How to cheaply create videos for SEO articles: Step-by-step guide

Looking to improve your SEO strategy on a budget? Here's how to cheaply create videos for SEO articles.

Enhancing your SEO strategy with video content is no longer just an option—it's a necessity. Videos are a powerful way to engage your audience, boost your visibility on search engines, and increase the time spent on your site, all of which can contribute to better rankings. But creating video content might sound expensive or technically challenging, especially to beginners.

Let’s demystify the process and explore how video content can boost your SEO, the difference between on-page and off-page SEO, how to optimize your video content for search engines, and finally, how to create affordable videos for your SEO articles. Whether you're an SEO novice or a seasoned digital marketer, you'll find actionable tips and insights to elevate your video SEO game.

How does video help SEO?

Video content can significantly enhance your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Videos improve user experience by offering engaging, high-quality content that keeps visitors on your web pages longer, one metric of many ranking factors Google and other search engines value. Videos also increase the likelihood of backlinks from other sites, crucial for off-page SEO.

Embedding videos into your articles can increase your click-through rate in Google search results. Google algorithms tend to prioritize web pages with relevant video content in their search engine results pages (SERPs), thus improving your website’s SEO ranking. Furthermore, having a YouTube channel and ranking videos on YouTube, the second most popular search engine and owned by Google, can drive additional traffic to your site.

On-page SEO vs. off-page SEO

Video marketing can help your SEO strategy with both on-page and off-page SEO. So, what’s the difference between the two?

On-page SEO refers to optimization strategies you implement on your website, such as using relevant keywords in your video title and description, adding a video transcript for crawlability, and enhancing the metadata of the video content.

Off-page SEO, on the other hand, involves strategies outside of your website that improve your search rankings. These include generating high-quality backlinks to your videos, sharing your videos on social media, and improving your video's watch time on platforms like YouTube, which signals to algorithms that your content is engaging.

How to optimize video content for SEO

Video SEO isn't just about making a video and uploading it to your YouTube channel. It requires thoughtful planning and step-by-step execution:

1. Keyword research tools: Use SEO tools like Ahrefs or Moz to identify target keywords with a good search volume. Consider long-tail keywords as they are less competitive.
2. Optimize metadata: Your video title should contain your target keyword. The video description should offer a brief summary of the content, using relevant keywords naturally.
3. Transcripts and captions: Transcripts make your video content accessible to a broader target audience and crawlable by search engine bots. Captions can improve user experience, especially for those who watch videos without sound.
4. Custom thumbnail: Video thumbnails influence your video's click-through rate. Use a custom thumbnail that accurately represents the video content.
5. Embed videos on your site: Embed the YouTube video into your relevant blog posts or your homepage to increase its exposure.
6. Use a call-to-action (CTA): Direct viewers to your website or a specific landing page with a call-to-action in the video or video description.

Affordable ways to make high-quality videos for SEO articles

By incorporating these strategies into your SEO and content marketing efforts, you can enhance your digital marketing strategy and potentially improve your site's visibility in both Google and YouTube search results.

Producing high-quality videos may seem expensive, but it doesn't have to be:

Leverage free or low-cost tools

As a beginner, there's no need to invest heavily in professional video editing software. There are numerous free or low-cost tools that offer robust editing features and intuitive interfaces. For instance, iMovie is free for Apple users and offers a wide array of functionalities that can help you create professional-looking videos. From adding transitions and effects to layering soundtracks and managing clip speed, iMovie simplifies the video creation process. Another affordable option is Movavi, a software that's compatible with both Windows and Mac. It provides features such as video stabilization, picture-in-picture mode, voiceover narration, and a host of other editing capabilities that will allow you to craft high-quality videos on a budget.

DIY

Creating video content yourself is not only cost-effective but also adds a personal touch to your content, which can resonate more with your audience. Using just a smartphone camera, you can create a variety of video content. For instance, you can film step-by-step tutorial videos, demonstrating a process or explaining a concept. You can also use screen recording features to capture your interactions with software or online platforms, making for effective how-to videos or demonstrations. Alternatively, you could film talking-head videos, where you share your insights or discuss a topic on camera. These DIY methods not only save money but also add authenticity to your content, which can make it more engaging for your viewers.

Outsource

If you don't have the time or skill to create your own videos, outsourcing is a viable option. There are several online platforms, such as Fiverr or Upwork, that connect you with freelance video creators worldwide. These freelancers offer a wide range of services and rates, making it possible to find someone who can create quality videos within your budget. Outsourcing can free up your time, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your SEO strategy. It also provides you with access to diverse talent and creative perspectives that can enhance the quality of your video content.

Incorporate stock footage

Another cost-effective method of creating videos is by utilizing stock footage. There are numerous websites, such as Pexels or Pixabay, that offer free access to high-quality video clips on a variety of themes and topics. You can weave these clips together, add voiceover or text overlays, and create a compelling video without filming a single frame yourself. This method can be particularly useful when you need to visually represent something that you cannot easily film yourself, or when you need to add diversity and interest to your video content.

Post to a video hosting platform

Once you've created your videos, you need a place to host them. YouTube is a free and popular video hosting platform, allowing you to reach a large audience. It also offers features like playlists, closed captions, and detailed analytics that can help optimize your video content. However, if you want more control over your video's appearance on your website, or if you want to avoid competitor ads showing alongside your content, you might consider other platforms like Vimeo. These platforms may require a subscription, but they provide advanced features such as higher video quality, video player customization, and better customer support.

Use an AI video editing tool

If you’re a small team or even a solo content creator, you can cut down on costs by using an AI video editing tool like Speechify Video Studio to streamline your video content creation and editing process. You can use these tools to create SEO-friendly videos from professional video templates in just a few clicks, add engaging video effects, instantly add subtitles/closed captions with target keywords, and much more.

Create professional-quality videos on a budget with Speechify Video Studio

As mentioned above, Speechify’s Video Studio is the perfect solution to a video SEO strategy for both large-scale video production teams and individuals. By creating engaging videos and optimizing for SEO with Video Studio’s many features, you can improve search rankings for your web pages. You’ll be amazed by the user experience and how fast you can start creating high-quality content for all your digital marketing needs.

Explore what you can make with Speechify Video Studio.