When embedding a video on a web page, you need to add relevant text so humans and search engines understand what the video is about. Sounds logical right?
Without a great headline and description, a search engine actually can’t see any text at all. That’s because any text added on the Youtube or Vimeo platform is not available on the web page it is embedded on.
But a headline and description might not be enough. To get more relevant text on the page it’s a great idea to create and publish a transcript below the video. This will greatly enhance the chance the page will be shown in results of specific searches (so-called ‘long tail searches’).
A website that does this really well is democracynow.org. Take a look at this example: The Other Charlies”: In Wake of Charlie Hebdo, Spotlight Grows on Press Freedom Attacks Worldwide.
And it’s not just a way to be more visible in search engines; it will also help visitors to quickly scan the topics discussed in the video. They may not have the time to watch, or no broadband internet available.
Here’s another example, taken from a French-language website I’m personally involved in: L’accusation parle (entre autres) de la casquette de Charles Blé Goudé. Here, the video itself is actually much shorter than the transcript, which is probably a wise decision looking at internet availability and speed in the target country Ivory Coast.
Of course adding a transcript below your video will take an extra effort, but there you have it. Great results don’t come easy!