Estimated reading time : 2 min · Published September 29, 2026
Define the role of the video
Write down what it adds: demonstration, answer, place introduction or experience. Place it on a page whose text explains the subject and next step. A generic clip unrelated to the surrounding content does not help.
Plan length, sequence, filmed people, music rights and review date. When a product or process changes often, a short maintainable clip is more useful than a long film that becomes obsolete.
- Purpose and page chosen.
- Rights and people checked.
- Length fits the question.
Make speech and visuals accessible
Prepare synchronised captions for useful speech and meaningful sounds. Review automatic captions, particularly names, numbers and specialist terms. Add a transcript or structured summary where it helps people locate information.
If an important action is shown only visually, explain it in narration or provide suitable description. W3C caption guidance explains the relationship between captions and transcripts.
- Captions reviewed and timed.
- Essential visual information described.
- Useful text version available.
Choose a restrained player and thumbnail
Test play, pause, volume, captions, full screen and keyboard focus. Avoid automatic sound. An original thumbnail should represent the real content and have suitable alternative text if informative.
Load media according to its role rather than slowing every visit. Check file weight and mobile-network behaviour. The performance guide helps measure the effect.
- Controls keyboard-usable.
- No imposed sound.
- Loading and thumbnail checked.
Check discovery and updates
Give the page a title and text describing the video without promising absent information. Confirm that file, player and thumbnail remain accessible. Google video guidance covers discovery and indexing.
When content ages, replace the clip or explain its earlier context. Add video structured data only when it accurately describes a media item actually present. Translated versions need their own checks of captions and page copy.
- Page and media consistent.
- Thumbnail and URL checked.
- Languages and captions reviewed.
Reference documents
Content updated on October 4, 2026