Videos
Video/Text

Descriptions, Tags, and Hashtags

Lesson 6

In this video we’re going to look at descriptions, tags and hashtags.

The description you put below your video is another very important ranking factor. 

If you follow a script when you’re recording your video then it’s a simple matter to paste the script into the description box.

Always make good use of the description as it gives Google another opportunity to discover what your video is about so it can rank it accordingly.

This is not the place for keyword stuffing. In fact, there is now no place on the Internet for keyword stuffing except, perhaps, your tags.

Put as much information as you can to tell not only Google, but also your viewers what the video is about.

The more information you put under the video, within the prescribed limits, the more likely you are to get your video ranking high in the results pages. But stay relevant to the video. At the time of recording this video the maximum number of characters for the video description is 5,000.

Some of my number one ranking videos have in excess of 600 words in the description.

The first 3 lines of your description are what will be visible above the “show more” link.

If you want to add a link to your website or a pretty link to a buy now page then put it as the first line of the description.

Try to have the 3rd line ending mid sentence if you want people to read the rest of your description. This creates curiosity so more people will click on the “show more” button.

Not many people actually click the “show more” link so make good use of the 3 lines that most people will see.

You can add more links within your description so you may as well link to your website, Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, Linked In, and any other links that are relevant to your video and your business.

Back links from authority sites such as YouTube can help with your website’s off page SEO. It’s only back links from poorly rated websites that are harmful.

The description is also where you can add your hashtags.

But don’t go overboard with the hashtags. 15 is the absolute maximum number that YouTube will permit.

Go over that limit and you may get not only your video flagged but you may lose your entire channel.

Only use relevant hashtags or you’ll run foul of the big G.

This is one area that Google takes very seriously.

Even if your hashtags are at the very bottom of your description and out of sight, YouTube will grab the first 3 hashtags and place them above your title under your video.

So put your best hashtags at the top of the list.

Anyone searching for one of those hashtags may stumble upon your video. So this is one more way of getting viewers to your videos.

And, as you know, the more views you get on your video the better it will fare in the results.

Along with your description and hashtags you’ll want to add some tags.

This is another area where spying on the competition will come in handy.

Using your main keyword, in an incognito window, search for competing videos on YouTube.

Open a few of the top ranking videos and use vidIQ to see the keywords that are being used.

Copy and paste the keywords into a text app.

Delete all the duplicates and any that are not relevant to your video and your channel. Add any extra keywords you can think of including your channel’s name.

Do not, I repeat, do not, use any tags which are not relevant to your own video.

Separate each of the tags with a comma then copy and paste the entire collection into the Tag area for your video.

Add your awesome custom thumbnail and you’re ready to publish.

I’ll see you in the next video.

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