing-guide.mp4 instead of VID1234.mp4. This is a small ranking signal.
Create Custom, Eye-Catching Thumbnails
Design a clear, visually engaging thumbnail that reflects the content. Use high contrast, readable text, and expressive imagery.
Add Captions / Subtitles / Closed Captions
Upload accurate subtitles or transcripts. These improve accessibility and help search platforms index spoken content.
Localize Video Content
If relevant, add translated subtitles, and metadata for different languages or regions to reach global audiences.
Metadata Optimization (Titles, Descriptions, Tags)
Write a Keyword-Rich Title (Keep It Clickable)
Include your main keyword near the start of the title and make it compelling. Keep titles < 60 characters if possible.
Craft a Detailed Description with Keywords & Timestamps
Use the first 1–2 lines to include your keyword and key points. Add timestamps, related keywords, and links to relevant pages or content.
Use Relevant Tags & Categories
Add a mix of broad and specific tags to help platforms understand your topic. Use the category settings to group your video into a relevant YouTube/hosting bucket.
Refresh Video Metadata Over Time
Update titles, descriptions, thumbnails, or tags periodically to optimize performance and reflect trends.
Structural Optimization & Schema
Add VideoObject Structured Data on the Video Page
Use VideoObject schema with fields like name, description, thumbnailUrl, uploadDate, and duration. Structured data helps your video appear with thumbnails and rich snippets in search results.
Tag Video Transcripts with Schema
Include — or reference — transcripts via schema to help search engines match spoken content to queries.
Add EmbedUrl Property for Syndicated Content
If your video can be embedded on other sites, include embedUrl in your VideoObject schema. It helps search engines understand distribution paths and avoid duplicate indexing issues.
Prefer contentUrl for Self-Hosted Video Files
If hosting your own videos, add the contentUrl property in your schema. It tells Google exactly where to fetch the video file for indexing.
Specify interactionCount (Views or Likes) in Schema
Add interactionCount in your VideoObject schema to represent view count or likes. While optional, it can increase click-through rates by surfacing popularity signals.
Specify uploadDate and contentDuration Exactly
Always use precise ISO 8601 formats (e.g., "PT5M30S") for uploadDate and duration fields. These are strong trust and freshness signals for video indexing.
Add BroadcastEvent Schema for Live Streams
For live events or streams, include BroadcastEvent markup. It signals start and end times, helping search engines highlight live content during events.
Enable Key Moments with Clip Markup (Manual Timestamps)
Use Clip markup or timestamps in your schema and description to define chapters or “key moments.” This helps users jump to specific parts in search previews.
Use Open Graph Tags as a Supplemental Signal
Add Open Graph (og:video, og:image, og:title) tags to enhance how your videos display when shared on social media and messaging apps.
On-Page Optimization (Video Placement & Indexing)
Optimize Video Embed Pages
On pages where you embed video, add supportive text, schema, headings, and internal links so the page itself has SEO value beyond just the video.
Ensure Google Can Find the Video on the Page
Embed the video in the visible content area so crawlers can detect it easily. Avoid relying on scripts or pop-ups that hide the video during page load.
Place the Video in the Initial HTML (Not Hidden Behind JS)
Include the video embed directly in the HTML source, not rendered dynamically by JavaScript. This ensures Google and other search engines can index it properly.
Put One Primary Video per Landing Page When Possible
Focus each landing page on one main video topic. This makes it easier for search engines to identify and rank the most relevant video on that page.
Create and Submit a Video Sitemap
Generate a dedicated video sitemap listing each video’s URL, thumbnail, title, and play page. Submit it in Google Search Console to improve indexing.
Avoid Blocking Video Discovery in robots.txt
Make sure your video files, thumbnails, and playback pages aren’t disallowed in robots.txt. Blocking them prevents proper indexing and display in search.
Understand Duplicate Sources When Embedding YouTube
If embedding YouTube videos on your site, clarify canonical ownership. Link to the original video and use schema so Google knows which source to prioritize.
Avoid Gating Video Behind Logins or Interactions
Keep videos public and easily playable without requiring logins, paywalls, or pop-ups. Search engines can’t index gated or hidden videos.
Host Videos on a Fast, Reliable CDN
Use a content delivery network to serve video files or thumbnails quickly across regions. Fast load times improve both user retention and Google’s crawl efficiency.
User Experience & Engagement Optimization
Encourage Engagement Early (Likes, Comments, Shares)
Ask for likes or comments soon after video starts. Engagement metrics help indicate value and push videos into recommendations.
Focus on Audience Retention & Watch Time
Create engaging intros and pacing that keeps viewers watching. High retention signals quality to ranking algorithms.
Use Cards, End Screens & Playlists
Link to related videos, playlists, or CTAs to keep viewers on your channel and increase overall session time.
Optimize for Mobile Viewing
Ensure mobile layouts handle video size, captions, thumbnails properly. Test how your video looks on phones and tablets.
Promotion & Distribution
Promote Videos Externally
Embed them on your website, share on social media, blogs, and newsletters. External traffic can boost video visibility in search.
Tracking & Continuous Improvement
Monitor Analytics & Adjust
Use YouTube Analytics or your platform’s data to watch CTR, drop-offs, traffic sources, and optimize future content based on what works.