What is YouTube SEO?

YouTube SEO is the process of optimizing your channel, playlists, metadata, video description, and videos to rank higher in YouTube’s search results. 

Optimizing a video for YouTube involves researching and using relevant video keywords, creating engaging titles and descriptions, adding captions and annotations, optimizing video thumbnail images, promoting the video across other channels, and more. 

As YouTube is an increasingly popular marketing channel and a popular channel for influencers, hiring someone to handle YouTube SEO for you can be extremely beneficial. 

What does a YouTube SEO expert do?

A YouTube SEO expert's main goal is to push your YouTube videos and channel up in organic search results. Doing so will drive more views to your videos and channel and thus, increase your reach and engagement.

The main ways they do this include popular keyword research, optimizing video descriptions, staying on top of the YouTube ranking factors, and ensuring videos match search intent and are engaging. 

YouTube SEO keyword research

The foundation of any good YouTube SEO strategy is keyword research. YouTube SEO experts use various keyword research tools to find the best long-tail keywords for the content they can target. The goal is to find search terms with high search volume and low competition so that your videos have a better chance of ranking in the first page of search results.

Optimize video titles and file names

Like headings and image names in website SEO, video titles and file names are important for YouTube SEO. Video titles should be descriptive and include keywords for which you’re trying to rank. It’s also essential to make sure the file name matches the video's title, as this will give the algorithm more information on your website.

Optimize YouTube tags

YouTube tags are keywords that can help people find your video more easily in search. YouTube SEO video managers use relevant keywords and phrases to optimize the tags for each video. This will help the algorithm determine what your video is about and where it should appear in search results.

Using audience engagement tactics

YouTube SEO is not just about attracting people on your videos -- it's also about keeping them there. The more time people spend with your video, the more "SEO juice" your video will receive, as this is a sign that you produce high-quality content.

Some of the most popular audience engagement tactics YouTube SEO experts use include:

• Adding annotations
• Creating interactive content like polls and quizzes
• Asking viewers to comment and share their opinions
• Posting regular content to keep viewers engaged
• Using audience retention tactics like playlists and series
• Running video promotion on social channels 
• Collaborating with the content marketing team to include videos in your blog posts (if you have a blog)

Improving production value

You need high-quality videos to attract people to your YouTube channel (whether for business or as a content creator). This means investing in better production value: Investing in good equipment, hiring professional editors and videographers, and taking the time to understand the basics of video editing.

Your YouTube SEO specialist has a good reason to help you with this: the more qualitative your videos are, the more time people spend on them -- and thus, the better ranked your entire channel will be. As such, an SEO expert for YouTube may also help you improve production value (and other aspects of video production) to get better results.

Adding closed captions

Closed captions help YouTube's algorithm "read" your video content and understand it better. This means that by adding closed captions to your videos, you can make sure YouTube knows the content of each video and can rank you better in search results.

An experienced YouTube SEO specialist can help you add closed captions to your videos to index your content more rapidly and accurately. Consequently, this will help you push more of your videos to the top of the YouTube search engine results page (SERP).

Building links to (and from) other YouTube channels

In search engine optimization, inbound channel links are like "votes" that tell the algorithm to trust a website (particularly regarding specific topics.) The same goes for YouTube SEO; your expert can help you build links from other channels to your own.

This will ensure YouTube's algorithm recognizes your content as high quality and trustworthy, thus helping you rank higher in search results. It's an invaluable tactic that enables you to get ahead of your competition and build a strong online presence.

How do I hire a Youtube SEO Expert?

If you have decided you need a YouTube expert, you want to make sure you hire the right person. Here's a quick process you can follow to get the best candidates for the job:

1. Assess your needs

Before you move on to anything else, jot down your specific needs for this role. Consider what tasks the expert will need for your channel and clearly define the job scope. Will you need someone to help you with basic SEO tasks, or will you need someone to assist you with other tasks as well? Do they need video editing experience or be familiar with filming equipment?

2. Create a job description

Once you have a clear outline of what you need from your SEO YouTube specialist, it's time to write a job description. Be as direct and as detailed as possible and include the skills you are looking for, the experience they should have, and specific tasks they will be expected to do.

Furthermore, include details on what you can offer as well. Information about your company, growth opportunities, and even salaries can help you sift through the potential applicants and attract top talent.

3. Post your job

There are many job boards you can use to post your job and get applications from experts all over the world. Some of the most popular ones include UpWork, Guru, and Fiverr (for freelancers), and Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor (for full-time positions).

4. Work with Mayple

If you want to skip the hassle of a long recruitment process, you can always turn to Mayple and get an experienced YouTube SEO expert on board quickly. We work with vetted marketing professionals with a proven track record of success, and we can match you with the right person in a matter of days.

Contact us and let's chat about your expectations for a YouTube SEO specialist!

Why hire a Youtube SEO Expert?

Some of the most important benefits of hiring a YouTube specialist include:

More time to focus on strategy

Hiring a YouTube specialist will free up more time for you to focus on the strategy behind your channel. They will run in-depth research to find the most popular keywords for your videos and channel, optimize your assets, and take care of other technical tasks -- all so you can focus on strategic work and recording high-quality videos for your target audience.

Help users find your videos

A YouTube SEO expert will ensure your videos are optimized for search engines. This will make it easier for users to find and watch your content -- and thus, it will make your channel more successful.

More engagement

Good YouTube SEO relies on optimizing not only for search engines but also for your users. A YouTube expert will help you create engaging and relevant videos to your target audience, thus ensuring you get more views and engagement.

More attention driven to your channel

Channel authority is considered a ranking factor for YouTube SEO. This means your SEO expert will work to ensure your channel looks professional and optimized, which can help you stand out from the competition and draw more attention to it. Furthermore, they will work on link-building campaigns to help build authority and increase your visibility on search engines.

How much does it cost to hire a Youtube SEO Expert?

The cost of hiring a YouTube SEO expert can vary, depending on their expertise, your expectations, and the scope of the project. Generally, a YouTube SEO specialist will charge between $20 and $50+ per hour, and agencies cost between $2,500 and $10,000 per month.

Can I hire a Youtube SEO Expert within 72 hours?

Yes. At Mayple, we work with vetted SEO experts who can start working with you within 72 hours. Whether you're looking for a full-time position or need help with specific tasks, our team will help you find the right person for your needs.

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