Online video usability 'can help SEO'

1st October 2008

Improving the usability of online video could also help to boost search engine rankings, an expert has suggested.

Writing for ITWales, usability specialist Mrudula Kodali stated that applying usability and accessibility principles such as keyword-rich video titles and summaries, as well as written transcripts of video content, could be good for search engine optimisation (SEO).

"A transcript also gives you the means to a decent site search including videos, boosting your SEO as well as helping users find what they're looking for," she remarked.

Other usability guidelines for video include providing information on the length of the clip and a thumbnail to give users all the data they need to decide if the video is for them, Ms Kodali said.

This comes after YouTube unveiled a new analytics feature allowing those who upload videos to see how their clips perform in terms of visitors throughout the duration of the video, enabling them to see which scenes are the most popular.