20 things about Google - Thing 08 - Google loves You Tube and so should you!
Everyone’s talking about video for their websites! You simply must do it yourself and here’s why.
Google loves video if it’s on You Tube. It’s become extremely keen on promoting You Tube since it bought it for a few zillion quid a few years ago. Don’t bother with Vimeo or any of the other video platforms if you want Google to be interested in your website, it’s as simple as that. Why put video directly on your website when you can use You Tube’s huge servers to take the strain?
Using video in this way can also improve your website accessibility. When videos are captioned and structured clearly, they benefit not only your users but also your search visibility.
Here’s 7 top tips to help Google love You Tube more effectively.
- Keep it real. It’s really nice to have a slick corporate video but what tends to be most popular are the “How to” videos, which usually consist of one person in front of their mobile phone, freely giving away information that will help others.
- Keep it steady. Why perch your smart phone on a pile of books or hold it as far away from you as possible when you can buy a tripod for a fiver from ebay?
- Become an expert. Be seen as the “Go to” person for what you are talking about. This comes from putting up content regularly. To give you an example, I have filmed all of my 20 points about Google and will be releasing them (when all of the processing and close captioning is finished), once every few days to gain momentum.
- Close caption your video. Remember many people might be in a work environment where their computers have no sound. If you subtitle your video, you will be watched by more people, including the deaf community. Google is deaf as well as being blind, remember that. Captioning is free to do yourself or you can pay someone a fiver to do it for you.
- Don’t forget your tags. Tagging your video will increase the number of people who will find it.
- Be different. One of our clients (Little and Lambert Pianos) import used pianos from Japan, take them apart and refurbish them beautifully. They do an amazing job, especially as they blind. We configured their website so they could upload photos of their pianos themselves, which was a technical challenge we were very proud of. I went up to their shop and spent the day filming them, showing what they do, sharing knowledge and demonstrating their high skill levels. They also had a parrot in the shop and I filmed it on a Clavinova (a piano which can play itself). It’s well worth watching and very funny. It also became their most popular video.
- In the words of Nike, just do it. Like anything, once you have done it a few times, it becomes easy.
These tips do more than help you make a better video. They are also part of good website accessibility. If your videos are captioned, structured and easy to find, they are not just easier to watch. They are easier to use. That matters more than ever.
Website accessibility is about creating a digital experience that works for everyone. It includes everything from colour contrast and keyboard navigation to alt text and video captions. If someone cannot access your content, they cannot benefit from what you offer. You could be excluding a large audience without even knowing it.
This is where structure comes in. A clear page structure helps search engines understand your content. It also helps users find what they need. Video content can support this structure beautifully, when it is placed carefully with transcripts, headings and labels.
One of the most overlooked advantages of ensuring the Google loves You Tube is that it supports your overall content strategy. When you combine your videos with properly written headings, paragraphs, and accessibility best practice, you create a stronger website presence. Accessibility and SEO are not in conflict. In fact, the more accessible your content, the more visible it becomes.
We have also seen that clients who use video in this way often receive positive feedback from users with a wide range of access needs. A clearly structured page, with video, captions, and readable text helps build trust. It shows you care about how people experience your site, not just about your message.
Google loves You Tube for many reasons. Its video content is indexable, shareable and drives more engagement. When embedded properly with accurate captions and context, it boosts website accessibility and site performance. If you want to increase your traffic and broaden your reach, there is no faster path than optimising your You Tube strategy.
Google’s own tools also favour content hosted on You Tube. It is easier to integrate across search, maps and business listings. When you publish helpful, accessible video content on You Tube and embed it on your site, you are giving Google exactly what it wants to see.
At Access by Design, we specialise in building websites with accessibility in mind from day one. Whether you are a small shop or a large organisation, we believe your content should be usable by all. If you already have a website and are not sure whether it meets modern standards, we can carry out an audit and let you know what needs improving.
We have worked with a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors. These include local authorities, education providers, and small independent businesses like Little and Lambert. In each case, our goal is to create a website that works for everyone.
If you are thinking about adding video to your website, that is a great start. It brings personality, energy and real-world insight. It also creates an opportunity to improve your website accessibility and reach a wider audience.
To learn more about what website accessibility really means, visit our Accessibility Audit page: https://accessbydesign.uk/accessibility-audit/
To see examples of how we support different clients, visit Our Clients page: https://accessbydesign.uk/about/our-clients/
If you would like to talk to us about how we could help you with your website or getting more traffic to it, or both, why not give us a call on 01243 776399?
Clive Loseby
Access by Design. An award winning local web development company.
