How to optimize VR content for search
Digital actuality (VR) has been the speak of the city for a short while now and its marketing potential is getting troublesome to disregard.
Whether or not utilizing it to go searching a possible new house with out leaving your couch, or to discover a well-liked scuba diving spot with out touching a drop of water, the chances are countless and thrilling.
There’s a proliferation of content material on the internet, and digital actuality gives a brand new and thrilling method of presenting this content material. Now greater than ever, there’s a want to differentiate your self from the competitors, to offer content material that excites, evokes and influences. This can be a probability to get artistic and be totally different.
With VR content material, storytelling is immersive and messages extra impactful. An experiment carried out final yr demonstrated that VR drives engagement and empathy considerably greater than conventional video. These elements make digital actuality a strong weapon in a marketer’s arsenal.
Nevertheless, regardless of the clear advantages of VR, companies are nonetheless hesitant about diving in. Along with questions of value and accessibility, there’s a extra elementary query of discoverability: can VR content material be discovered utilizing search engines? Is it even attainable to optimize digital actuality content material for search?
The excellent news is, the thought of search-optimizing VR just isn’t as alien or unattainable as you may assume.
Growing accessibility of VR
Though many think about the know-how to nonetheless be in its infancy, digital actuality has already advanced an awesome deal over the previous couple of years. This has been spurred alongside by a number of useful improvements by Google to extend accessibility and ease of use. Notably in 2016, Google launched VR view to permit customers the power to embed 360 diploma VR content material into web sites on desktop and cellular, in addition to native apps.
One of many main causes that corporations fail to embrace the know-how is a false impression over its accessibility. No, you don’t have to personal an Oculus Rift to have the ability to expertise VR content material. In reality, you don’t want something. With the power to embed VR content material into web sites with the straightforward addition of an iframe, anybody can entry the advantages that it has to supply.
Now on cellular, you want solely uncover a 360 VR video in your Fb information feed, wave your telephone round within the air and hey presto, you’ve engaged with the world of digital actuality. For a extra immersive expertise, a easy Google Cardboard headset will suffice, or go a step additional with Daydream, a extra strong model however with out the hefty price ticket of an Oculus Rift.
A Google Cardboard headset, probably the most reasonably priced VR headsets out there
Optimizing VR for search
All this fancy new know-how is all very properly, but when it could’t be discovered within the search engines, then the potential attain of your content material is diminished. For those who’re having doubts concerning the visibility of VR content material in search, then simply keep in mind one essential reality. Google itself is closely invested in VR know-how. It subsequently follows that the Massive G wouldn’t solely make it as accessible as attainable, but in addition reward those that embrace it.
VR content material typically takes the identical file format as normal video content material. Subsequently, optimizing VR for search is very similar to optimizing conventional video. Under we share our ideas:
Embed utilizing Google VR View
Google created this software for a cause and it will be remiss to not reap the benefits of it. VR View takes care of all of the tough technicalities to make sure most compatibility and it additionally signifies that there isn’t any have to embed a video by way of YouTube or different video platform. That is necessary when it comes to web optimization and content material marketing, as you need to keep away from the potential for customers to go away your website.
Write related metadata
Make it as straightforward as potential for the search engines to seek out and index your content material by including the suitable metadata. Write a brief, snappy title and use the outline so as to add extra element. Embrace any vital key phrases to assist point out what the content material is about.
Don’t overlook to regulate the file identify as a bonus method of offering additional element to the various search engines – keep away from a generic media file identify like “vrmedia123.mp4”.
Add schema markup
Go a step additional than the metadata and add schema markup, as it can assist the various search engines to raised perceive the content material and subsequently enhance its look within the SERPs. It’s also value submitting a video sitemap, which can make your content material extra discoverable by Google.
Optimize the web page itself
Optimizing the VR content material itself is essential however don’t overlook to use normal search engine optimization greatest practices to the webpage itself. Even when your video doesn’t show within the SERPs, you could possibly get the web page rating.
search engine marketing one hundred and one: helpful, shareable content material
It’s apparent however we needed to embrace it. As with all different type of content material, the overarching goal ought to all the time be to offer worth. Create content material that’s partaking, informative and entertaining. Make it extremely shareable and repackage to be used throughout all marketing channels for efficient cross-promotion. Present worth in your customers and the remaining will come naturally.
Last phrases
Finally, optimizing VR for search isn’t wholly totally different from optimizing another sort of content material for search. Apart from a few minor technicalities in relation to the tactic of embedding, making use of your ordinary top quality web optimization methods will suffice.
With VR content material turning into more and more widespread and accessible, Google has made it simpler than ever earlier than to get such content material seen in search. Google VR View cemented this accessibility and we solely anticipate the know-how to proceed evolving. Greatest begin leaping on the VR bandwagon now!
In case you loved this text, take a look at our information to getting began with creating VR content material: Methods to get began with 360-diploma content material for digital actuality.
