Why YouTube Videos Outrank Blog Posts (And How to Use This for SEO)

You've written a comprehensive blog post targeting a keyword you want to rank for. You've optimized everything—heading structure, internal links, meta descriptions, the works.

You check Google a few weeks later. Position #8. Not bad for a start.

But look closer at positions #1-5. They're not blog posts. They're YouTube videos.

Welcome to the new reality of SEO: for many competitive keywords, YouTube videos rank easier than blog posts in Google search results.

Here's why this matters, and more importantly, how to use it.

The YouTube Advantage: Why Videos Rank Easier

1. Google Favors Video Results for Certain Queries

Google's algorithm has evolved to show video content for queries where visual demonstration adds value.

Search for:

• "How to [do something]" → Video results dominate
• "[Tool name] tutorial" → Videos outrank docs
• "[Product] vs [Product]" → Comparison videos show up
• "Screen recording software" → Product demo videos rank high

Why this happens: Google knows users often prefer watching over reading for these types of content.

But here's the kicker: Google doesn't just favor YouTube videos in the "Videos" tab. It ranks them in regular search results.

2. Less Competition on YouTube Than Blog Posts

Think about your keyword difficulty score for blog posts. If you're targeting a keyword dominated by sites with Domain Rating (DR) 60-80, you're competing against:

• Established SaaS companies
• Media publications
• Sites with thousands of backlinks
• Content that's been live for years

Now think about YouTube. You're competing against:

• Independent creators
• Small channels with 500 subscribers
• Videos that rank based on watch time and engagement
• Content that can rank within days

The math is simple: Easier to rank a YouTube video in Google than outrank Ahrefs, HubSpot, and ConvertKit with a blog post.

(Pro tip: Use tools like OutlierKit to find low competition high intent keywords for YouTube)

3. Entity-Based SEO Is Changing the Game

Google is moving from keyword-based SEO to entity-based SEO.

Old model: Google ranks pages that mention "best screen recording software" most frequently

New model: Google ranks content about specific entities (Screen Studio, Loom, Tella) across multiple platforms

This means:

• Your YouTube video about "Screen Studio tutorial" can rank in Google search
• Your LinkedIn post about a tool can get indexed
• Your Reddit comment can appear in results

The opportunity: Create YouTube videos targeting specific tools or competitors, and they'll rank in Google search results—often outranking traditional blog posts.

Case Study: How Borumi Uses YouTube to Outrank Competitors

During our marketing office hours call last week, one strategy kept coming up: Borumi's YouTube SEO approach.

Borumi makes a screen recording tool competing against established players like Loom, Tella, and Screen Studio.

Their challenge: They can't outrank these companies' blog posts because those sites have DR 70+ and thousands of backlinks.

Their solution: Create YouTube videos that rank in Google search instead.

What Borumi Does

1. Create product comparison videos
   1. "Screen Studio vs Loom"
   2. "Borumi vs Tella"
   3. "Best Screen Studio alternative"
2. Target competitor keywords
   1. "Screen Studio tutorial"
   2. "How to use Loom"
   3. These are high-volume keywords their competitors own
3. Optimize for Google search, not just YouTube search
   1. Titles match Google search queries
   2. Descriptions include keywords
   3. Timestamps help with featured snippets
4. Repurpose content as blog + video
   1. Same topic, two formats
   2. Blog post links to video
   3. Video description links to blog
   4. Double the chances to rank

The result: Most of Borumi's YouTube videos rank in Google search results, often above traditional blog posts from competitors.

Case Study: TinyHost's 40K MRR From YouTube Alone

Another example from the call: TinyHost, a PDF hosting service making $40K MRR primarily from YouTube.

Their strategy: Long-tail keyword videos.

Instead of competing for "PDF hosting" (impossible), they created videos for hyper-specific problems:

• "How to host a PDF as a link"
• "Convert PDF to shareable link"
• "Embed PDF on website without slowing down page"
• "Free PDF hosting for small businesses"

What Makes This Work

1. 2-minute videos
   1. Not long tutorials
   2. Quick problem-solution format
   3. Show the product in action
2. SEO-optimized titles
   1. Match exact search queries
   2. Include the solution, not just the problem
   3. "How to [solve specific problem]"
3. Consistent publishing
   1. One video per week
   2. Each targets a different long-tail keyword
   3. Compounds over time
4. No audience required
   1. These videos rank based on SEO, not subscribers
   2. Views come from Google search, not YouTube recommendations
   3. You don't need 10K subscribers to make this work

The key insight: They're not building a YouTube channel. They're using YouTube as an SEO platform.

When to Choose YouTube Over Blog Posts

Not every keyword is better suited for video. Here's when to create a YouTube video instead of (or in addition to) a blog post:

Create a YouTube Video When:

✅ Competing against high-DR sites

• If your target keyword is dominated by DR 60+ sites, a video has better odds

✅ The query implies visual demonstration

• "How to" queries
• Tutorial searches
• Product demos
• Comparison reviews

✅ You're targeting a specific tool or product

• "[Tool name] tutorial"
• "[Product] review"
• "[Software] vs [Software]"

✅ You want to rank faster

• Videos can rank within days
• Blog posts take weeks or months (especially without backlinks)

✅ Your product benefits from being shown

• Screen recording tools
• Design software
• No-code platforms
• SaaS products with visual interfaces

Stick with Blog Posts When:

❌ The query is informational and text-based

• Definitions
• In-depth guides
• Data-heavy content
• Topics that require code examples

❌ You need to rank for bottom-of-funnel commercial keywords

• "Best [category] for [use case]"
• Buying guides (though videos work here too)
• Detailed comparison charts

❌ You're building topical authority

• Comprehensive pillar content
• Glossary pages
• Long-form SEO content

Best approach: Do both. Create the blog post AND the video, targeting the same keyword from different angles.

The YouTube SEO Strategy Framework

Here's how to implement this for your business:

Step 1: Identify High-DR Keywords You Can't Rank For

Use Ahrefs, SEMrush, or similar tools to find:

• Keywords you want to rank for
• Current top 10 results have DR 50+
• You don't have enough backlinks to compete

Example:

• Keyword: "screen recording software"
• Top 10 results: DR 65-90
• Your site: DR 20
• Verdict: Don't try to outrank them with a blog post

Step 2: Find the YouTube Opportunity

Search the same keyword on Google. Look for:

• Are videos already ranking in top 10?
• What's the quality of those videos?
• Can you create something better?

If videos are ranking, that's your signal. Google wants video content for this query.

Step 3: Create Better Video Content

Don't just replicate what's ranking. Make yours better:

Better production:

• Clear audio
• Smooth screen recording
• Good pacing (get to the point fast)

Better SEO:

• Title matches search intent exactly
• Description includes target keyword
• Timestamps for key sections
• Chapters help Google understand content

Better value:

• Actually solve the problem in 2-5 minutes
• Show real use cases
• Include timestamps for easy navigation
• Add a clear CTA (link to tool, blog, etc.)

Step 4: Optimize for Google Search, Not YouTube Algorithm

This is the key difference.

YouTube algorithm cares about:

• Watch time
• Click-through rate
• Subscriber growth
• Engagement (likes, comments)

Google search cares about:

• Title matching search query
• Video solving the search intent
• Engagement signals (watch time matters here too)
• Authority of the channel (less important than blog DR)

Your optimization priority:

1. Title = exact search query or very close
2. First 30 seconds = solve the query immediately
3. Description = keyword-rich but natural
4. Timestamps = help Google understand structure

Step 5: Create the Companion Blog Post

Now write a blog post on the same topic:

• Embed the YouTube video
• Provide written walkthrough
• Include screenshots from the video
• Add more detail than video covers
• Link to the video in intro

The compound effect:

• Video ranks for the keyword
• Blog post ranks for related keywords
• Both link to each other
• Both drive traffic to your product
• Double the SEO real estate

Advanced YouTube SEO Tactics

1. Hijack Competitor Keywords

Create videos about your competitors' products:

• "[Competitor] tutorial"
• "How to use [Competitor]"
• "[Competitor] review"

Why this works:

• High search volume (people searching for established tools)
• You can rank in "related videos"
• Opportunity to position your product as alternative
• Competitor's audience discovers you

Example: Screen Studio is a popular tool. Creating "Screen Studio tutorial" videos ranks you for high-volume searches, then you mention your alternative in the video.

2. Target Long-Tail Problem Queries

Instead of "screen recording," target:

• "How to record screen with system audio on Mac"
• "Screen recording software that doesn't slow down computer"
• "Record screen and webcam simultaneously free"

Why this works:

• Less competition
• Higher intent (specific problem = ready to solve it)
• Easier to rank quickly
• Compounds over time (each video brings steady traffic)

3. Create Chapters for Featured Snippets

Google sometimes pulls video chapters into featured snippets.

Optimize for this:

0:00 Introduction
0:30 How to [solve problem]
2:15 Common mistakes to avoid
3:45 Alternative solutions
5:00 Which option is best

Clear, keyword-rich chapter titles help Google understand what each section covers.

4. Build Affiliate Revenue into Videos

If you're reviewing or comparing tools:

1. Sign up for affiliate programs
2. Include affiliate links in description
3. Mention the discount/offer in video
4. Add timestamps to specific product demos

Example from the call: One founder created "Screen Studio review" videos with affiliate links. Two sales from one video. Not massive revenue, but compounding passive income from evergreen content.

The Repurposing System: Blog + Video

Here's the most efficient workflow:

Option 1: Video First

1. Create YouTube video (2-5 minutes)
2. Transcribe video automatically (YouTube does this)
3. Turn transcript into blog post outline
4. Expand with more detail, screenshots, examples
5. Embed video in blog post
6. Publish both

Time investment: ~2 hours total

Option 2: Blog First

1. Write comprehensive blog post
2. Turn into video script (use H2s as outline)
3. Record screen walkthrough following script
4. Edit for clarity and pacing
5. Publish video
6. Embed video back into blog post

Time investment: ~2.5 hours total

Option 3: Simultaneous Creation

1. Outline the topic (H2s and key points)
2. Record video following outline
3. While video renders, write blog post
4. Publish both same day
5. Cross-link aggressively

Time investment: ~2-3 hours total

The result: You've now created two SEO assets targeting the same keyword from different angles. Your odds of ranking just doubled.

Metrics That Matter for YouTube SEO

Track these to know if your strategy is working:

YouTube Analytics

• Views from YouTube search (not suggestions)
  • This tells you if you're ranking on YouTube itself
• Average view duration
  • Higher = Google trusts your content solves the query
• Click-through rate from search
  • Tells you if your title matches search intent

Google Search Console

• Impressions from video results
  • Are you showing up in Google search?
• Click-through rate
  • Are people clicking your video over blog posts?
• Average position
  • Track if you're climbing from #8 to #3

Business Metrics

• Traffic to product from video description
  • Are views converting to site visits?
• Signups attributed to video
  • Use UTM parameters in video links
• SEO real estate
  • How many top 10 positions do you own (blog + video)?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Creating Videos for YouTube Algorithm Instead of Google Search

Mistake: Optimizing for watch time, retention, and subscriber growth

Fix: Optimize for solving search queries quickly and clearly

2. Making Videos Too Long

Mistake: 20-minute tutorials when 3 minutes would suffice

Fix: Get to the solution in under 30 seconds. People searching on Google want answers fast.

3. Ignoring the Blog Post Companion

Mistake: Only creating video, no written content

Fix: Always create both. They reinforce each other and capture different audience preferences.

4. Not Optimizing Titles for Search

Mistake: Creative titles like "The Ultimate Screen Recording Secret"

Fix: Exact match titles like "How to Record Screen on Mac with System Audio"

5. Forgetting the CTA

Mistake: Video ends with no next step

Fix: Every video should drive to:

• Your product
• Your blog post
• Your newsletter
• An affiliate offer

The Future of Video SEO

Two trends to watch:

1. AI Search Engines Favor Video

Perplexity, ChatGPT, and other AI search tools are starting to cite and reference video content.

What this means: Video content has a longer shelf life than ever. It's not just ranking on Google and YouTube—it's being referenced by AI.

2. Google's SGE (Search Generative Experience) Includes Video

As Google rolls out AI-powered search results, video content is being included in AI summaries.

What this means: Even if users don't click through, your video (and brand) gets visibility in the AI-generated answer.

Key Takeaways

1. YouTube videos can outrank blog posts in Google search results, especially for competitive keywords
2. High-DR sites are hard to beat with blog posts alone—video gives you an alternate path
3. Entity-based SEO means creating content about specific products/tools across platforms
4. Long-tail keywords on YouTube are underutilized and can drive significant traffic (see: TinyHost's $40K MRR)
5. 2-5 minute videos optimized for search queries perform better than long tutorials
6. Create both blog + video for the same keyword to double your SEO real estate
7. Optimize for Google search, not YouTube algorithm (different priorities)

What to Do This Week

If you're struggling to rank for competitive keywords:

1. Identify 3-5 keywords where high-DR sites dominate
2. Check if videos are already ranking for those keywords in Google
3. Create 2-5 minute YouTube videos targeting those exact queries
4. Optimize title for search intent (not creativity)
5. Include timestamps and clear chapters
6. Write companion blog posts embedding the videos
7. Track impressions in Google Search Console

If you're starting from zero:

1. Pick one long-tail keyword related to your product
2. Search it on Google—do videos rank?
3. Create a better video than what's currently ranking
4. Publish with SEO-optimized title and description
5. Write a short blog post embedding the video
6. Repeat weekly

The founder who shared the Borumi strategy ended with this: "Most of our YouTube videos rank in Google search now, often above blog posts from much bigger competitors."

That's the opportunity.

YouTube isn't just for creators building channels. It's for founders who want to rank in Google search without needing a DR 80 site and 500 backlinks.

Join the Indie Masterminds community to be part of all future discussions like this one.