TECHNICAL SEO · SEO GLOSSARY
Video Schema
VideoObject structured data (JSON-LD) that marks up a video on a web page to make it eligible for Google\'s video rich results — including video carousels in web search, video clips in Google Discover, and timestamped chapter navigation in search results.
Definition
Video schema refers to VideoObject JSON-LD structured data added to a web page that contains or embeds a video, providing Google with machine-readable metadata about the video content. Google uses VideoObject schema to generate video rich results in web search. Required VideoObject properties for rich result eligibility: (1) `name` — the video title. (2) `description` — video description matching the content. (3) `thumbnailUrl` — URL to a thumbnail image (minimum 30×30px; Google recommends 1280×720px for best display). (4) `uploadDate` — ISO 8601 date when the video was first published. Recommended additional properties that expand rich result features: `duration` (ISO 8601 duration: PT12M30S for 12 minutes 30 seconds), `contentUrl` (direct URL to the video file), `embedUrl` (embed URL, e.g., YouTube embed URL), `expires` (if the video is time-limited), `hasPart` (VideoObject array for chapter timestamps — enables chapter navigation in rich results), and `interactionStatistic` (view count). For YouTube-hosted videos embedded on a web page: use `contentUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=[ID]"` and `embedUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/embed/[ID]"`. The VideoObject schema must be present in the initial server-rendered HTML for Google to associate it with the page — JavaScript-injected schema may be missed during rendering.
Why it matters for SEO
Video rich results — the video carousel that appears in Google Search for video-intent queries — are awarded to pages with valid VideoObject schema. Without VideoObject schema, a page with embedded video is less likely to appear in the video carousel and won\'t have chapter navigation in results. For publishers who produce video content alongside written content, VideoObject schema is the technical prerequisite for capturing the video SERP real estate that text-only schema can\'t access.
How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this
DeepSEOAnalysis validates VideoObject schema on audited pages: checks for required property presence (name, description, thumbnailUrl, uploadDate), validates ISO 8601 duration format, checks that thumbnailUrl is accessible and at a recommended resolution, verifies contentUrl and embedUrl accessibility, and checks that the schema is present in the initial HTML response rather than JavaScript-injected.
GLOSSARY
Related terms
structured data
Structured Data
Machine-readable annotations added to HTML — usually JSON-LD — that explicitly describe what a page is about to search engines and AI systems.
Read definition →technical
Video Sitemap
A video sitemap uses Google\'s video sitemap extension to declare video content on a site — providing metadata (title, description, thumbnail URL, duration, publication date) that helps Google index video content for Video Rich Results in SERPs and the Videos tab in Google Search.
Read definition →strategy
YouTube SEO
YouTube SEO is the practice of optimising video content to rank in YouTube\'s search results and in Google\'s video search results — through title optimisation, description keyword coverage, chapter timestamps, closed captions, thumbnail CTR, and engagement signals (watch time, comments, likes).
Read definition →structured data
Schema Markup
A shared vocabulary of types and properties from Schema.org used to annotate web content in machine-readable format — enabling search engines to understand what content means, not just what it says, and to generate rich results.
Read definition →structured data
Rich Results
Enhanced search result formats that Google displays beyond the standard blue link, title, and description — including star ratings, FAQ dropdowns, product panels, recipe cards, How To steps, event dates, and job listings — enabled by valid structured data (JSON-LD schema) in the page\'s server-rendered HTML.
Read definition →See how your site scores on Video Schema.
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