YouTube SEO.
Learn what YouTube SEO means in modern search and SEO.
Optimising YouTube videos and channel to rank in YouTube search results, the Suggested Videos feed, and Google video results.
YouTube SEO focuses specifically on optimising content for visibility within YouTube's platform—the world's second-largest search engine with over 3 billion searches per month. YouTube ranks videos based on relevance, engagement, and watch time signals, with the algorithm optimising to keep viewers watching as long as possible.
YouTube Ranking Factors
Primary YouTube ranking factors: Click-Through Rate (CTR) from search results and suggested videos—determined by thumbnail quality and title; Watch Time (total minutes watched, not just percentage); Audience Retention (percentage of video watched—higher is better); Engagement Rate (likes, comments, shares as a percentage of views); Keywords (in title, description, and tags—for discoverability); and Channel Authority (history of consistently performing videos).
YouTube SEO Optimisation Tactics
Practical YouTube SEO tactics: conduct keyword research using YouTube's autocomplete, TubeBuddy, or vidIQ; include the target keyword in the video title (front-loaded); write detailed descriptions (at least 250 words) with the target keyword in the first two lines; add relevant tags; create custom thumbnails with faces and text; add chapters (timestamps) to improve session time and satisfaction; publish video transcripts in the description; and use YouTube Cards and End Screens to drive related video viewing.
Articles about YouTube SEO
Read more on the Aergos blog.
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Google Gemini Now Generates Personalized Images Using Your Photos and Gmail
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The 2026 Guide to Ranking in Both SEO and AI Search
Search has split into three disciplines — SEO for rankings, AEO for answer boxes, and GEO for getting cited by AI engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. This is the 2026 master guide to winning all three without running three separate playbooks. If you bookmark one resource this year, make it this one.
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Sundar Pichai Says Search Is Becoming an Agent, Not an Answer
Google CEO Sundar Pichai sat down with The Verge's Nilay Patel just after Google I/O 2026 and laid out a vision where search kicks off tasks instead of delivering links. The conversation also put a name to something publishers have feared for years: Google Zero. Here's what changed, why it matters, and what you should do about it.
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