| Term |
Definition |
| Annotation |
A comment or instruction usually added as text, on a YouTube video. A YouTube annotation may contain links directing users to other pages within YouTube or, if a brand is willing to pay, to outside websites. These have been phased out as of 2017 and replaced with video cards. |
| Captions |
Text that appears over a video that labels a scene, identifies a location or person, or narrates dialogue onscreen. Captions can be either open or closed. |
| Embedding |
Taking video from an online video provider and posting it elsewhere on the web. |
| Google AdWords |
Google’s search advertising program, which allows advertisers to display their adverts on relevant search results and across Google’s content network. |
| Metadata |
Information that can be entered about a web page and the elements on it to provide context and relevance information to search engines. |
| Search engine results page (SERP) |
The actual results returned to the user based on a search query. |
| Thumbnail |
The small, still image that is shown at the start of the video. This can be selected, and can make a video more enticing. |
| Video cards |
Calls to action that pop up during a video and entice certain actions from viewers. Replaced annotations in 2017. |
| Video search engine optimisation (VSEO) |
Optimising videos for search engines, similar to the way in which one would optimise a website to rank higher on the SERPs. |
| Video syndication |
The process of distributing and getting search coverage for videos |
| Views |
The number of times a video has been seen. Multiple views can come from one user. |
| Viral video |
A video that becomes immensely popular, leading to its spread through word of mouth on the Internet via email, sharing on social networks, and other hosting websites. |
| Vlogger |
Video blogger. A person who produces regular web videos about a chosen topic on a video-enabled blog. |
