Youtube SEO Is SEO 5 Years Ago?

Summary

Podcast Summary: "YouTube SEO Is SEO 5 Years Ago?"

Voices of Search // A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Podcast
Host: Tyson Stockton
Guest: Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow
Release Date: May 16, 2025

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of the Voices of Search podcast, host Tyson Stockton engages with Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow, to explore the evolving landscape of YouTube SEO compared to traditional organic SEO strategies. The discussion offers a deep dive into the similarities and differences between YouTube optimization and classic search engine optimization, providing listeners with actionable strategies to enhance their digital presence.

YouTube SEO vs. Traditional SEO

Elliot Tsai initiates the conversation by addressing the provocative question: Is YouTube SEO merely a replication of traditional SEO from five years ago? He clarifies, “I won't say it's the same, but it's a different approach because YouTube really visualizes the user” (02:27). This distinction underscores the shift from text-based optimization to a more multimedia-centric strategy.

Similarities Between YouTube SEO and Traditional SEO

Elliot highlights that approximately 80% of YouTube SEO strategies mirror traditional SEO practices. Key parallels include:

• Topical Authority: Just as websites build credibility through authoritative content, YouTube channels establish trust by consistently producing relevant and engaging videos. Elliot mentions, “If people keep subscribing and keep coming back to view your video, Google is going to identify this person as a credible source” (02:45).

• Keyword Optimization: Both platforms rely heavily on keyword research to rank content effectively. Elliot suggests integrating YouTube’s trending keywords into SEO briefs to uncover novel insights: “Using their filter to play around... then bring this into your SEO brief” (03:10).

Differences Between YouTube SEO and Traditional SEO

Despite the similarities, YouTube SEO introduces unique elements that differentiate it from traditional SEO:

• Visual and Interactive Content: Unlike traditional SEO, which primarily focuses on text, images, and static elements, YouTube emphasizes video content with higher engagement metrics. Elliot explains, “YouTube allows for more creativity but traditional SEO is all word, table, images, no interaction” (02:37).

• Engagement Metrics: YouTube tracks user interactions such as likes, comments, shares, and watch time, which play a significant role in content ranking. This dynamic interaction aspect is less pronounced in traditional SEO.

Leveraging YouTube Strategies for SEO Success

Elliot advises that integrating YouTube SEO techniques can enhance overall SEO strategies:

1. Content Briefs Enhancement: Incorporating high-trending YouTube keywords and tags into SEO content briefs can reveal emerging trends and popular topics, leading to more effective content creation.

2. Topical Authority Building: Consistently producing high-quality video content can bolster a brand’s authority, indirectly benefiting website SEO through increased brand recognition and backlink opportunities.

3. Engagement Focus: Emulating YouTube’s engagement-driven approach by encouraging user interaction on websites (e.g., comments, shares) can improve SEO rankings.

Key Takeaways

• Adaptability: While foundational SEO principles remain relevant, adapting strategies to incorporate multimedia and interactive elements is crucial for staying competitive.

• Integrated Approach: Combining YouTube SEO tactics with traditional SEO can lead to a more robust and comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

• Continuous Learning: Staying updated with evolving platforms and their unique optimization requirements ensures sustained SEO success.

Notable Quotes

• Elliot Tsai: “If people keep subscribing you and keep coming back to view your video, Google is going to identify this person as a credible source.” (02:45)

• Elliot Tsai: “YouTube can be more creative but like traditional SEO. Current SEO is all word table images, no interaction.” (02:37)

• Elliot Tsai: “Using their filter to play around. See those high trendy one like based on the filter most view what keyword, what tag they use and then bring this into your SEO brief and then find out it’s really interesting results.” (03:10)

Conclusion

This episode underscores the importance of recognizing both the shared foundations and unique distinctions between YouTube SEO and traditional SEO. By leveraging the strengths of both approaches, marketers can craft more effective and dynamic strategies to enhance their online visibility and authority. Elliot Tsai’s expert insights provide valuable guidance for navigating the complex and ever-evolving world of search engine optimization.

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Transcript

[Tyson Stockton]

The Voices of Search Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com welcome to the Voices of Search Podcast. A member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network, ready to expedite your company's organic growth efforts. Sit back, relax, and get ready for your daily dose of search engine optimization wisdom. Here's today's host of the Voices of Search Podcast, Tyson Stockton.

This is the Voice of Search Podcast. My name's Tyson, and joining us today is Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO@TextNow.

[Elliot Tsai]

This podcast is also sponsored by Ahrefs. What if I told you that you could monitor your website's SEO health backlinks and organic rankings at no costs? Sounds too good to be true. Well, it's not, because my friends at Ahrefs just launched Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. Ahrefs new Webmaster Tools product quickly helps you improve your site's visibility by pointing solutions to over 100 technical issues that might be holding your search performance down. Plus AWT monitors for backlinks so you'll know the most linked to pages and how those links are affecting your rankings. And AWT shares what keywords your website ranks for and compares how you stack up against competitors for key metrics like search volume, keyword difficulty and traffic value. Look, monitoring your website used to require multiple expensive tools and now, thanks to Ahrefs, that's not the case anymore because AWT will help you monitor your SEO health, backlinks and keywords for free. And no, it's not one of those 14 day free trial offers. It's a powerful site audit tool that will keep working for you for free. So check out Ahrefs webmaster [e-mail] that's a H R E F S.comAWT coming.

[Tyson Stockton]

Up to kind of last portion here. So we're going to go into the lightning round. So next one trender trash YouTube SEO is just like SEO organic SEO five years ago.

[Elliot Tsai]

I won't say it's the same, but it's a different approach because YouTube. YouTube is really visualized the user they looked the way they do. SEO is 80% similar, 20% different. YouTube always come out really trendy one and you can see that why they ask people to subscribe to. Follow all the youtubers say this thing about website we always talk about Topical authority. Those are their topical authority signal. If people keep subscribing you and keep coming back to view your video Google going to identify this person as a credible source. So similar but also different. A little bit is like YouTube can be more creative but like traditional SEO. Current SEO is all word table images, no interaction. But YouTube have like engagement like you can see where people viewing it. So it's just like different. It's similar but a little bit different. I won't say it's like a completely similar stuff but it's different. So I always like to say like if you look at serpent tense Creating your brief YouTube will be a really good way for you to add an idea on top too. Using their filter to play around. See those high trendy one like based on the filter most view what keyword, what tag they use and then bring this into your SEO brief and then you find out it's really interesting. Result.

Time for a one minute break to hear from our sponsor, Pre Visible. So you're looking for SEO help and you got a couple of options. You could start replying to spam from agencies that claim they can get you to rank number one on Google. You can pay an hourly rate for a consultant who will inevitably nickel and dime you with hourly charges. Or you can work with a cookie cutter agency to quickly launch a strategy less project with low success rate. None of those sound very good now do they? Well that's where Pre Visible's integrated consulting model comes in. Pre Visible draws From a collective 40 years of SEO and digital marketing experience to unlock your organic growth opportunities. They build custom solutions that combine strategy, technical expertise, content and reporting to effectively operationalize SEO for your business. Pre Visible's four stage approach ensures that your SEO programs thrive by starting off with a strategy first approach. Then they support you in your efforts to create quality content, help you identify technical issues, and most importantly, they'll work with your cross functional teams to integrate your SEO strategies to make sure that your SEO budget actually drives results, not just your agency's bottom line. So join brands like Yelp, eBay, Canva, Atlassian Square, all who rely on the SEO consultants at Pre Visible. For more information go to Previsible IO. That's Pre Visible. P R E V I S I BLE IO.

[Tyson Stockton]

I completely agree on that. I feel like too often and so yeah, for the record, I'm gonna put this one as trash and it's like too often it's like we see a couple similarities and it's just like oh yeah, that's like old school SEO or it's just like, oh yeah, asl. Oh yeah, that was just like early days SEO. It's like just because you found some similarities between it does not mean it says the same thing. Gears back.

[Elliot Tsai]

Yeah.

[Tyson Stockton]

Well, with that, that's going to wrap up this episode of the Voice of Search podcast. Thanks again to Elliot Tsai from TextNow for joining us. If you'd like to get in contact with Elliot, you can find a link to his LinkedIn profile in the show notes or go on over and check out his company's [e-mail] if you haven't subscribed yet and you want a daily stream of SEO and content marketing knowledge.

[Elliot Tsai]

And a special thanks to Ahrefs for sponsoring this podcast. Monitoring your website used to require multiple expensive tools, but that's not the case anymore. Thanks to Ahrefs because they just launched their Ahrefs Webmaster Tools product which monitors your SEO health, helps you keep track of your backlinks and and gives you the insight into what keywords are performing for free. So check out Ahrefs webmaster [e-mail] awt that's ahrefs a h r e f s.com awt.

[Tyson Stockton]

Be sure to hit that subscribe button in your podcast or like and subscribe on YouTube and we'll be in your feed in the next following day. So that's it. And that's all for today. Thanks for stopping by the Voice of Search podcast and and we will see you on the next episode.