How to Add VideoObject Schema Markup to Boost Video SEO
VideoObject is a type of structured data defined by Schema.org that provides search engines with detailed metadata about a video on your webpage. Knowing how to add VideoObject schema markup allows you to help search engines understand your video content, and make your page eligible for rich results.
What is VideoObject?
VideoObject is a type of structured data (Schema.org vocabulary) that gives detailed information about a video:
- Title
- Description
- Thumbnail
- Upload date
- Duration
–And more. There are several other properties you can add to this schema markup, but the above are the required ones for validity.
As search evolves, making sure your pages get featured or are displayed effectively through rich snippets is essential. Schema markups improve your SEO, and knowing how to mark up your pages with VideoObject will play a crucial role in how your content is discovered, ranked, and viewed by users.
What is the Format for VideoObject?
Here’s a simple JSON-LD example you can place inside your <head> tag or right before your </body>:
<script type=“application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “VideoObject”,
“name”: “How to Add VideoObject Schema Markups”,
“description”: “A step-by-step guide to creating a VideoObject schema markup”,
“thumbnailUrl”: “https://example.com/thumbnails/structured-data.jpg”,
“uploadDate”: “2025-04-02”,
“duration”: “PT3M20S”,
“contentUrl”: “https://example.com/videos/videoobject-guide.mp4”,
“embedUrl”: “https://example.com/videos/embed/videoobject-guide”,
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “SEO Hacker”,
“logo”: {
“@type”: “ImageObject”,
“url”: “https://example.com/logo.png”
}
}
}
</script>
You can check if your schema markup is correct by using the Schema Markup Validator.
Properties You Should Include in Your VideoObject Schema Markup
The following properties are the required and recommended properties you should be including in your schema markup:
| Property | Description | Required? |
| @context | Always “https://schema.org“ | Yes |
| @type | Always “VideoObject” | Yes |
| name | Title of the video | Yes |
| description | Brief description of the video | Yes |
| thumbnailUrl | Link to the thumbnail image | Yes |
| uploadDate | Date video was uploaded (ISO 8601 format) | Yes |
| duration | Video length (ISO 8601 duration format) | Yes |
| contentUrl | URL to where the video file is hosted (optional) | No, but recommended |
| embedUrl | URL for embedding the video (e.g., iframe link) | No, but recommended |
| publisher | Info about the creator/organization | No, but recommended |
| interactionStatistic | View counts or likes | Optional but helpful |
Tips for Proper Implementation
To ensure your VideoObject schema works correctly and is eligible for rich results, make sure to:
- Use a valid thumbnail (minimum 112×112 pixels, better if it’s high resolution).
- Provide an accurate duration format: Example PT3M20S = 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
- Set unique titles and descriptions — don’t just copy and paste the same ones across multiple videos.
- Be consistent with URLs: Make sure the URLs are live and accessible.
- Validate your markup using Google’s Rich Results Test.
Optional Properties to Enhance Your Schema Markup
To further enrich your video metadata, you can add these optional properties to your schema markup:
- interactionStatistic (e.g., number of views)
- hasPart (for videos with chapters)
- regionsAllowed (if the video is geo-restricted)
- expires (if the video will only be available temporarily)
While the schema markup will be valid without these details, adding them can help search engines better categorize your content and improve user experience.
Where to Place the Schema Markup
Make sure that you’re placing the schema on the same page that the video in question is visible and viewable to users.
You should be adding it:
- In the HTML of the page where the video appears.
- Inside a <script type=”application/ld+json”> tag.
- Preferably near the top of the page (inside <head>) but before </body> is also fine.
Consistency between the structured data and visible page content is essential.
Things to Check Before Adding Your VideoObject Schema Markup
Before you publish, make sure to:
- JSON-LD syntax is correct
- All required fields are filled
- Thumbnail meets guidelines
- Uploaded date uses ISO format (e.g., 2025-04-28)
- Validated through Google’s tool
- Content is crawlable and not blocked by robots.txt
By correctly implementing VideoObject schema, you increase the chances of your videos appearing in enriched formats across Google Search, Google Images, and Google Discover. It’s a small but impactful step to improve SEO and user engagement on your site.
Key Takeaway
Incorporating the VideoObject schema into your webpages is a powerful way to boost your video content’s visibility in search results. By providing structured data like titles, descriptions, thumbnails, and more, you enable search engines to better understand and display your videos through rich snippets. Whether you’re aiming to improve SEO, increase click-through rates, or offer users a better experience, proper implementation of VideoObject markup—complete with required and recommended fields—can make a measurable difference. Make sure to follow best practices, validate your code, and keep your content accessible for the best results.
