YouTube captions are an important piece of data that Google and YouTube analyze when looking for content to provide a solution to a searcher’s question. Leveraging this part of your videos could help you get found more. Here are a few steps to help you when creating a valuable caption for your video!
Writing a caption for YouTube is very different than writing one for your Facebook videos.
Repeat the Title
When writing your caption, the very first thing you should do is repeat the title. This helps the search functions as they’re assessing your video. Copy and paste that directly into your caption.
Rephrase The Title
You’ve already picked the most common way of asking the question your video answers for your title, but there are many other ways to ask for the same answer. In the next part of your caption, be sure to rephrase the questions people might be asking. You can turn this into a conversational paragraph or use it in question for followed by “these are the questions answered in this video.”
This part of the caption might sound a little strange, but keep in mind that on YouTube, most people don’t read through the caption. This is primarily for SEO purposes, so even if it’s a little hard to read, it will benefit you in the long run for the life of your video.
Content Matters
After you’ve handled the SEO part of your caption, you’ll want to add the meat of your caption. This is the part where you can write what you’d typically write for a Facebook video caption. Break down the content you’ll be speaking about so if people chose to read it, they’ll know what’s in the video. If possible, use timestamps because when people click on them, it takes them to that exact spot in the video. If you have links to freebies you mention in your video, include those as well.
Link To Other YouTube Videos
YouTube’s main goal is to keep viewers on the platform, so offering links to YouTube’s other videos is going to work in your favor. Pick two or three of your other videos that your viewers might find helpful as they continue their search. This will make the YouTube algorithms happy.
Using Hashtags
While YouTube has a tags section that functions like hashtags, they also allow three hashtags to be added to your title or to your caption. We strongly recommend not wasting space in your title, so include these three hashtags at the very end of your caption.
Use the three most-relevant hashtags you can think of because these help with your search results.
Once added, these hashtags will appear in clickable blue letters above your video title on your video’s page.
Next Step
Now that your hashtags are handled, let’s break down your tags and what you should be doing for those. Join me in the next article for tips on how to create the best thumbnail for your YouTube video.
Put those YouTube tags to work when you go live on YouTube with BeLive! Just choose YouTube as your destination in Studio2 and start growing your community!
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K.M. Robinson is a social media marketing strategist and best-selling author who has been spotlighted by the major social media platforms and other companies for her innovative work in the field of social media marketing. She’s represented the USA in a major World Social Media Day broadcast, and has appeared on live broadcasts, podcasts, and at in-person events and conventions to educate on working with the social media algorithms and how to create a profitable business through smart social media marketing. She loves to go live using BeLive to connect with her readers and interview other experts.
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