YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine behind Google, with 2 billion monthly users across the globe watching a billion hours of video per day, with 500 minutes of the video posted every single minute. Over 90% of consumers say that they have discovered new brands on YouTube.

It is, therefore, so important to use YouTube to its best advantage, and there are some easy ways to do that!

How to rank your videos faster on YouTube

By using some simple SEO techniques your estate agency can reach a wider audience, improve your online presence, and get more people to watch your videos.

1. Write searchable titles. Keep these to around 45 characters to show up easily in YouTube searches. Identify the content type “XYZ AGENCY presents: video of XYZ (property address) for sale” or “XYZ AGENCY presents a Tutorial on XYZ for tenants in a rental property.”

2. Tell a story.

3. Put descriptive and searchable content into every video detail box. Give your viewers extra information and links to your website and social media channels. Ensure that you have a clear CTA (call to action).

4. Add Tags to each video: Include keywords from your title (FOR SALE, TO LET, LOCATION, HOME, DREAM HOME, HOUSE HUNTING, NEW VIDEO)

5. Put all of your videos into the correct PLAYLIST. You can make these yourself, but typically ‘Properties for Sale’ ‘Properties to Let’ ‘Sold Properties’ ‘Rented Properties’. You can easily create relevant playlists for your business and move the videos into the correct section and they will show in the right place on your Home Screen.

Remember to update these regularly, so that if you sell or let a property you can move it from ‘for sale’ or ‘to let’ to ‘sold’ or ‘let’. If you are a letting agent and carry out property maintenance, this is a great place to have your ‘how to’ videos – ie. how to bleed a radiator, how to descale your washing machine, how to clean your gutters etc.

YouTube search engine optimisation has an indirect influence on performance metrics for your video content:

On YouTube, your videos will be ranked by the number of views, how many subscribers you have on your channel, watch time and any comments made. Google or any other search engine, will then look at those metrics to figure out how good the video is and then will rank it on SERPs (search engine results page) – giving you organic optimisation to bring you up the Google SERPs.

By ensuring that your video has great SEO in its title, description, transcript and tags, the easier YouTube will be able to place your video in front of the right audience, which, in turn, means that it will get more views, it will be watched more, you will get more comments and ultimately, more subscribers to your channel.

BEST CREATIVE PRACTICES:

1. Make a video that you would want to watch.
2. Tell a story.
3. Use a powerful hook “BRAND NEW TO MARKET” or “BEST ROAD IN XYZ TOWN”
4. Try not the “sell” but “offer” something to your audience.
5. Guide the viewer on what to do next (CTA).

A.B.C.D.
By doing this you will:

Attract your audience’s attention,
build your Brand,
Connect with more people
and Direct your viewers to make a positive move – ie. book a viewing, get in touch with you and arrange a valuation.

END SCREEN OF VIDEO:

No longer worry about getting your video edited with your branding at the end, YouTube will do this for you! This is where you can add another related video in the final 20 seconds of the original video. If you have other properties in the same price range, the number of beds, same town etc, then you can link them so that the viewer can automatically view them all.

FINALLY:

Get your channel settings correct!

Just under the header on your channel you will see a box “CUSTOMISE CHANNEL” and when you click that link you will see 3 tabs:

– Layout – you can add a featured video, playlists and the newest feature ‘shorts’ for your portrait short-form videos of under 60 seconds.
– Branding – Your avatar, your channel header and your watermark, which can show for the final 15 seconds of your video or you can set a custom time or have it showing through the entire video.
– Basic Info – where you can write about your brand, use your keywords and long-tail key phrases and add your links to other websites as detailed below.

Link to your website and social media channels:

If somebody finds you on YouTube you must surely want them to visit your website and follow you on social media. It is easy to link to any other channels and this will show on your banner header on your page.

Get your branding right!

Avatar size is 98 x 98 pixels and 4 MB or less. Use a PNG or GIF (no animations) file.

Banner Image size is 2048 x 1152 pixels and 6 MB or less. Remember to utilise the bottom of the image as this is what will show on mobile devices. For the minimum dimension, the safe area for text and logos is 1235 x 338 pixels.

Make sure that you utilize as many of the 1000 characters that you have to write all about your business, your location, and your services and tag in any other relevant channels that are appropriate, using the channel @username. This section should ideally match your other online platforms, such as your ‘About Us’ page on your website, or your social media page description.

If you do business with other countries outside of your chosen one – guessing this will be United Kingdom – then you also have the ability to translate this for those countries you work with. For instance, if you have a lot of investors who live overseas, why not translate into those Countries – it will add the translation to your search engine results, which is fabulous for your SEO in those other countries.

Need help with your YouTube Channel?

Our team will help you to customize your YouTube channel and can help to keep your listings up to date. YouTube classes as a platform on any of our Social Media packages, which you can see HERE.

Jane Gardner

I work all over the UK with various business owners, dedicating my creative and expert property knowledge from 35 years in the industry. I am a Level 4 ARLA Propertymark examiner, I sit on the board of Agents Giving Charity and I love everything property related! I can be contacted on 01923 627777 or by email to jane@social-angels.co.uk