We don’t have to tell you YouTube is one of the best spots to find product reviews, tutorials, and how-to videos. It has become the platform we all turn to find information on any subject, and because of this, marketers have recognized it as the second most used search engine on the internet. Now more than ever, people are turning to YouTube to find everything they can about products and services. This is a huge benefit for e-commerce companies, and something that businesses both big and small should be leveraging.
Let’s say a buyer is looking for a new Osprey hiking backpack. They found the one they think they want on your website, but it only has one review. To make sure it’s the one they want before they take the action of purchasing it, they take a quick trip to YouTube.
Typing “Eja 38 Women’s Ultralight Backpacking reviews” into the search bar fills their screen with search results.
From the search results, they scroll to find a video they feel will give them the best and clearest impression of their new dream backpack. (The one you are ready and willing to sell them!)
It seems so close but the path to purchasing this backpack is still not entirely clear. The review might be poor, or the review might be good but might also suggest some alternative backpacks or alternative companies to buy from! Suddenly the backpack they were so sure about becomes more uncertain as your chance to make a sale. If your company is lucky, the buyer will eventually head back to your website to make the purchase. But you can see how many places YouTube can divert your attention creating a situation where an e-commerce company that once had a buyer, can lose them.
So, you may be asking, how can my e-commerce company come into play with YouTube videos? Recently marketers discovered that YouTube scans all their videos for keywords to help search engines match search queries. This is huge news!
To take advantage of this, your e-commerce company should be making product videos that highlight the best features of your product. Don’t just throw them out there and hope for the best. Follow the steps below to ensure your videos are ranking and get the valuable views your company needs to convert potential customers into actual customers.
1. Conduct Keyword Research on YouTube
Rather than conducting keyword research on Google or other platforms, check YouTube first. YouTube will show you a competitive list of question-based keywords that users commonly search for. Put yourself in the consumers shoes and think about how you would search if you wanted to buy a hiking backpack or another product/service. Question-based keyword phrases are what you will want to rank for because it will make your e-commerce company level up against your competitors.
2. Use High-Retention Keywords
After discovering the best keywords to use for your how-to, product, or review video, pick the strongest, high-retention keywords. Cut out the fluff and avoid stuffing your video description and title with tons of keywords. Focus on a small amount, and be concise about what you’re trying to show your viewers. It this situation, less is more. High-retention keywords will translate to the viewers being satisfied they were able to find what they were looking for easily.
3. Optimize Your Video
The best way to optimize your YouTube video for a search on this platform is to put your target keyword(s) in the title. This will increase the click through rate and the watch time. Use brackets, parentheses, capitalization or emojis to grab the viewer’s attention.
Next, be sure to add a description to your video. YouTube tends to rank videos higher if they have a description with at least 250+ words. But remember – no keyword stuffing! Again, put yourself in the shoes of your ideal consumer. What do you want them to get out of the video? What action do you want them to take after watching the video?
4. Embed and Promote Videos
Get more from your videos on YouTube. Take the next step of optimization by recycling your video on social media platforms to lead people to the video and get them excited about your product/service. Another recommendation is to post the video to your product page with an embedded YouTube link. Visitors spend an average of 2.6x more time on pages with video. Consumers love having the option to skip the text and click on a video instead. Not only will this prevent users from leaving your site and exploring other options, but it can also allow you to track deeper analytics about watch time, click through rate, sessions, and more.
5. Increase Engagement Signals
Lastly, keep your viewers and consumers engaged. Ask your viewers questions throughout the video to keep their attention focused on your video. If it’s a “How-to XYZ” video, ask viewers which tips they found most helpful and encourage them to leave a comment below with their answer. Next, promote users to like, subscribe, purchase, or take the next step in their e-commerce journey.
Once your e-commerce company has taken the steps above, you’ll be that much closer to converting customers. They won’t get lost on YouTube trying to find product reviews, how-to videos, or tutorials. Make the customer experience as easy as possible for them to make sure you can generate the sales you need.
Looking to grow your e-commerce company even further? Reach out to our team for more SEO tips and tricks, or give us a call 603-436-6330 to chat!
