I read an article recently about how YouTube is not optional anymore. It’s mandatory. The idea that it had ever been optional was a little funny to me. But alas, that’s because I know how powerful YouTube has always been as a search engine, while others thought about it only as a place to throw their videos.
In reality, it’s one of the most powerful investments in SEO and AEO you can possibly make. Let’s take a look.
YouTube as SEO
When you do any search on Google, it’s going to show you any relevant videos along with other results. That alone makes it powerful.
But the fact is that YouTube is the second most visited site behind Google. People are there and they are searching. It can be music, how to do something or that one video that will entertain their kid while they get some much needed peace and quiet. And obviously I’ve never done the latter, because my child is sweet, little angel. Ha! I’ve got jokes.
The fact is that when people come to YouTube they want to be connected to the information they are looking for. If you’re not there with that information, they will go to the sources that are there. And that information may not be as factual as you would present. In the end, anyone can post a video after all.
If you want to get the best information to the most people, YouTube just can’t be ignored. It’s as important as anything else you do for SEO purposes, if not more since you are effective targeting two search engines.
YouTube as AEO
If you didn’t know this already, most AI is dependent on Google. So yes, good SEO fuels your AEO program. And as we just talked about, uploading videos to YouTube can be good SEO (dependent on the videos themselves, of course).
On Google’s AI products though, it may be even more important. AI Overviews is prioritized in search now. People can get the answer they are looking for without having to click on a bunch of links. And unsurprisingly, the answer is wrong more times than Google will ever admit. Why? Because they aren’t being provided with the best answer.
How can you change that? We’ve already talked above about how Google prioritizes YouTube. That means it can be a part of the process of getting AI the correct answers. And in industries where a wrong answer can end with devastating results, correct answers are vital.
Social media network
Most brands see YouTube as an upload it and forget it solution. They overlook the lively social media network aspect. That means you are not getting the most out of this network.
Not only are people searching for videos, they’re commenting on them as well. Those comments include questions about the information you have uploaded. By not replying to those questions, you are missing out on correcting misinformation and creating a relationship with someone who is interested in your industry. And once again, if you’re not taking advantage of that opportunity, someone else will.
And then there is YouTube Shorts. This is as effective if not more than Instagram Reels and TikTok. Keep in mind that YouTube is the second most visited site on the web and this make sense. The audience is there, and they are looking for bite-sized pieces of information. Of course they’re going to lean towards the shorter videos rather than the longer ones. It’s a missed opportunity if you aren’t creating content here and then engaging with the comments on that content.
What can you do if you don’t have the time?
The number one reason why brands don’t jump onto networks is because of a lack of time. If that’s what’s stopping you, here are some simple ideas to help you create a presence on YouTube without it creating a significant burden.
- Put your Reels and TikToks on YouTube Shorts: I know many brands that do this. If you don’t have the time to create something unique for the network, use what you have. You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel to be successful. But do pay attention to what is getting you the most traction when it comes to these short videos.
- Use your blog posts: It is not ideal to do this. But if you really don’t have a lot of time, there is software that will take your blog posts and create a video out of them. You can do this with words and images. Or there is even AI people who will deliver the information for you. Words and images don’t tend to create the most engaging video. And those AI people are a little… weird. So it’s not ideal, but it will give you some kind of presence.
- Record your webinars and virtual events: There are times when this is not possible, but if it is, record those virtual events. A webinar is especially gold. You can upload it in its entirety to YouTube and then chop it up into bite-sized pieces for YouTube Shorts. Speaking of that…
- Chop up your long-form video: You may already have a lot of video that you’ve uploaded. Revisit it and see if there is anything you can chop up. This may be really daunting if you have a lot of video. Take it one video at a time. If you can, watch one a day or a week. Take notes and then get what’s appropriate into the workflow. Keep in mind that it might be useful for Reels and TikToks as well.
- Make a daily appointment with yourself to check in on YouTube: The network doesn’t need the constant vigilance that some of the other social media networks need, so it is easy to post and then leave. But like I said previously, this would be a huge mistake. Make sure you don’t forget by putting a daily appointment into your schedule.
Just don’t forget it
YouTube is quietly so powerful. It doesn’t stomp its feet like TikTok or scream in your face like Reels. So it can be easy to forget that it is more powerful than both. Remember it anyway and use it to its full advantage to make real progress with your marketing program.
How are you using YouTube right now?