When you receive the “Video is not the main content of the page” message in Google Search Console, don’t panic. This is not a critical error and does not directly affect your SEO. However, if you want your video to be indexed by Google and appear in video search results, you can follow these steps to resolve it.
How Google Evaluates Video Content
Google uses several factors to determine whether a video is the main content of a page, including:
- Presence of “Video” in Title and URL: If the word “video” appears in both the title and URL of the page, and there are no age restrictions on the video, it will be considered the main content.
- Surrounding Content: Google also looks at the text content around the video to assess its relevance and importance to the page.
- Other Factors: Video size, placement on the page, and video quality also influence how Google evaluates the video.
When Should a Video Be Indexed, and When Can It Be Ignored?
1. Video as Supplementary, Content as Main
Example: A tutorial on “how to download the Original Windows ISO“, with the video serving as an additional guide to the detailed steps in the article.
- Google Evaluation: The detailed text content about installation steps is the main content. The video is just a supporting tool to help users better understand the installation process.
- When to Index the Video: If the video adds value to the user, such as troubleshooting tips during installation, you can use schema markup to help Google recognize and index this video.
- When Not to Index the Video: If the video simply repeats the steps in the article or doesn’t provide additional value to the user, you can skip indexing the video.
2. Video as Main, Content as Supplementary
Example: A review article of “iPhone 15 Pro Max” with the video providing detailed evaluations of features, performance, and design.
- Google Evaluation: The video is the main content, as it provides detailed information about the product, while the text content is just an additional description.
- When to Index the Video: If the video includes direct reviews, guides, or comparisons of the product and adds real value to the user, the video should be indexed. Ensure you use VideoObject schema markup to optimize the video for indexing.
- When Not to Index the Video: If the video is just a short clip without useful information, you can skip indexing it.
Steps to Optimize Videos for Google Indexing
- Create Relevant Content: Make sure the video has supplemental content, such as summaries, analysis, or FAQs related to the video.
- Place the Video Prominently: The video should be placed in a visible location, such as the top of the page or right after the introduction, with an appropriate size.
- Use Schema Markup: To ensure Google correctly identifies the video, use VideoObject schema markup to provide detailed information about the video.
- Optimize Page Load Speed: Ensure your website loads quickly, as video content can affect the page performance if not optimized.
- Handle Duplicate Content: If the video is embedded from another platform, use a canonical tag to avoid being flagged as duplicate content.
Whether Google determines the video is the main or supplementary content on your page can affect how the video is indexed in search results. If the video is the main content, make sure it’s optimized and uses schema markup to ensure Google understands its value. If the video is supplementary, you don’t need to worry too much about indexing it, but still optimize it to enhance user experience and overall SEO.
Remember, indexing a video isn’t always necessary, only when the video provides real value to the user and clearly supports the article’s content.
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