June 10th, 2010 by Nick

Videos are becoming increasingly important for online firms. They use them to inform, entertain and everything which falls between the two. Some users appreciate video as opposed to text, and they can certainly alter the perception potential customers may have of a firm. However, a video does not necessarily suit every site, and it can have a negative impact in terms of search engine optimisation. There is little point in being marginally more attractive to potential consumers, if they are less likely to visit a site in the first place due to its decreased visibility in the search engine results pages. The task, then, is to address the video issue in two ways. The first step is to assess whether a video fits the bill for a specific site. The second step is to work out how best to deploy a video, if it is an appropriate way of proceeding.

Not every site would benefit from the use of a video. For example, a payday loans company would simply want a functional site, and may want to project quite an austere image. However, there are a multitude of online firms who do want to capitalise on the power of video. Videos are relatively easy to make, using the latest technology. If a firm is involved in explaining a technique to users, a video is a very good way of providing instructions in an accessible form. Relatively uninspired presentations can be given added zest by the shrewd use of video. As videos often attract comment, they can make sites more popular with users, by fostering interactivity, on occasion contributing to that special ‘community feel.’

If it is judged that a video is something which should be incorporated into the vision of a site, it is important to consider how best it should fit in with an evolving search engine optimisation campaign. If a video is hosted on the site itself, it can sometimes slow the speed of a site considerably. This means that users may go to other sites, where their needs and wants are catered for with greater alacrity. So, it can be an astute option to consider alternative ways forward. This is where YouTube may come into the equation.

YouTube videos are an excellent choice in many circumstances. YouTube is owned by Google, and its videos appear in Google News. Featuring in Google News can be an effective way to get ahead in the battle over position in the search engine results pages. However, YouTube’s real advantage is obviously its large audience. From a SEO perspective, a YouTube video will not use up valuable space on a server, and thus it will not impair the relative performance of a site.

Videos can have positive and negative implications for online firms. The web crawlers of the search engines are more interested in data in the form of text than in video format, but many users think differently. So, the crucial trick is to maximise the advantages, and minimise the potential drawbacks, of utilising a video. Consulting a SEO company can be one way of heading in the right direction.

Link to us

If you want to link to this blog, copy and paste the following HTML code to your website.