We’ve seen trends come and go, but one thing is becoming crystal clear: video isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’ anymore; it’s a must-have for getting found online. You need Video in your Blog Posts!
You might think of videos as just for YouTube or TikTok, but I’m here to tell you that embedding videos right into your blog posts is one of the smartest things you can do for your website’s ranking on Google right now. And with Google’s new ‘AI Overviews’ popping up in search results, video is becoming even more important.
Today, we’re going to dive into why Google loves blog posts with videos so much, how it helps you rank higher (and even snag those coveted AI Overviews!), and why this is a game-changer for your online visibility.
How Does Having Videos in Your Blog Posts Help You Rank Higher on Google?
It’s a really good question, and one I get asked a lot! You see, Google’s main job is to give people the best answer to their questions. And more and more, that “best answer” includes video. When you put a video right into your blog post, you’re telling Google a few important things:
1. People Stick Around Longer (Hello, “Dwell Time”!)
Imagine someone clicks on your blog post. If they see a wall of text, they might read a bit and then quickly leave. That’s called a ‘bounce.’ But if they see an interesting video related to the topic, they’re much more likely to hit play and stick around to watch it.
This extra time people spend on your page – what we in SEO call ‘dwell time’ – sends a HUGE signal to Google. It tells Google, “Hey! This page is super useful and engaging! People are spending time here because they’re finding what they need.” Google sees that and thinks, “Okay, this must be a quality piece of content. Let’s show it to more people!”
Did you know that videos can add around 2 minutes to the average time a user spends on your site? (Source: Comscore via Zupo). That’s a lot of extra engagement that Google notices!
2. Google Can Understand Your Content Better
You might think Google just reads the words on your page, and it does! But when you add a video, especially if it has a good title, description, and maybe even captions, Google gets even more clues about what your content is about.
Think of it like this: Google is always trying to be smarter. It uses fancy computer brains to ‘watch’ your videos (through what’s called ‘computer vision’ and ‘audio analysis’) and read your captions. This helps Google understand the topic of your video and how it connects to your blog post. The more Google ‘gets’ your content, the better it can match it to what people are searching for.
3. You Show Up in More Places (Video Carousels and Search Results!)
When you have a video in your blog post, you’re not just hoping to rank in the regular text search results. You also get a chance to show up in special places:
- Video Carousels: Sometimes, when you search on Google, you’ll see a row of videos right at the top of the search results. Having a video on your blog post means you could appear there, getting prime visibility!
- Video Tab: Google also has a special ‘Video’ tab in its search results. If your content includes a video, it has a chance to show up there too, bringing in a whole new audience.
Did you know that blog posts with video can see a 157% increase in search traffic compared to purely text-based posts? (Source: Search Engine People via Zupo). That’s a huge boost in people finding your content!
4. You Become the “Go-To” Expert (Authority and Trust)
Videos are fantastic for showing off your expertise. When you explain something in a video, people connect with you more easily. They can see your passion, hear your voice, and understand complex ideas more clearly than just reading text. This builds trust and shows you’re an authority in your field.
Google pays attention to who the ‘experts’ are. If people are watching your videos, sharing your content, and spending time on your site, Google sees you as a valuable source of information. This ‘E-E-A-T’ (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is super important for ranking well.
5. More Shares and Backlinks (The SEO Gold!)
People love to share good video content. If your blog post has an engaging, helpful video, it’s way more likely to be shared on social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, or X (Twitter). And when other websites find your video content valuable, they might even link back to your page.
These ‘backlinks’ are like votes of confidence for your website, and Google absolutely loves them! Blog posts with videos can attract 3 times more inbound links than text-only blog posts. (Source: Moz via Skeepers). More backlinks mean higher authority in Google’s eyes, and that leads to better rankings.
Why Do Blog Posts with Videos Get Featured in AI Overviews?
This is the really exciting new part! Google is constantly changing, and one of the biggest changes recently is the introduction of ‘AI Overviews’ right at the top of many search results. These are those quick summaries generated by Google’s AI.
Why do videos matter here? Because Google’s AI is getting really good at understanding video content.
- Demonstration Power: Videos are fantastic for showing, not just telling. If someone searches ‘how to fix a leaky faucet,’ an AI Overview might pull a short clip from your video demonstrating the exact steps. This is incredibly valuable for users, and Google’s AI knows it.
- Information Density: AI can pull out key pieces of information from a video quickly. If your video is well-structured and explains things clearly, the AI can easily extract relevant snippets to answer a user’s question directly in the overview.
- User Preference: Google’s AI is learning what users prefer. And guess what? For many types of questions, users prefer a quick video explanation. Video content is 3.1 times more likely to be cited than text content for the same product information in AI Overviews. (Source: Godatafeed). While this stat is about product info, it highlights AI’s preference for video.
This means if you have relevant, high-quality videos embedded in your blog posts, you have a much better chance of not just ranking higher, but also being the direct answer Google’s AI provides, putting you right at the very top of the search results!
Making Video Work for Your Business
You might be thinking, “Linda, this sounds great, but video is hard!” And yes, it can be a bit intimidating at first. But you don’t need a Hollywood budget. What you do need is a plan and the right approach.
- Keep it Relevant: Make sure your video truly adds value to your blog post. It should explain, demonstrate, or expand on the topic.
- Keep it Engaging: Even short, simple videos can be powerful. Focus on clear audio and good lighting.
- Don’t Forget the Basics: Just like your blog post, your video needs a good title, description, and relevant keywords so Google can understand it.
At Business Solutions Marketing Group, video marketing is one of our specialties. We’ve been creating and optimizing videos for businesses for years, helping them attract more customers and boost their online visibility. We know how to take your expertise and turn it into engaging video content that Google (and your customers!) will love.
Whether it’s for your blog, your website, or your social media, we can help you harness the incredible power of video to connect with your audience and dominate search results. In fact, websites with video are 53 times more likely to show up on Google’s first page! (Source: Forrester Research via Vidico, as cited by Linda Donnelly of Business Solutions Marketing Group). That’s a stat worth repeating!
Don’t let your competitors be Google’s favorite. Start embedding videos in your blog posts and see your online visibility soar. Visit our Video Marketing page at https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/services/video-marketing/ or our main website at https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/ to learn more about how we can help you become Google’s new favorite too!
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