Video SEO best practices

1. Help Google Find Your Videos #

• Use standard HTML tags like <video>, <iframe>, <embed>, or <object> to embed videos.
  
• Avoid loading videos via URL fragments or actions (like clicks/swipes). Videos should be in the rendered HTML.
  
• If using advanced APIs (like Media Source API), ensure a fallback <video> container exists in the HTML for Google to detect.
  
• Provide structured data (JSON-LD) describing your videos.
  
• Use video sitemaps and Open Graph Protocol (OGP) metadata to help discovery.
  

2. Ensure Your Videos Can Be Indexed #

• The video’s watch page (page where video is embedded as main content) must be indexed and perform well.
  
• Video must be visible and not hidden behind overlays or paywalls.
  
• If you use paywalls, implement paywall structured data to allow Google to see the video metadata.
  
• Provide a valid thumbnail image with a stable, permanent URL.
  

3. Use Supported Video File Types #

Google supports these file formats:

• Common: MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI, MKV, WMV, MPEG, etc.
  
• Avoid data URLs or unstable file formats.
  

4. Use Stable URLs for Video & Thumbnails #

• Avoid CDN URLs that expire quickly.
  
• Stable URLs help Google crawl consistently and display video previews, key moments, and other features.
  
• For security, you can restrict access to video URLs so only Googlebot or trusted clients see the actual file location.
  

5. Create a Dedicated Watch Page for Each Video #

• The watch page should focus mainly on one video as the primary content.
  
• Examples: Video landing pages, TV episodes, news video pages, sports highlights.
  
• Avoid watch pages that are just lists, blogs with embedded videos, or product pages with videos as a minor part.
  
• Give each watch page a unique title and meta description tailored to the specific video.
  

6. Use Third-Party Embedded Players Carefully #

• If embedding YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook videos, Google might index both your page and the original platform’s page.
  
• Still add structured data to your page to improve indexing chances.
  
• Check with the video host to ensure Google can access the video file URL if you want advanced features.
  

7. Monitor and Troubleshoot #

• Use Google Search Console to monitor video indexing and performance.
  
• Test pages with the Rich Results Test tool to verify structured data.
  
• Fix errors like missing thumbnails, blocked URLs, or improper markup.
  

Quick Pro Tips: #

• Avoid lazy-loading videos behind user interaction for better crawlability.
  
• Use descriptive, unique titles for watch pages.
  
• Keep thumbnail URLs consistent to avoid indexing issues.
  
• Implement video sitemaps for large video libraries.

The different types of URLs related to videos on your site and how you use them #

Watch Page URL #

• What it is: The webpage where your video is the main focus — the page users land on to watch the video.
  
• Example: https://example.com/videos/some_video_landing_page.html
  
• Where used:
  
  • The <loc> tag in your video sitemap
    
  • The actual URL Google indexes and shows in search results
    
• Important:
  
  • This page should have unique title and description for SEO
    
  • Should embed the video player and display the video prominently
    

Video Player URL #

• What it is: The URL of the video player (often embedded via <iframe>) that plays the video on the watch page.
  
• Example: https://example.com/videoplayer.php?video=123
  
• Where used:
  
  • The embedUrl property in VideoObject structured data
    
  • The <video:player_loc> tag in your video sitemap
    
• Important:
  
  • This is the interactive player that users click to watch the video
    
  • It may be a custom player on your site or a third-party player
    

Video File URL #

• What it is: The direct URL to the actual video file (e.g., .mp4, .webm) that streams the video content.
  
• Example: https://streamserver.example.com/video/123/file.mp4
  
• Where used:
  
  • The contentUrl property in VideoObject structured data
    
  • The <video:content_loc> tag in your video sitemap
    
• Important:
  
  • Must be a stable URL that Google can fetch and index
    
  • Enables Google to generate thumbnails, video previews, key moments
    
  • Can be hosted on your server, CDN, or streaming platform
    

Thumbnail URL #

• What it is: The image shown as the video preview or thumbnail.
  
• Where used:
  
  • The thumbnailUrl property in structured data
    
  • The <video:thumbnail_loc> tag in video sitemaps
    
  • The poster attribute in the <video> HTML element
    
  • The og:video:image property for Open Graph metadata
    
• Important:
  
  • Use a stable, accessible image URL
    
  • Should be a clear, descriptive thumbnail (minimum 60×30 pixels)
    
  • Helps users identify your video in search results
    

Summary Table #

URL Type	Purpose	Example URL	Usage in Metadata
Watch Page	Page users visit to watch the video	https://example.com/videos/video1.html	<loc> in sitemap
Video Player	The embedded video player URL	https://example.com/player?vid=123	embedUrl, <video:player_loc>
Video File	The actual video file for streaming	https://cdn.example.com/video123.mp4	contentUrl, <video:content_loc>
Thumbnail Image	The preview image representing the video	https://example.com/thumbs/video123.jpg	thumbnailUrl, <video:thumbnail_loc>

Why this matters: #

• Correctly specifying these URLs in your sitemap and structured data helps Google understand your video content better.
  
• It improves your chance of showing rich video results, previews, key moments, and better engagement in search.
  
• Keeps your video indexing healthy and manageable.