How an optimised video title helps you stand out in a crowd
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How an optimised video title helps you stand out in a crowd

Let’s be honest – there are a lot of videos out there, and thousands more added every minute of every day. So how can you make yours stand out in a crowd?

There are plenty of top tips to help you get noticed. But let’s start at the beginning: your video title.

Why does an optimised video title matter?

Quite simply, it’s your main shot at getting someone’s attention. Whether a human user or a search engine. While there are many other factors that will dictate how high your video will rank on YouTube, Google or other platforms, a very easy one to get right straight away is an optimised video title.

Above all, the title needs to accurately describe what your video is about whilst appealing to your target audience. However, there are some good quick wins which will help your viewers notice, and click on, your video title.

How do you “optimise” a video title?

Make sure your title is:

  • Short and snappy. A maximum of 70 characters is recommended.
  • Relevant to your content. Don’t be tempted to use an intriguing title to lure viewers to click on your video. It’ll backfire when they immediately stop watching and your average watch-time is reduced. YouTube and other platforms use watch-time as a key metric of quality and penalise videos with low average watch-time.
  • Mistake-free. Use a spelling and grammar checker to make sure.
  • Packed with keywords. Not too many (YouTube doesn’t like this) but 1-3 that are good search terms. Use each keyword only once, and put your main keyword at the start of the title if you can. If you want to increase your visibility on search engines, add the word “video” to your title.
  • Eye-catching. Use dramatic words to emphasise your point (as long as they’re relevant!). Include numbers if you can – e.g. Top 5 tricks to… etc. And the term “how to” is a popular way to get more hits.
  • Interesting. Think about how you can “sell” your content. Like creating a fear of missing out by alluding to special information your video reveals. Or demonstrating your knowledge with words like “expert”.
  • Sincere. Provide the best possible experience for your audience rather than trying to beat search engine algorithms. Don’t try to trick your viewers, instead think about what will benefit them most.

It might only be a few words. But taking time to think about your video title, and getting the wording spot on, can make all the difference to standing out in the crowd.

What do you think?

Which of your video titles has had the most hits? And why do you think that is? We’d love for you to share your stories in our Video Creators Facebook Group.

Join our free Facebook community

PS. You might also find it helpful to take a step back and define the goal of your video before you compose your title. Check out our Know your goal blog for some top tips on how to do this.

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