Let’s look into social audio in this blog, specifically:

• What Is Social Audio or Social Media Audio?
• Top Social Audio Platforms
• The Case of Clubhouse – The Fallen Champion of Social Audio Apps
• Discontinued Social Audio Platforms: Is Social Audio Coming to an End?
• How To Increase Followers on X To Build a Fanbase
• How To Create a Discord Server That People Can’t Help but Join
• How To Increase Social Media Engagement Through Social Audio

What Is Social Audio or Social Media Audio?

Social audio or social media audio is a type of social media that uses audio as its primary means of communication. This can include live conversation rooms, live audio events, voice messaging, audio creation and editing tools.

Voice-based social media appeals to many because it offers a frictionless user experience that allows people to connect with each other using the power of sound.

Top Social Audio Platforms

Voice-based social media platforms enable users to interact, share ideas and build communities in a more intimate and personal way than traditional text-based social media. For organization and safety, audio social media apps or platforms have built-in moderation systems that allow hosts to control who can speak and listen.

If you’re looking to explore voice based social media or voice marketing, here are social audio platforms:

Discord Stage Channels

A Stage Channel is a particular voice channel on Discord that allows you to create a more structured conversation. It can only be used in Community servers and can have up to five speakers and 1,000 listeners at a time. Stage channels are great for running events, such as server announcements and workshops.

X Spaces (Previously Twitter Spaces)

X Spaces is a live audio feature on X (previously Twitter) that allows users to have conversations with each other. Voice based social media Spaces can be created by anyone with an X account and can be public or private. Unlike Discord’s five speakers at a time, X Spaces has 11 speakers (13 if you have two co-hosts).

To add: LinkedIn launched its new social audio feature, LinkedIn Audio Events, early this year — read about it, along with three other updates, here.

The Case of Clubhouse – The Fallen Champion of Social Audio Apps

We can’t talk about social audio without looking into Clubhouse.

Image: Clubhouse

Clubhouse was a product of its time. The app was launched in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. People were looking for new ways to stay connected beyond texting, and Clubhouse offered a way to do that. Despite being invite-only and iOS-exclusive, the voice-based social media platform quickly gained popularity, reaching a peak of 10 million monthly active users in just a year. Today, Clubhouse has a million users, which many even doubt is true.

But during its prime, the social media audio platform once prided itself on luring the likes of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerburg to join Clubhouse. However, once lockdown restrictions were easing, people’s interest in Clubhouse waned. Critiques say Clubhouse was a victim of its own hype. They say the app was so hyped up that it was inevitable that it would eventually disappoint some people.

Aside from being touted as a “poster child of pandemic hype,” there were rumors that Clubhouse was not secure, further scaring users away.

Clubhouse continues to face an uphill battle to regain its former fame. In April this year, Clubhouse founders, Paul Davison and Rohan Seth, did a massive lay-off of over 50% of its “many talented, dedicated teammates,” saying they were “deeply sorry” to be making such an “absolutely necessary” change. Recognizing the work of those affected, Clubhouse listed the support they will give, including but not limited to four months of severance pay and continued healthcare coverage, laptops and immigration support for those with working visas.

The memo delved into the founders’ commitment to “resetting Clubhouse” to make it work in a post-COVID era with a “smaller, leaner team.” We have yet to see the company make a comeback with “Clubhouse 2.0”.

Discontinued Social Audio Platforms

The trend around social audio during the pandemic also paved the way for other audio social media apps and platforms to rise — and, likewise, fall. Here are other voice based social media that were discontinued.

• Facebook Live Audio Rooms – discontinued April 2022.
• Reddit Talk – discontinued March 2023.
• Spotify Live (formerly Spotify Greenroom) – discontinued April 2023.

As such, what’s popular today may not be popular tomorrow, and social media platforms need to be able to adapt to change to survive. That’s what we see here: big-name platforms saying goodbye to select features for voice marketing and engagement on social media.

So, Is Social Audio Coming to an End?

Despite the seemingly downward trend, it’s not doom and gloom for social audio.

Consider X Spaces and Discord Stage Channels for keeping their respective features for voice marketing and engagement on social media alive. It’s fair to say that while social audio is no longer “popular,” it’s still incredibly valuable for businesses looking to connect with niche markets.

Speaking of X and Discord, let’s look into how you can grow your socials on such platforms for audio social media engagement.

How To Increase Followers on X To Build a Fanbase

X Spaces (previously Twitter Spaces) are public, so anyone can tune in, including people who don’t follow you. Still, it would be more beneficial if you already had a fanbase. So, here’s how to increase followers on Twitter:

• Be interesting. Share content that people will want to read, watch or share. This could include news articles, funny videos, personal stories or even GIFs and memes.

• Use hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to get your content seen by more people. When you use relevant hashtags, your tweets appear in search results for those hashtags.

• Engage with others. Respond to replies, retweet interesting tweets and participate in conversations. This will help you build relationships with other users and attract new followers.

• Run intriguing polls. Polls are a great way to get people excited about your brand and attract new followers. You can ask “this or that” or “would you rather” questions to get public opinion.

• Promote your account on other channels. Let people know about your X or Twitter account on your website, email newsletter and other social media platforms.

How To Create a Discord Server That People Can’t Help but Join

If you’re yet to make a Discord server or want your Discord Stage Channels to be more successful, keep these in mind:

• Have a clear purpose. What do you want your server to be about? Your purpose will attract like-minded people.

• Make it easy to find. Use relevant keywords in your server’s name and description so that people can easily find it when searching for Discord servers.

• Spread the word. Share your server’s link on your social media pages and encourage your friends and followers to join.

• Throw a party. Hosting events and giveaways is a great way to attract new members and keep your existing members engaged.

• Be present. The more active and engaged you are on your server, the more likely people are to stick around.

• Use tools. Many bots and integrations are available that can help you automate tasks and make your server function more smoothly.

It takes time to build a successful X or Twitter presence and Discord server. Don’t expect to see results overnight. Just practice consistency, and you will eventually see more followers and members joining.

How To Increase Social Media Engagement Through Social Audio

Here are tips to help you grow your socials and ramp up engagement on social media, mainly through social audio.

• Choose the right topic. The first step to increasing social audio engagement is to choose the right topic. If you’re talking about something your audience is interested in, they’re more likely to join in and participate.

• Host interviews and panels. Hosting interviews and panels is a great way to bring new voices and perspectives to your social audio. Doing so helps to keep your content fresh and exciting and can also help you build relationships with other people in your industry.

• Be engaging. Like any other type of content, you must be engaging if you want people to listen to your social audio. This means being informative, funny or thought-provoking. You can also use music, sound effects and other audio elements.

• Ask questions. One of the best ways to get people involved in your social audio is to ask questions. This will encourage them to participate and share their own thoughts and ideas, making your social audio event more interactive.

• Interact with your audience. Don’t just talk at your audience. Take the time to interact with them and welcome questions. This will help you build relationships with your listeners and keep them coming back for more.

• Partner with social media experts. If you’re unsure how social audio can help your business, find a fitting or the best social media growth services experts and consult with them.

Grow Your Socials With Thrive

While social audio may not be the next big thing, it’s still beneficial for a niche. If you’re ready to experience the best social media growth services

Let’s delve into the intricate interplay of social media and SEO in this blog as follows:

• Drawing the Lines: Social Media vs. SEO
• The Why: A Look Into the Value Of Social Media for SEO
• What Are Social Signals, Exactly?
• What Is Social Media SEO?
• Making It Work Together: Social Media and SEO Strategy

Drawing the Lines: Social Media vs. SEO

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram or X (previously known as Twitter), index content or posts and enable users to discover new content, brands or products that could pique their interest, without having to leave the app. On the other hand, SEO helps you draw traffic from individuals actively seeking answers or phrases related to your business through search engines like Google.

The Why: A Look Into the Value of Social Media for SEO

While indirect, the relationship between social media and SEO ranking is significant. Social media doesn’t directly contribute to SEO ranking signals, but the links shared across social platforms lead to increased search visibility, driving more traffic to your website.

Such an uptick in traffic and engagement serves as social signals to search engines like Google that your website provides valuable content, potentially improving your SEO ranking signals as a result.

What’s more, a solid social media presence helps in building customer loyalty, with positive customer interactions leading to higher organic search rankings.

What Are Social Signals, Exactly?

Social signals refer to the collective follows, likes, shares and all other engagements. From a social media marketing perspective, these interactions are called engagement. However, from an SEO standpoint, they serve as signals that assist search engines like Google gauge the identity, popularity and credibility of users, profiles or posts. So, if you want to build trust with search engines, social media marketing is fundamental.

Now let’s address another question pertinent to the subject: What is social media SEO or social SEO? Then, we’ll go straight into the strategies you can apply to make both methods work for you.

What Is Social Media SEO?

Social media SEO or Social SEO refers to the process of optimizing your social media profiles and content to increase social search visibility and reach among your potential customers. Essentially, it is utilizing social media for SEO.

Social search demand is rising as more and more consumers treat social media platforms as a type of search engine, one that doesn’t just offer a wall of text right off the bat. So, businesses looking to capitalize on social search demand trends turn to social SEO techniques.

One of the main techniques of using social media for SEO involves injecting your posts with industry-specific terms or branded keywords.

Up next: Social media and SEO strategy to help you build trust with your prospects

Making It Work Together: Social Media and SEO Strategy

Whichever social platform you want to focus your efforts on, the end goal is to connect your brand with the right audience and introduce them to your products or services. In this section, we particularly stress the importance of social media link building.

1. Strategic Link Placements Across Your Social Media Pages

Social media link building is a powerful tool harnessed by experts to generate inbound links and garner more search visibility for their websites. Two primary social media link building strategies stand out in this practice. First, add your website link to your social media profiles. This ensures every interaction or engagement by the profile could lead an interested party to your website.

The second approach is to share your website content across your social media regularly; the content could be blogs or product pages. With this, you want to regularly check if any link found on your profile is functional.

Related article: Reasons your link building strategy isn’t driving the results you want

2. Social Sharing Buttons on Your Website

Social sharing buttons are icons or widgets that allow users to easily share content from a website on various social media platforms. They are beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, they enable the effortless sharing of website content, expanding its reach and visibility across multiple social platforms. This, in turn, can drive more traffic to your site, potentially boosting lead generation and sales.

Additionally, when visitors share your content, it indicates trust and endorsement of your brand across their own networks, building customer loyalty. Some of the sections you can add social buttons to your website are your footer, blog pages and product pages.

Related article: How to use your social media channels as lead generation tools

3. Combined Keyword Research and Strategy

We can’t talk about SEO without reiterating the importance of keywords. Search engines and social media platforms index content on your website and channels, allowing them to serve more relevant results to web users when they search for specific terms. As such, it’s crucial to prioritize identifying the terms your target audience is searching for. This will guide your choice of keywords for web content and posts.

And don’t forget to explore long-tail keywords, too — they attract traffic with higher purchase intent compared to generic and highly competitive keywords.

Related article: Long-tail keywords: what are they and how to find them

4. Don’t Just Make Content; Market Them

Creating content is one thing, but marketing it is altogether another thing. The best content in the world holds little to no value if it isn’t seen, heard or read by the people it’s created for. So, once you’re confident you’ve aced the quality of your content, you want to take every possible action to get your content in front of your audience.

Related article: What is content amplification and why it’s so important for your business

5. Content Repurposing and Recirculating

You can also explore repurposing your evergreen blogs into other social media post formats, such as videos or infographics. A well-received blog post, infographic or video can continue to generate value long after its initial publication. You can breathe new life into such content by recirculating it, meaning re-sharing it on your social media platforms or updating it with fresh data or insights. Even reshaping the content for different formats can be a clever strategy.

For instance, if an eCommerce brand has a well-received blog post highlighting products, it could be repurposed into a video. This strategy not only allows you to maximize every content produced, but it also helps you reach the audience who engage better with particular formats.

Related article: What is social commerce and why your business should care

6. Videos Are in Demand on Social Media

In contrast to text or static images, videos provide a richer and more immersive experience. Apart from their dynamic and engaging nature, videos also have the ability to convey complex messages even in a short time, making them an ideal medium for storytelling.

Instant digital gratification is a double-edged sword for brands as it causes consumer attention span to shrink. Despite this, videos are proven to engage viewers in a meaningful way.

Related article: 9 Video Marketing Trends Set To Dominate 2023

7. Social Profile Optimization for Brand Consistency

Brand consistency is paramount if you want to foster brand recognition and consumer confidence across online platforms, including social media and your website. With this, you want to treat each social profile as an extension of your website.

To help in building customer loyalty through consistency, keep the following aspects in mind:

1. Visual cohesion. Stick to the color scheme, logo and typography that align with your brand’s aesthetic and persona. This helps in creating instant recognition for your visitors.
2. Tone of voice. Ensure the tone of your content is consistent across all platforms. If your brand voice is casual and fun on your website, it should be the same on your social media pages.
3. Content relevancy. The content shared on social media should be relevant to your brand and should reflect your brand’s goals and values showcased on your website.

AZINSEO SEO Social Media Marketing Services: Get on Top of the Social Search Demand

In the end, social media and SEO are two sides of the same coin. They harmoniously work together to ensure your brand leaves a lasting footprint in the digital space.

If you want to learn what SEO social media marketing services can do for your business, talk to our team.

But can someone who doesn’t have any command in coding or programming figure out how to make a website for a business they’re running?

Absolutely.

But how exactly would a non-technical entrepreneur come up with a website that not only hits the mark visually but also delivers in user experience?

Let this beginner-friendly guide on how to build a website help you make that happen.

How To Build a Website (Step-by-Step)

About 67% of shoppers visit a new brand’s website or app before completing a purchase. What’s more, 80% of them take the time to stack up the prices against those of similar brands or products.

Having a website can position you at an advantage so that when potential customers weigh your brand against others, yours comes out on top.

So, let’s guide you through each step of building a website.

1. Define Your Objectives

First things first, when you’re thinking about launching a website, you’ve got to start with the end in mind. You need to have a clear goal or purpose for your website — it will shape everything from the design to the content of your website.

Now, your website can serve a multitude of purposes depending on what you’re aiming to achieve.

Common purposes of having a website are:

• Drive sales with an online store selling goods directly to customers.
• Generate leads with a contact form on a website.
• Share information through a blog or portfolio website.
• Build an online presence and market a business through a website.

For example, suppose you run a small cafe in town looking to get more both online orders and foot traffic to your store. Your website should highlight what makes your place special – think tempting photos of your coffee and pastries, along with practical business information like your location and hours. This illustration shows how your goal influences your website’s design and content.

You can pursue multiple purposes at the same time, but you should have one main goal. An online store’s primary purpose is to drive sales, whereas a news site is to share information, but both can have other goals.

2. Assemble Your Team

Building a website isn’t a one-person show, especially if you’re aiming for something that truly resonates with your audience and meets your business objectives. Having a team, whether big or small, brings together diverse skills and perspectives that are crucial for tackling the various aspects of website creation.

And if you’re flying solo or running a small operation, identifying these roles can help you seek the right kind of help when needed.

Key players you might want on your team:

• Project managers to organize deadlines and keep everyone aligned
• Content writers with experience in search engine optimization (SEO) so your content appeals to users and search engines
• Web designers with specialization in user interface and user experience (UI/UX) to engage visitors
• Web developer to build your custom site, especially if you’re building from scratch
• SEO specialists working with your content writers to oversee your SEO efforts
• Digital marketing strategist to provide a clear roadmap for promoting your new site

Having a team with clear roles – or knowing which roles you need support in – can dramatically streamline the website creation process.

3. Analyze Your Brand

Your website is essentially the virtual face of your business. It’s crucial that it accurately represents your brand’s identity, values and what sets you apart from the competition. Conducting a brand audit allows you to align your website’s messaging, design and overall experience with your brand’s essence.

Insights you want to bring to light:

• Brand voice and personality: You want to ensure your website communicates a tone that reflects your brand’s personality, whether that’s professional or laid-back.
• Unique selling points (USPs): USPs are what set your business apart. They help you write compelling website copy to tell visitors why they should choose you over others.
• Target audience: Understanding who your ideal customers are dictates how you design your website and craft your content, prioritizing resonance over trends.

During this process, you also want to take stock of any existing content or materials that could be repurposed or refreshed for your website.

4. Set Your Budget

Without a budget, expenses can balloon, leading to potential financial strain and a speed bump in your web project. On the other hand, a well-planned budget helps prioritize your needs and ensures you’re making smart investments in your website.

So, what sort of costs might you be looking at?

Here are website creation expenses to be prepared for:

• Domain name (your website’s address)
• Web hosting (storage for your website’s files)
• Security certificates (indicate that your website is for safe browsing)
• Design and development (building your website’s look and function)
• Content creation (text, images and videos for your website)
• Maintenance (fixing bugs, updating software or adding features)
• Marketing (promoting your website to attract visitors)

Costs for domain names are relatively lower than other aspects mentioned, but they can elevate if the domain you’re interested in is already owned. When it comes to hosting, you can look into shared hosting plans, which are more affordable.

For those with tighter budgets, focus on what’s truly essential for your website at launch. You can always add bells and whistles later when your budget allows.

Overall, you want to treat your web creation expenses as an investment. By setting a sensible budget, you’re ensuring your web project not only stays manageable but also primed to return real value.

5. Research Your Market

Market research isn’t just about knowing your potential customers (though that’s a huge part of it); it’s also about getting a good look at your competitors. This is where you roll up your sleeves, grab your digital binoculars and start observing what others in your field are doing online.

Why bother peeking at the competition? For starters, it’s a goldmine of inspiration.

Seeing how others present their brand, engage with their audience and structure their websites can spark ideas for your own. It’s not about copying; far from it. It’s about understanding what’s out there and thinking about how you can do it differently or better.

Questions you can ask:

• What website builders are my competitors using?
• Do my competitors have a blog?
• What are the key messages being communicated by my competitors?

But there’s more to it than just picking up design and content ideas. Your deep dive into the market can reveal gaps – areas that your competitors are overlooking or needs that aren’t being fully met. These insights are invaluable because they can further guide you to position your website in a way that fills those gaps.

6. Review Your Branding

You’re likely brimming with ideas after digging into market research. But hold on a second before you start bringing those ideas to life and revisit your brand. It’s crucial to make sure your ideas mesh well with your brand’s identity.

If you’ve got a brand book, now’s the time to crack it open. If not, consider putting one together. Such a guide is your brand’s DNA on paper; it ensures that every piece of content you create, especially your website, feels authentic to your brand.

Here’s a quick rundown of what should be included in your brand book:

• Logo guidelines: Usage rules, size and placement.
• Color palette: Specific brand colors with codes.
• Typography: Approved fonts and usage styles.
• Imagery guidelines: Style of photos and illustrations.
• Tone of voice: Communication style and examples.
• Core values: Key messages and brand ethos.

By using your brand book as a filter, you can quickly see which new ideas fit your brand and which don’t. It’s not about curbing creativity but about directing it so that everything you do reinforces, rather than dilutes, your brand identity.

For example, maybe a competitor’s casual tone catches your eye, but if your brand is all about professionalism, mimicking that tone could confuse your audience.

So, take a moment to align your exciting new ideas with your brand’s core. With this, you ensure your website not only captures attention but does so in a way that’s true to who you are as a business.

7. Claim Your Domain Name

Now that you’ve revisited your branding with fresh eyes and are feeling more aligned with your brand identity, it’s the perfect moment to take a big step forward and secure your domain name. Essentially, your domain name is your online address — it’s how customers will find you online.

Your domain name can influence how visible you are in search results and shape user perception.

So, to guide you, here are tips for brainstorming your domain name:

• Keep it easy to spell; the last thing you want is for potential visitors to get lost trying to find you.
• Be brand-consistent in a way that your domain name should echo your brand’s name or core service to reinforce your identity.
• Avoid hyphens and numbers unless they’re a crucial part of your brand. They can complicate things and are best left out.

If you’re already running a business, sticking to your actual business name for your domain is usually the best route. It maintains consistency across your online and offline presence. Again, you want to make it easier for existing customers to find you and reinforce your brand identity for new ones.

8. Select Your Website Hosting Provider

Think of website hosting as renting a space on the internet where your website lives. It’s where all your website’s files, data and other content are stored, making them accessible to anyone who types in your domain name. So, without a fitting hosting provider, your site could end up inaccessible.

Promos and discounts are also something you want to keep an eye on. While not essential, having extra savings is always a good idea in business.

Most website builders or those who use a content management system (CMS) typically have built-in web hosting services in their plans.

But for those who will code their own websites, you need to put in the work to look into web hosting providers and carefully weigh your options. Ultimately, you want to align with your website needs and business goals.

9. Decide Your Web Dev Path

You have a few paths you can take: building from the ground up, using a website builder or leveraging a content management system (CMS). Every choice comes with its own set of advantages and demands different resources from you, such as levels of expertise.

Let’s break your options down:

Apart from your website goals and resources, you should factor in the level of control you want over your site’s design and functionalities as you decide.

In this guide, we’ll only focus on the first two options (A and B) — either using a website builder or CMS.

10. Pick Your Website Builder or CMS

Let’s recap the two options before naming a few examples.

Using website builders means you can design, build and launch your site all from one platform without needing to write a single line of code. Again, many website builders come equipped with intuitive drag-and-drop editors, making web design accessible to everyone, regardless of technical expertise. They also often include hosting services.

Using CMS, on the other hand, is embracing the freedom to tailor every corner of your website exactly how you envision it, from intricate design customizations to adding complex functionalities. While it’s true that this path puts the responsibility of updates, security and backups on your shoulders, the payoff is immense, especially for larger websites or those with ambitions to scale.

As such, each platform has its strengths, from eCommerce capabilities to stunning design templates, so choose one that aligns with your needs, skill level and long-term goals for your website.

11. Plan Your Website Features

The functionalities you incorporate can significantly enhance your visitors’ experience and help you achieve your business goals. If you’re aiming to launch a website as an online shop, selecting the right features makes it easy for your customers to navigate, find what they need and make purchases or inquiries.

Keep in mind that each website feature should serve a purpose, whether it’s to capture attention, inform, engage, convert or provide support to your visitors.

12. Prepare Your Web Content

Your web content steers the wheel on how you engage, inform and convert your audience. Here’s how to strategically tackle your content plan:

Whether you’re in need of images, videos or graphics, ensure each piece of content is high-quality and reflects your brand’s voice and values. If you lack the expertise or resources in-house, consider hiring or outsourcing professionals.

13. Identify Your Main Web Pages

Every website has its core pages, those you absolutely must have from the get-go, and then there are those you can add later as your site grows.

The lists can change depending on your businesses.

14. Wireframe Your Site per Page

Picture a wireframe as the skeleton of your website: a bare-bones visual guide that represents the layout of your website’s pages. It’s akin to an architect’s blueprint for a building, outlining where each element, like text, images or buttons, will live on your pages.

Wireframing allows you and your team to align on the site’s structure before diving into design and development. It’s a crucial step for visualizing the user experience (UX) and making strategic decisions about your site’s navigation and content placement.

Wireframing tools you can explore:

• Sketch: Perfect for high-fidelity wireframes, offering a plethora of features and plugins to streamline your design process.
• Balsamiq: Great for beginners, Balsamiq mimics sketching on a notepad or whiteboard but with the convenience of digital tools, making it easier to share and iterate on ideas.
• Adobe XD: A versatile tool that supports wireframing, prototyping and collaboration, allowing you and your team to work seamlessly together.
• Figma: Known for its collaborative features, Figma lets multiple users work on the same wireframe simultaneously, making it ideal for team projects.

A word for those who want to skip this process:

Diving straight into design or development might feel like a shortcut, but bypassing wireframing can result in missed usability problems or layout mistakes. Fixing such issues down the line can be costly and slow you down. Wireframing is your chance to experiment, iterate and refine your ideas, identifying potential problems early and getting your team aligned.

For smaller sites or tight timelines, a basic wireframe or even a sketch can do the job. Remember to prioritize your main pages.

15. Design Your Main Web Pages

Focus first on the homepage, products or services page, contact us page and about us page. These pages are foundational because they directly communicate your value proposition, showcase what you offer and provide a clear path for engagement.

Example of a homepage – MasterClass

AZIN SEO homepage

Example of a products page – Peet’s Coffee

Thrive’s video production service page

Example of a Contact Us page – Survicate

Thrive’s Contact Us page

Example of an About Us page – Glen Keane Productions

Thrive’s About Us page

Designing your main web pages with care and strategic thought sets the tone for the entire user experience on your site.

So, for those using a website builder, there’s no need to shy away from using professionally designed templates; only make sure they are responsive and customizable. Reinventing the wheel is not always the wisest move.

16. Add Content to Your Pages

Your website content is your first “hello” to potential customers. Your content is also a key player in getting your site discovered online through SEO. Here’s when you strategically add all the content you prepared and produced earlier.

Examples of content to add:

Text or copy: Start with compelling, clear and concise text. Every word on your site should have a purpose, whether it’s to inform, engage or convert visitors. Make sure your text reflects your brand’s voice, whether that’s professional, casual or somewhere in between. And always, always proofread.

Multimedia: Images, videos, infographics and audio can all play a role in telling your brand story and engaging visitors. Use high-quality visuals that reflect your brand and appeal to your target audience.

CTAs: Every page should have a goal, and your content should guide visitors towards that goal. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase or getting in touch, your CTAs should be clear, compelling and easy to find.

Social proof: Testimonials, reviews and case studies add credibility and trust to your brand. Don’t be shy about showcasing what others have said about your products or services.

Blogs or articles: If you have a blog or resources section, make sure it’s updated regularly with relevant, valuable content. This not only helps with SEO but positions you as an authority in your field.

Ultimately, each piece of content should catch the eye, communicate your value and invite users to engage and convert.

17. Optimize Your Website for Search

SEO is all about making sure that when someone is looking for services or products you offer, your site pops up on the search results page.

SEO can be broken down into three main categories:

On-page SEO is all about the content on your site. It means optimizing your text, images and videos so search engines can understand what your site is about. Crafting keyword-rich meta titles and descriptions (snippets that show up in search results) for each page makes a big difference.

Content hierarchy in on-page SEO also helps search engines understand the priority of your content. In practice, this involves using headings (Heading 1 or H1 for your main title, followed by H2, H3 and so on for subheadings) to structure your content in a way that’s easy for both humans and search engines to digest.

Off-page SEO focuses on building your site’s reputation through links from other sites. It’s like getting a vote of confidence from the internet. The more reputable sites link back to you, the more search engines trust your site.

Technical SEO is where we ensure your site’s structure is search engine friendly. This means having a fast-loading site, a logical architecture and making sure it’s mobile-responsive. Remember, search engines prefer sites that provide a great user experience.

The good news is that many website builders, like Squarespace, come with built-in SEO tools. These platforms can guide you through the basics of on-page SEO, like inserting keywords in key places and setting up your meta titles and descriptions.

Looking into the SEO capabilities of your website builder is a great starting point for making sure your site is search engine-ready from the get-go.

18. Add the Right Plugins

Think of your website as a smartphone. Out of the box, it does a lot, but to truly make it yours, you add apps. Plugins are like those apps for your website, bringing in extra functionality that your site doesn’t have straight out of the gate.

Plugins extend your site’s capabilities without the need for custom coding. Whether you’re looking to enhance SEO, speed up your site, add contact forms or create an online store, there’s likely a plugin that can help.

Here are a few examples of plugins that can supercharge your website:

• SEO plugins, like Yoast SEO, help optimize your content to rank higher in search engine results.
• Security plugins, such as Wordfence Security, protect your site from hacking and malware.
• eCommerce plugins, like WooCommerce, turn your site into a fully functional online store.
• Page builder plugins, including Elementor, allow you to create custom page layouts with a drag-and-drop interface.

Most website builders and CMS platforms, including WordPress, have a library of plugins, both free and paid. You can easily add new features as your business grows and your needs change without needing to overhaul your website.

While it’s tempting to load up on plugins, quality over quantity is key. Too many plugins can slow down your site, so choose wisely and only install those that truly add value to your website and your visitor’s experience.

19. Make Your Website Responsive

Imagine a website that magically adjusts its layout, images and content to look amazing on any device, be it a laptop, tablet or smartphone. That’s what a responsive website does. It responds to the screen size of the device it’s viewed on, providing an optimal browsing experience for everyone.

If your site looks great on a desktop but turns into a jumbled mess on a phone, you’re going to lose out on a lot of potential business. Plus, search engines like Google prioritize mobile-friendly sites in their rankings.

Using a template: Most modern website builders and themes are designed to be responsive out of the box. Be sure to choose a template that’s mobile-friendly, and you’ll be most of the way there. Then, always test the template on multiple devices to ensure it looks and functions as expected.

Coding manually: If you’re customizing beyond a template, you’ll need to look into media queries in CSS. These allow your website to detect the viewer’s screen size and adjust the layout accordingly. Key areas to focus on include flexible grid layouts, scalable images and adjustable text sizes.

To this, some implement a mobile-first approach, designing for the smallest screen first and then adding more complex features and content for larger screens.

20. Look Into Your Site Speed

Visitors have little patience for slow-loading pages, and search engines like Google prioritize speedy sites in their rankings. Essentially, a quick-loading site can keep visitors happy and reduce bounce rates.

How do you keep tabs on your website’s speed? Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix are your best friends here. They not only measure your site’s loading times but also provide valuable insights and recommendations on how to make your site faster.

Here are tips for optimizing your site speed:

• Optimize your images: High-resolution images can slow your site down. Tools like TinyPNG can reduce file sizes without compromising quality.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): CDNs distribute your site’s files across global servers, reducing the distance data needs to travel to reach your visitors.
• Streamline your web fonts: While custom fonts are great for branding, they can slow things down. Stick to the essentials and limit the number of font styles and weights.
• Minimize HTTP requests: Each piece of your site (images, stylesheets, scripts) requires a separate HTTP request to load. Combine files where possible, and use CSS instead of images whenever feasible.
• Enable browser caching: This allows visitors’ browsers to store copies of your site’s files, speeding up load times for repeat visitors.

If you’re piecing together your website from the ground up or using CMS platforms, these optimization strategies are definitely for you. But if you’re using a website builder, a lot of the heavy lifting might already be done for you.

Take Shopify, for instance – it automatically optimizes and delivers all files in the theme’s assets directory and images uploaded via the admin panel from its own CDN. So, a good chunk of your site’s content will be served efficiently from cdn.shopify.com. For other files or elements, you can manually add assets.

Remember, in the race for visitors’ attention, speed is your ally. So, regularly checking and optimizing your site’s speed ensures a smoother ride for your users.

21. Check for Consistency

Just like you want your store or office to present a cohesive brand image, your website should do the same. Consistency here is key; it not only makes your site more professional and trustworthy but also reinforces your brand identity with every click.

Here are some practical tips to keep everything in harmony:

• Stick to your brand colors: Choose a palette that reflects your brand and use it throughout your site. This doesn’t mean every page should look the same, but there should be a cohesive theme that ties them all together.
• Consistent fonts: Select a set of fonts that match your brand’s style and stick to them across all web pages. Consistency in fonts contributes significantly to the overall feel of your site.
• Uniform logo placement: Your logo is the cornerstone of your brand identity. Place it consistently, preferably at the top left of each page, since that’s where eyes tend to look first. This helps with brand recognition and gives your site a polished look.
• Maintain a steady voice: The tone and style of your written content should be uniform across your website. Whether it’s professional, friendly or quirky, keeping a consistent voice helps in establishing a connection with your audience.

A consistent look and feel across your website elevates the user experience.

22. Review and Launch Your Website

There are more crucial checks to ensure your website is primed and ready for the world to see.

Now, your website is live! Go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back, but know the work doesn’t stop there. There will be continuous housekeeping to make sure your website performs well over time.

Let’s Help You Build a Website From Scratch

“Websites can give you leads and sales around the clock,” said Amit Rana, Thrive’s senior development manager.

“With Thrive, you can have a professionally designed website and explore cost-effective marketing like SEO.”

Take a look at our services:

• Web design
• Custom web design
• WordPress web design
• Web hosting

Talk to our team – build a website from scratch.

How To Create Your Own Website Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions on how to build a website to further guide you through the process.

For more questions on how to create your own website, ask our web development team.

However, not all testimonials are created equal. They can take various formats, each bringing a unique perspective to your brand’s narrative.

In this blog, we delve into the following topics:

• What Are the Different Types of Testimonials?
• How Do You Get Customers To Write Testimonials?

What Are the Different Types of Testimonials?

There are six types of testimonials that can bring significant value to your business:

1. Direct Quotes

These testimonials feature verbatim quotes from customers, capturing their exact words and sentiments about your product or service. Direct quotes are powerful because they provide authentic and unfiltered customer feedback, showcasing genuine experiences.

Details such as the author’s name, job title, company and photograph add a layer of authenticity to the review.

On the Thrive website, you will find an excellent example of quote testimonials. Each quote explains how Thrive has helped them grow their businesses. Quotes also show the types of customers who would benefit most from these services.

Source: Thrive

2. Video Testimonials

Video content captures the attention of viewers like no other format. Research shows that 43% of consumers find branded video content to be the most memorable, surpassing other formats like photos and written content (HubSpot).

Moreover, 79% of individuals rely on video testimonials to gain insights into a business and its offerings (Wyzowl). These videos condense valuable information about a business in an easily digestible format.

Consider this video testimonial from Thrive featuring Michael Farah, founder of the Farah Law Firm. In the video, Farah starts by introducing his company and its services. He then delves into the marketing challenges his firm faced and shares his journey of researching companies until he discovered Thrive.

In just two minutes, the video presented the entire customer journey. It also highlighted precise reasons why the client recommends Thrive to others in his industry.

Source: AZ IN SEO

Effective video testimonials are structured like a complete narrative, featuring a clear beginning, middle and end. Prospective customers are more likely to convert when they can relate their own pain points to those shared in the testimonial.

3. Social Media Mentions

Social media mentions occur when your brand or business is referenced on platforms like Facebook, X (previously Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and others. They can appear in the form of tags, shares, comments or posts by users.

Social mentions serve as informal, real-time feedback. They can impact your brand reputation, credibility and relationship with your audience.

Both positive and negative mentions boost visibility and offer a chance to engage with your followers. When someone mentions your brand on social media, it’s important to respond promptly. In fact, 64% of consumers expect brands to respond and interact with them in real time (Salesforce).

Social media platforms are equipped with analytics tools to track mentions and measure customer satisfaction and engagement. They also have notification features that alert you when someone tags your brand.

Resharing positive mentions is a great way to attract new customers and sales. Be sure to acknowledge profiles that mention your brand by sending a quick thank-you message. This can help make them feel valued and appreciated.

On top of that, monitoring social media mentions enables you to pinpoint influential individuals or brand advocates who speak favorably about your brand. This can lead to potential partnerships that further boost your visibility and advocacy.

4. Influencer Partnerships

Influencers are people who have built a large following that trusts their opinions and recommendations. They create and share videos or images that resonate with their audience, often focusing on specific niches such as fashion, beauty, fitness, lifestyle, travel, technology, gaming or business.

Leveraging testimonials from influencers is highly effective because of the credibility and recognition associated with their names. When they share their positive experience with your product, it carries weight and encourages their followers to consider making a purchase. Capitalizing on their following also enables you to access audience segments that may have otherwise been out of reach.

Today, both small and large brands incorporate influencer marketing. Studies indicate that 82% of consumers have either bought, researched or thought about purchasing a product or service after seeing posts from influencers or loved ones.

Naturally, influencers need to be compensated, often with cash or complimentary products. The more renowned the influencer, the higher the fee they may charge to endorse your brand.

For instance, HelloFresh, a home-delivery meal kit subscription service, partnered with celebrities and macro-influencers to get their brand in front of ideal prospects.

Their Refresh with HelloFresh campaign won the 2020 Influencer Marketing Awards for Best Food and Drink Campaign. The brand partnered with 15 micro-influencers who took part in a 21-day challenge to prepare healthy meals from scratch and explore a range of HelloFresh recipes.

@heyitsjenna, a lifestyle blogger and mom of three, shared her positive experience with HelloFresh and urged her followers to try it using her discount code.

The campaign, comprising 461 influencer posts, garnered 5.5 million impressions and prompted 20% of the influencers’ followers to mention HelloFresh on Instagram. This data highlights the power of influencers in reaching and engaging with audiences effectively.

5. Before-and-After Stories

Before and after customer testimonials serve as powerful social proof. These real-life examples prove that your product or service can deliver on its promises.

Here’s an example of a before-and-after review of Kylie Jenner’s skincare line published on Harper’s BAZAAR.

Source: Harpers Bazaar 

This type of customer feedback can also address common objections or doubts that prospects may have. Seeing the success stories of others can alleviate concerns and instill confidence in your brand.

6. Product Page Reviews

Customer feedback displayed on your product pages helps potential buyers make informed decisions. It usually addresses aspects such as product quality, the accuracy of product photos, shipping times and customer support.

Source: Amazon

A higher number of positive reviews can give you a competitive edge over similar products in the market. Shoppers use product reviews to verify the authenticity of the product and its seller, reducing the risk of purchasing counterfeit or low-quality items.

Products with higher ratings and more reviews also tend to rank higher in Amazon search results, increasing visibility and potential sales.

How Do You Get Customers To Write Testimonials?

Here are three ways to get your customers to take time off their way to provide testimonials:

• Simplify Feedback Submission

When the process is simple, quick and convenient, customers are more likely to share their thoughts and experiences. In contrast, if your feedback submission process involves too many steps or lengthy forms, customers may feel discouraged or overwhelmed.

Besides having a dedicated testimonial form on your website, consider using a Google Reviews Link, which directs users to your Google Reviews form. Share this link across your social media channels and marketing materials to encourage more testimonials.

• Time Your Requests Properly

Timing is everything in effective marketing. Consider sending SMS or email review requests within a few days to a week after a positive interaction or successful purchase. This way, the experience is still fresh in the customer’s mind.

Address the recipient by name and keep the message concise and engaging. Provide a clear call to action on how they can leave a review.

If you don’t receive a response to the initial request, consider sending a follow-up message after one to two weeks. However, avoid being overly persistent or spammy, as this can deter customers from responding.

• Display Customer Reviews Across Various Platforms

When customers see that their peers have taken the time to write positive reviews, they may feel compelled to do the same.

Displaying testimonials prominently on your website shows your commitment to customer satisfaction. It proves that you appreciate your audience’s opinions and are dedicated to improving their experiences.

Leverage Social Proof and Strengthen Your Brand Reputation With AZINSEO Local

Both negative and positive reviews offer valuable opportunities for businesses to learn, improve and build a strong brand reputation.

At AZIN SEO Local, we help you build an effective marketing strategy that turns leads into brand advocates. We work with small businesses and multi-location companies aiming to attract high-intent traffic and yield greater returns. Our team follows a multi-channel approach to drive engagement and customer satisfaction.

Get in touch with our team now and grow your bottom line!

When you successfully create great content, you only win half the battle, as you still have to get it in front of the right eyes. You need video SEO for your videos to reach a larger yet targeted audience.

Through video SEO, search engines like Google are able to prominently showcase your YouTube videos in their search results, expanding the potential reach of your content beyond the confines of the streaming platform.

So, if you want to deliver high-quality content directly in front of your target audience, whether they’re on YouTube or not, then having sure-footed SEO video marketing strategies is the way to go.

With top video SEO marketing tips, this blog covers the following video marketing and SEO topics:

• What Is Video SEO Marketing?
• The Benefits of Video SEO: Why You Should Invest in Video Optimization
• Video SEO Tips: How To Optimize Your Videos To Rank Higher in YouTube Search
• More Video Marketing Tips To Support Your YouTube SEO Strategy
• Why Invest in Professional Video Production Services
• Video SEO Marketing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Get Expert Help: Want Exposure and Engagement for Your Videos?

Gain an edge on YouTube optimization with this quick list of the best video SEO marketing tips:

What Is Video SEO Marketing?

Video SEO marketing is the process of optimizing your videos for better indexing and crawling by search engines and search functionalities on streaming platforms. A Video SEO strategy is needed to ensure that your video content is easily found by your target audiences when they search for specific keywords related to your video.

The process involves tweaking elements such as the video title, description, tags, subtitles and closed captions (CC).

The Benefits of Video SEO: Why You Should Invest in Video Optimization

When your videos regularly appear in search results, whether on Google or YouTube, you build your authority in your field. Let’s talk more about the benefits of SEO for video content.

Here’s why your business should invest in SEO for video content:

More Visibility

It can be a challenge for your videos to generate views due to the overwhelming amount of online content available today. By optimizing your videos for search engines, you’re essentially making it easier for them to show up in search results.

The heightened visibility is like a gift that keeps giving – the more people watch your videos, the more your content will be recommended to other viewers.

Higher Engagement

With proper video SEO, you can attract more targeted viewers who are truly interested in your content, which naturally facilitates engagement. You’ll get likes, comments, shares and a community that’s authentically engaged with your message.

This kind of genuine interaction not only strengthens your relationship with your audience but also signals to platforms that your content is valuable, potentially boosting your visibility even further. Per Wyzowl, 51% of people prefer sharing videos over any other content type.

Better Conversion Rates

Videos alone have a compelling nature and can be powerful tools for convincing and converting potential customers. When you add video SEO into the mix, you lead the right viewers to your content. As previously noted, the right viewers are those who have a genuine interest in what you’re sharing.

These viewers represent potential conversions. Say you have a video that showcases all the cool features and unique benefits of your product. The people who find and watch your video are likely already interested in what you’re selling, making them prime candidates for conversion.

Long-Term Results

SEO is often praised as a digital marketing tactic that future-proofs your business. The same is true for video SEO. Once your video achieves a high ranking on whichever platform you’re active on, it has the potential to continuously attract viewers and possibly new subscribers for an extended period.

Rather than experiencing a brief spike in popularity, sustained attraction can be incredibly helpful to ensure that your content remains relevant and accessible to your audience over time without needing to push new content constantly.

Competitive Advantage

Not all businesses are diving into video marketing, and even fewer are focusing on optimizing their video content for search engines. By honing your skills in video SEO and observing video marketing trends, you position yourself ahead of competitors who haven’t yet mastered or perhaps even recognized the importance of this strategy.

Such a competitive edge isn’t just about being present in a space where others aren’t; it’s about being forward-thinking by effectively utilizing a powerful tool many overlook.

Video SEO Tips: How To Optimize Your Videos To Rank Higher in YouTube Search

Peppering your videos with key terms is a great start to ramp up the traffic coming your way from searches. But there’s more to YouTube optimization and video SEO than keyword insertion. There are a lot of YouTube SEO tips you could be missing.

To guide you towards YouTube success like an expert content creator, here are YouTube SEO tips:

1. Choose the Right Keywords, Including Long-Tail Ones

You can explore SEO tools like SEMRush, Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner for keyword research. While these tools don’t pull data directly from YouTube, they’re still useful for gauging general search trends, whichever your choice of platform.

Take advantage of the Research tab in YouTube Analytics and the Google Ads Keyword Planner to discover hot keywords and their synonyms. In your research, don’t overlook less competitive terms that offer decent search volume. Such search terms are usually long-tail keywords.

Long-tail keywords differ from popular keywords in that they are more specific and often have a clearer search intent, stemming directly from your primary keywords. For instance, if your primary keyword is “cheesecake recipe,” a related long-tail keyword might be “easy new york cheesecake recipe.”

You can also use YouTube’s search tool for your video keyword research.

Related article: Long-Tail Keywords: What Are They and How To Find Them

2. Rename Your Video Filename With a Target Keyword

Uploading your video to YouTube with a filename that includes your target keyword could give your content a leg up in the search results. Many high-intent users lean on Google SERPs when looking for answers.

Fortunately, your video’s reach extends beyond YouTube as Google search results often include videos too. Therefore, you want to pay attention to your file name and be strategic, as it could be a small move that makes a big difference.

As for whether viewers can see your filename, they can’t. The information is exclusively for YouTube’s internal system or algorithm to read, along with other background codes.

3. Use Your Main Keyword in the Video Title

Your video title is the main driving factor in how YouTube indexes and ranks your content. When viewers search for videos, the title is often the first element that catches their eye and influences their decision to click and watch. It’s essential for it to align closely with what users are searching for.

Video titles should not only incorporate your main keyword naturally but also be engaging and to the point. YouTube Help identifies two video title types: searchable titles, which clearly describe the content for easy discovery, and intriguing titles, designed to spark curiosity.

A balanced approach to keyword optimization with a compelling, viewer-friendly title is key to attracting your audience. The character limit for YouTube titles is 100 characters, but only the first 70 are displayed; the remaining 30 get truncated.

4. Maximize Your Video Description

Google allows up to 5,000 characters for YouTube video descriptions, but keep in mind that only about the first 100 characters are visible to viewers before they choose to click “Show more” on desktop or “more” on mobile.

Image: Google

Make the most of the first part of your video description by sprinkling in your main keywords prominently. But remember to use natural language in your description rather than just a string of keywords. In the latter part of the description, you can include general details about your channel or further define your video.

You even have the option to set up a default description that automatically adds basic channel information to all your videos on upload. For example, Google’s channel has the same bit of text at the end of each video description.

The bottom line is to make your description helpful to the viewer. If it doesn’t serve this purpose, it’s better to omit it.

5. Add Relevant Hashtags

When you upload a video or record a Short on YouTube, or even when you’re creating a playlist on YouTube Music, you have the option to include hashtags in your title and description. These hashtags help viewers find content connected through similar themes or topics. To add a hashtag, just type the # symbol followed by a relevant topic or keyword in your video’s title or description.

Out of all the hashtags you add to your description, YouTube will display the top three, deemed the most relevant, next to your video title. The rest will still show in your video description and help your video show up in search results. Hashtags you use are clickable and lead to a page with other videos with the same tag.

However, there’s a limit: If you go overboard and use more than 60 hashtags, YouTube won’t recognize any of them. Also, overdoing hashtags or using ones that don’t relate to your content might get your video removed from searches or even your uploads. So, stick to relevant hashtags to keep your content visible and on point.

6. File Your Video in the Right Category

Just like how you’d optimize content for Google or other search engines, giving YouTube plenty of details about your videos helps in getting them in front of the right people. A key part of making this happen is using YouTube’s categories to your advantage.

YouTube uses these categories to not only sort videos into broad topics like “People & Blogs” or “Pets & Animals” but also to identify which channels are producing the highest quality content in each area. By selecting the right video category, you aid YouTube in determining if your video should show up in search results for similar topics.

Just be sure to pick the category that truly matches what your video is about. Going for a category just because it’s popular might seem tempting, but it can backfire. So, in the long run, sticking to what’s most accurate for your video serves you better, to rack up those views.

7. Add Subtitles and Closed Captions

Transcripts, which are text versions of your video’s dialogue or audio with time codes, help match the text with what’s happening on-screen. They make your videos more accessible to a broader audience, including viewers with hearing impairment and those who speak another language.

You can manually transcribe your video or use YouTube’s tools to create synchronized captions. YouTube’s automated captions and machine learning aren’t perfect and can get tripped up by accents or background noise. It’s a good idea for creators to check them and make any needed tweaks to keep things accurate.

Image: Google

The above shows the basic file formats supported by YouTube. View transcripts as a chance to incorporate keywords. For more guidance on creating transcript files for adding subtitles and closed captions, check out YouTube Help.

8. Divide Your Video Into Chapters

Video chapters divide a video into distinct segments, each accompanied by a unique preview. They provide additional information and context for each section of the video, making it convenient to revisit specific parts.

You have the option to manually add video chapters for each uploaded video or utilize the platform’s automatic video chapter feature. Additionally, creators can choose not to use automatic video chapters by adjusting settings in YouTube Studio.

Images: @mobilesyrup on YouTube

Take adding video chapters as a chance to incorporate keywords. Besides appearing in the sidebar on YouTube, video chapters are also listed in the video description box.

What’s more, video chapters are prominent in Google SERPs. This proves keyword insertion in your video chapters is beneficial. You also make it simpler for users to find the specific information they need.

9. Implement End Screens and Cards To Promote Other Videos

Have you noticed those interactive pop-ups in YouTube videos? These are called Info Cards ( i ) and End Screens, which are effective tools for maintaining viewer engagement. Cards are small, clickable notifications that appear throughout the video in the upper right corner of the player, offering additional video suggestions or links to other channels you want to promote.

You can add up to five Cards to a video, with options to link to another video, playlist, channel or an external website for those in the YouTube Partner Programme, ensuring compliance with YouTube’s guidelines.
End Screens are similar to Cards but are more visually prominent and appear in the last 5-20 seconds of your video. They can be used to promote other videos, encourage subscriptions or direct viewers to your popular playlists.

10. Use YouTube Analytics To Understand Viewer Behavior

YouTube Analytics is the most reliable way to identify what aspects of your videos are hitting the mark and what areas need improvement. The powerful tool provides you with a range of essential metrics that offer deep insights into your content’s performance, such as:

Analyzing these metrics helps you understand what resonates with your audience. If a video performs significantly better or worse than your average, investigate what sets it apart to refine your approach. Additionally, YouTube prioritizes “watch time” when ranking videos. A longer watch time suggests your content is engaging and valuable.

11. Promote Your Videos Where Possible

You want your viewers to share your videos — so why don’t you take the lead? You’ve got a whole array of marketing channels at your disposal to promote your videos beyond YouTube and push for visibility view count.

• Feature corporate videos and product demos on your website.
• Embed relevant videos in your blog posts.
• Add videos to your email marketing campaigns.
• Share your content across social media platforms.
• Respond to messages and comments with videos.
• Tag individuals or brands featured in your videos.

Although you want to promote your content as much as you want, always stick to relevance. Make sure your videos make sense with the blog posts or discussions you’re adding them to. You want to add value, not just make noise. If your video feels out of place, people might just bounce off.

Above all else, make sure you’re confident of the quality of the videos you’re going to put out. Otherwise, the video marketing and SEO tactics could turn ineffective.

More Video Marketing Tips To Support Your YouTube SEO Strategy

Apart from SEO-driven techniques, there are video marketing strategies that significantly influence the success and performance of your video content.

While not necessarily SEO-related, such tactics are likewise essential for capturing the viewers’ interest, keeping them engaged and stimulating interactions, all of which enhance the overall impact of your content.

To add to our video SEO tips above, here are more video marketing strategies:

12. Pick an Appropriate Topic and Format

Your storyline should match user intent. Once you’ve established the topic you want to tackle, it’s easier to figure out the best format or length for your video, whether it’s a longer piece, something short and snappy or somewhere in between.

Also, think about the feelings you want to stir in your viewers. Do you want them to have a good laugh, feel uplifted or just plain happy after watching? Keep this emotion in mind as you’re penning your script. Everything, from the choice of props and locations to the color palette and wardrobe, will help bring this feeling to life.

And don’t forget the practical stuff – like how much time, money and manpower you have – when deciding on your video’s topic and format. One idea you could explore in video marketing for SEO is telling a brand’s story through a video.

Related article: Brand Story: Why It’s Important and How To Create One

13. Design an Attention-Grabbing Video Thumbnail

Speaking of first impressions — video thumbnails are crucial in getting someone to click on your video over others. A catchy video thumbnail could be the only thing that sets you apart from the competition.

So, think of your thumbnail as a visual hook. It should be compelling and relevant to the content of your video, giving a glimpse into what viewers can expect. Using vibrant colors, intriguing images and clear, legible text can make your thumbnail pop.

Additionally, having staple elements of your brand can help maintain consistency and recognition across your videos.

14. Double Down on Shorts

Debuted worldwide in June 2021, YouTube Shorts surpassed 70 billion daily views in October 2023.

Still, not every brand will find short-form content beneficial, but if your audience resonates with brief, impactful videos, embracing this format should be a no-brainer. Short videos, often referred to as “Shorts,” offer a dynamic way to engage viewers who prefer quick, digestible content.

This style proves especially impactful since shorter attention spans and intense competition for viewers’ time is at an all-time high.

Remember, the key is to understand your audience’s preferences. If they lean toward quick and engaging content, then doubling down on short-form videos is a strategic move.

Related article: Instagram Reels vs. TikTok for Business: Which Is Best for Your Industry

15. Have a Clear Call to Action

The end goal of video marketing for SEO is to guide viewers toward a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for more information. You need to facilitate the conversion process, and one effective way to do this is by incorporating a definitive, compelling call to action (CTA) in your video.

Typically, CTAs are positioned toward the end of the video, guiding viewers on the next exact steps to take after engaging with your content.

Whether you’re prompting them to visit your website, subscribe to your channel or take advantage of a special offer, your CTA should be concise, persuasive and relevant to the content they’ve just viewed.

16. Be Consistent in Your Posting Schedules

Embracing a consistent posting schedule can work wonders for your video marketing strategy. You’ve probably heard many YouTube creators pledge “New videos weekly,” and there’s a good reason for that. Viewers value consistency; they love knowing when they can expect new content from you.

Regular uploads signal to viewers that they can rely on you for steady, fresh content, which in turn helps foster a loyal and engaged community around your brand.
But here’s an idea to add an element of excitement that pleases viewers: Alongside your regular schedule, surprise your viewers occasionally with bonus content or special features.

17. Invest in Professional Video Production

Video production can be costly, but it’s one that can yield substantial returns when approached with willingness. With the help of professional video producers, you not only elevate the viewer’s experience but also enhance your brand’s credibility and appeal.

Consumers who lean toward video content are undoubtedly visually driven. Video streaming platforms like YouTube regard “Watch Time” as one of their chief metrics. You want to make a good first impression that lasts.

Why Invest in Professional Video Production Services

Let’s further look into the value of professional video production.

“Businesses need to nail their branding down before they start video content planning,” said Chris Clements, Thrive’s in-house videography expert.

“They need to have their brand voice and clarity in what they want their brand to look and feel like.”

Marketing firms offering professional video production services will start with your branding to get to know your brand inside out or assist in developing one if you’re starting from scratch.

Clements noted that working with a professional video production team can also help you identify and meet your goals, from brand awareness to more engagement or explaining a product or service.

Here’s a breakdown of the benefits of professional video production and marketing:

• Higher quality videos: Engaging a professional video production team ensures your content benefits from the highest standards in audio clarity, visual sharpness and seamless editing. This polish not only captivates viewers from the first frame but also keeps them hooked throughout your video. High-quality production can significantly reduce viewer drop-off rates as it makes the content more enjoyable and easier to watch.

• Promoted brand image: When your content is slick, well-produced and visually appealing, it casts your brand in a highly professional light. This meticulous attention to production quality suggests that your company values excellence and is committed to providing high-quality services or products.

• Creative storytelling: Professional videographers and editors have a knack for weaving together visuals, sound and narrative in a way that strikes a chord with your audience. By understanding the nuances of storytelling, they can transform your message into a compelling narrative that captures the imagination, evokes emotions and leaves a lasting impression.

• Access to technical expertise and tools: You can capitalize on technical skills and cutting-edge equipment. Whether it’s using drones for breathtaking aerial shots, employing advanced lighting techniques for perfect mood setting or utilizing sophisticated editing software for flawless post-production, these resources can elevate your video content to a level that’s difficult to achieve on your own.

• Strategic content distribution: Video marketers understand the landscape of online content distribution. They can help you navigate the complexities of different platforms, from social media to video streaming services, ensuring your content is optimized for each channel. Strategic marketing maximizes visibility, engagement and the overall effectiveness of your video marketing campaigns.

• Measurable results: Professionals employ tools and techniques to gather data on how viewers interact with your videos, providing insights into watch times, engagement rates and conversion metrics. This wealth of data is invaluable for refining your content strategy and planning future projects with a clear understanding of what resonates with your audience.

“Video is all about entertaining and providing value, and professional video production will usually hit those marks,” Clements added.

“An amateur videographer will just slap music together with video clips, but a professional will take the viewer on an experience.”

Want Exposure and Engagement for Your Videos?

Exposure and engagement are two things you win with proper video optimization and what Thrive’s video SEO services team is committed to giving you.

Thrive’s professional video SEO services ensure you cover every aspect of video marketing done, from conceptualization to optimization and post-production promotion, all while staying on-brand. Our top video and SEO services are:

• SEO (including SEO for video content)
• Local SEO
• Franchise SEO
• Enterprise SEO
• Search engine marketing (SEM)
• Video production
• Drone video and photography
• Video testimonial production

“At Thrive, we practice what we preach,” said Tristan Harris, Thrive’s Demand Generation manager and SEO expert.

“We rank highly for very competitive marketing and SEO keywords, such as marketing agency, SEO agency and digital marketing agency.”

How’s that so?

“We use effective strategies — the same strategies we use for our own clients,” Harris revealed.

Talk to our video SEO services team, and let’s get your videos up in search.

SEO Video Marketing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If you have other questions about video marketing trends, or if you want more YouTube SEO tips, reach out to our team.

One of the principal decisions that startup owners have to make is whether or not to engage in SEO. One common consideration is the cost of investing in an SEO campaign versus possible returns. Another is the daunting list of SEO terminologies, which may overwhelm newcomers to the e-commerce and website scene. If you are a new online entrepreneur but are not convinced of the benefits of SEO, then this article is for you! Here are some of the reasons why SEO is important and why you should consider it as a marketing technique. SEO is less expensive than other online marketing approaches. It also offers higher reward rates when compared to other techniques such as social media marketing, pay per click advertising, and email marketing. While you may need to defray a substantial amount to cover initial SEO planning and processes that include website design, programming, and strategizing, you can be sure to get faster and more long-term results.

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure. It is: Try to please everybody.”
– Herbert Bayard Swope

Implementing SEO strategies help you to rank higher on the search engine’s results page (SERP). This means that when your target customers search for products and services that your industry offers, they are likely to find your website. When you repeatedly appear on the SERP, users become aware of your site and your business. This increases the chances of landing potential customers on your webpages.

SEO is a Cost-Effective Advertising Strategy

One SEO component called off-site SEO ensures that users of external pages or of social media can find your website. Being optimized for SEO increases the site’s potential to draw customers from other platforms other than the search engine. For instance, when you post content and links to your page on Facebook or Twitter, you are able to promote your website and attract more customers. One of the main goals of SEO is to attract the targeted audience through organic searches. The number of visitors to your site influences your sales and subscriptions. It also promotes the marketing of your products and services. Increased inbound traffic is always good for business because it equates to more conversion opportunities.

Some SEO-related tools such as the Google Keyword Planner and Google Analytics provide quantitative data to help you understand your market, analyze the trends, and know your competitors’ standings. It helps you identify popular and valuable keywords so you can decide how to structure or revise your content. It also gives you insights on your market’s behavior such as location, times of activity, frequency of searches, technologies used, product preferences, etc. All these metrics are useful in helping you get to know your audience, their needs, and their expectations.

Why should you care about SEO?

Firstly, it’s a cost-effective marketing tool. Compared to alternatives like social media marketing or pay-per-click advertising, SEO typically offers better returns on investment. While there’s an initial outlay for SEO planning, including website design, coding, and strategic planning, the results tend to be both faster and more enduring. So, if you’re looking for a marketing approach that packs a punch without breaking the bank, SEO might just be your ticket.

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure. It is: Try to please everybody.”
– Herbert Bayard Swope

Implementing SEO strategies help you to rank higher on the search engine’s results page (SERP). This means that when your target customers search for products and services that your industry offers, they are likely to find your website. When you repeatedly appear on the SERP, users become aware of your site and your business. This increases the chances of landing potential customers on your webpages.

SEO is a Cost-Effective Advertising Strategy

One SEO component called off-site SEO ensures that users of external pages or of social media can find your website. Being optimized for SEO increases the site’s potential to draw customers from other platforms other than the search engine. For instance, when you post content and links to your page on Facebook or Twitter, you are able to promote your website and attract more customers. One of the main goals of SEO is to attract the targeted audience through organic searches. The number of visitors to your site influences your sales and subscriptions. It also promotes the marketing of your products and services. Increased inbound traffic is always good for business because it equates to more conversion opportunities.

Some SEO-related tools such as the Google Keyword Planner and Google Analytics provide quantitative data to help you understand your market, analyze the trends, and know your competitors’ standings. It helps you identify popular and valuable keywords so you can decide how to structure or revise your content. It also gives you insights on your market’s behavior such as location, times of activity, frequency of searches, technologies used, product preferences, etc. All these metrics are useful in helping you get to know your audience, their needs, and their expectations.

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure. It is: Try to please everybody.”
– Herbert Bayard Swope

Implementing SEO strategies help you to rank higher on the search engine’s results page (SERP). This means that when your target customers search for products and services that your industry offers, they are likely to find your website. When you repeatedly appear on the SERP, users become aware of your site and your business. This increases the chances of landing potential customers on your webpages.

SEO is a Cost-Effective Advertising Strategy

One SEO component called off-site SEO ensures that users of external pages or of social media can find your website. Being optimized for SEO increases the site’s potential to draw customers from other platforms other than the search engine. For instance, when you post content and links to your page on Facebook or Twitter, you are able to promote your website and attract more customers. One of the main goals of SEO is to attract the targeted audience through organic searches. The number of visitors to your site influences your sales and subscriptions. It also promotes the marketing of your products and services. Increased inbound traffic is always good for business because it equates to more conversion opportunities.

Some SEO-related tools such as the Google Keyword Planner and Google Analytics provide quantitative data to help you understand your market, analyze the trends, and know your competitors’ standings. It helps you identify popular and valuable keywords so you can decide how to structure or revise your content. It also gives you insights on your market’s behavior such as location, times of activity, frequency of searches, technologies used, product preferences, etc. All these metrics are useful in helping you get to know your audience, their needs, and their expectations.

O One of the principal decisions that startup owners have to make is whether or not to engage in SEO. One common consideration is the cost of investing in an SEO campaign versus possible returns. Another is the daunting list of SEO terminologies, which may overwhelm newcomers to the e-commerce and website scene. If you are a new online entrepreneur but are not convinced of the benefits of SEO, then this article is for you! Here are some of the reasons why SEO is important and why you should consider it as a marketing technique. SEO is less expensive than other online marketing approaches. It also offers higher reward rates when compared to other techniques such as social media marketing, pay per click advertising, and email marketing. While you may need to defray a substantial amount to cover initial SEO planning and processes that include website design, programming, and strategizing, you can be sure to get faster and more long-term results.

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure. It is: Try to please everybody.”
– Herbert Bayard Swope

Implementing SEO strategies help you to rank higher on the search engine’s results page (SERP). This means that when your target customers search for products and services that your industry offers, they are likely to find your website. When you repeatedly appear on the SERP, users become aware of your site and your business. This increases the chances of landing potential customers on your webpages.

SEO is a Cost-Effective Advertising Strategy

One SEO component called off-site SEO ensures that users of external pages or of social media can find your website. Being optimized for SEO increases the site’s potential to draw customers from other platforms other than the search engine. For instance, when you post content and links to your page on Facebook or Twitter, you are able to promote your website and attract more customers. One of the main goals of SEO is to attract the targeted audience through organic searches. The number of visitors to your site influences your sales and subscriptions. It also promotes the marketing of your products and services. Increased inbound traffic is always good for business because it equates to more conversion opportunities.

Some SEO-related tools such as the Google Keyword Planner and Google Analytics provide quantitative data to help you understand your market, analyze the trends, and know your competitors’ standings. It helps you identify popular and valuable keywords so you can decide how to structure or revise your content. It also gives you insights on your market’s behavior such as location, times of activity, frequency of searches, technologies used, product preferences, etc. All these metrics are useful in helping you get to know your audience, their needs, and their expectations.