How Running a YouTube Channel Can Boost Your SEO (and Your Business)

If you’re a small or medium-sized creative business, you’ve probably spent a solid amount of time trying to improve your SEO; optimising your website, refining your keywords, and maybe even posting some blogs here and there. 

But if you feel like you’ve hit a wall, there’s one powerful tool you might not be leveraging yet: YouTube.

Why YouTube is an SEO Goldmine

YouTube isn’t just a video platform, it’s the second-largest search engine in the world (right behind Google). And since Google owns YouTube, video content hosted there often ranks highly in search results. That means creating engaging, relevant videos can help you reach new audiences and drive traffic to your site. Here’s how.

Google Loves Video Content

Google owns YouTube, so they prioritise video content in search results. If you’ve ever searched for “how-to” do something, you’ve likely seen YouTube videos at the very top of the page. By creating videos around topics your audience searches for, you increase your chances of appearing in both Google and YouTube search results.

YouTube Boosts Your Website’s SEO

Embedding YouTube videos on your website increases engagement and time spent on your pages, both of which are ranking factors for SEO. Google sees this as a sign that your content is valuable, which can help improve your site’s visibility in search results.

Increases Backlinks & Social Shares

High-quality, informative videos are more likely to be shared and linked to by other websites. Backlinks are a crucial part of SEO, and getting them organically through YouTube can improve your domain authority and search ranking.

Target Keywords with Less Competition

Ranking for a competitive keyword in Google search can be tough. But YouTube search has its own algorithm, meaning you could have a better chance at ranking for industry-specific keywords through video content. A well-crafted video with the right title, description, and tags can help you capture search traffic that your website alone might struggle to reach.

More Than SEO: Additional Business Benefits of Running a YouTube Channel

SEO benefits aside, running a YouTube channel offers a range of other business benefits:

Builds Trust & Authority. Video allows potential customers to see the real people behind your brand, making it easier to build credibility.

Engages Your Audience. People are more likely to watch a video than read a long article, making YouTube a great way to communicate your message.

Repurposes Content. A single video can be turned into blog posts, social media clips, or even a podcast, saving you time and effort on content creation.

What Types of Businesses Benefit Most from YouTube? (and What It Might Look Like)

You don’t need to be a vlogger or a full-time content creator to see results from YouTube. If your business has a story to tell, knowledge to share, or a community to connect with, video can work for you.

Here are just a few examples:

Independent Coffee Shops. You’ve already got atmosphere, daily rituals, and a loyal local following - perfect ingredients for YouTube. You could share one video per week of a day-in-the-life as one of your baristas, Q&As or tips for brewing the perfect coffee at home.

Spirituality & Wellness Businesses. People love content that inspires, educates, or provides comfort, and video is the ideal vessel for that message. A YouTube channel for a wellness business could host tarot readings, meditation guides, or tips for cleansing and energy work.

Creative Agencies & Artists. Whether you're a designer, illustrator or belong to a wider creative agency, process videos and studio vlogs are hugely popular. You might shoot some time-lapses of fun projects, client Q&As or “how I got this result” breakdowns.

Niche Retail & Ecommerce Shops. YouTube is a brilliant way to bring products to life in a way your website can’t. Uploading regular product demos, customer stories, packaging behind the scenes, or “what’s new this month” will be sure to build an audience of loyal subscribers.

You don’t need to post constantly, just consistently. Even one video a month, if well planned and executed, can build momentum over time. And if you’re already short on hours, working with a content partner means the heavy lifting is handled, while you stay focused on what you do best.

How a Content Creation Partner Can Help

The biggest hurdle to running a YouTube channel? Time. As a creative business owner, your focus is on your craft, not necessarily on video production, editing, and SEO optimisation. That’s where a content creation partner comes in.

A good content partner can:

• Develop a strategy based on SEO trends and audience research.

• Script and storyboard engaging videos that align with your brand.

• Handle filming and editing, ensuring a professional look and feel.

• Optimise for search, using the right keywords, thumbnails, and descriptions.

• Repurpose content so you get the most mileage out of each video.

By outsourcing these tasks, you can enjoy all the benefits of YouTube marketing without it becoming another full-time job.

Ready to Get Started?

If your SEO strategy has stalled, YouTube might just be the missing piece of the puzzle. With the right content and a solid execution plan, it can drive traffic, boost engagement, and position your brand as an industry leader. And if you don’t have the time or expertise to do it yourself, finding a content creation partner can make the process smooth and stress-free.

Thinking about launching a YouTube channel? Let’s have a chat about how to make it work for your business.