Today’s post is the final installment of my four part series on SEO and your social media profiles. The first three posts focused on your business’s Facebook fan page, your LinkedIn professional profile, and your Twitter account. If you missed those three posts, go back and read them after you read this post.
Today I’m focusing in on the second largest search engine behind Google … YouTube. Yes, I said search engine. While YouTube is known as the destination of choice for publishing personal and professional digital videos, it has become the second most popular search engine since so many people like to view videos for entertainment and learning. Keep this in mind while you’re wondering if you should create and distribute videos as part of your marketing plan.
Custom URL
Like some of the previous social media networks, you have the choice of creating a custom URL when you create your account. When selecting a custom URL for your fan page, you can create whatever you want. However, I recommend you focus on one of two options: 1) use your business name, or 2) your keywords. Just as I recommended in the previous posts of this series, I highly recommend you protect your brand when creating your URL.
Account Settings
Under your Account Settings, there is your Profile Setup where you can “Describe Yourself”. This is a key area to create a strong succinct message about your business, while including a call-to-action and include your keywords. Right below the “Describe Yourself” section, there is a text field where you can include your “Website (URL)”. Don’t miss this. Just make sure when you enter in your information, you hit the “Save Changes” button instead of just moving on to one of the other pages on the menu under Account Settings.
You have access to modify this content when you are on your channel’s landing page. You will see the “Profile” section on the lower left of the page with an “edit” link in the upper right corner. You can click on this to modify the copy in this section.
Channel Tags
When you are on your channel’s landing page, you will see a tab towards the top titled, “Settings”. When you click on this, you will see a text field to the right titled “Channel Tags”. I recommend you use the same keywords here that you use on your branding site (your main website where you describe who you are and the services you provide).
One Insider Secret
One of the great things about YouTube is that it gives you a great multiplier for custom URLs, descriptions, and tags where you can add in keywords and backlinks. Don’t simply load your videos and forget to use these advantages. Think about titles that are attention getting while incorporating your keywords. Additionally, make sure when you write your descriptions for your videos, you include your keywords, a call to action, and a hyperlink directing back to an appropriate page on your branding site. Plus, you have the opportunity to load in keywords to your video tags. Many people miss these opportunities. They simply name their video and load it with little to no description and no video tags. Google views links coming back from YouTube as PR9 backlinks, so don’t miss adding in your links.
BTW – just a quick disclaimer that I’ve put at the bottom of each post … If you’ve spent any time using social media, for personal fun or professional connections, you know the social media networks make changes to their services. YouTube doesn’t make as many changes as Facebook, but if you’re reading this post and YouTube has gone through a revision, contact us through my SEO / SEM business, SmallBizMedia.tv, for latest updates.
All the Best,
Doug Dolan
The Solopreneur’s Guide
