Definition, Benefits, and Top Tools


A reverse video search permits you to discover movies on the internet. However it may possibly do greater than that. 

It might probably provide help to develop your model, too.

Discover ways to reverse search a video utilizing well-liked instruments. To determine copyright infringement, backlink alternatives, and content material concepts.

A reverse video search is while you use a picture from a video—like a thumbnail—to seek out webpages that function the video. Completely different search engines like google and yahoo and instruments allow you to carry out these searches.

Right here’s how a reverse video search appears on Google:

Such a search can present the unique supply of the video (as proven above) and different locations the video has been revealed. Together with associated content material. 

It’s much like a reverse image search, the place you seek for comparable photographs on-line. Like this:

Reverse image search of a Rubik's cube using Google with accompanying results

And a reverse video search differs from conventional search that makes use of key phrases and phrases to seek for movies. Like this:

Google search results for 'hoe to change a tire' with the video tab selected and youtube video thumbnails displayed

How Does Reverse Video Search Work?

Google and different search engines like google and yahoo retailer—or index—thumbnails from movies of their databases.

And while you add a video’s thumbnail for a reverse video search, the device makes use of algorithms to research the colours and pixels within the photograph. 

Then, the device references its index to show comparable matches in your search outcomes. 

The caveat is you normally must seek for movies utilizing a thumbnail—not a video.

Right here’s why:

Search engines like google don’t index the entire frames from movies as a result of it’s uneconomical. And would require the storage of quadrillions of photographs. 

They normally solely index a video’s thumbnail. If the video doesn’t have one, Google will extract a frame from the video to make use of as its thumbnail.

This is the reason you may not discover movies for those who search utilizing screenshots from random factors within the video. As a result of these frames aren’t seemingly listed wherever.

Additional studying: Video SEO: How to Get Your Videos Ranked on Google

Methods to Reverse Search a Video on Desktop

Use one—or extra—of the instruments beneath to carry out your reverse search. 

1. Google

Conduct reverse video searches on Google utilizing its Picture Search.

Right here’s how: 

Navigate to Google Images and choose the digital camera icon to go looking by picture: 

Google Images search bar with camera icon highlighted

Add the video picture. 

Google Lens image search with 'Upload a file' highlighted

Google will search its database and discover comparable photographs. Click on “See actual matches” to view all cases of the video (together with its authentic supply). 

Google images video search for Tiramisu Epicurious video with 'see exact matches' highlighted

When you’re looking for your individual video content material, the “actual match” search might help you discover different web sites which have posted your video.

Exact matches list for a Tiramisu Epicurious video on Google images

2. Bing

Bing is one other search engine that may carry out reverse video searches.

To get began, head to Bing’s Visual Search and add the video’s picture.

Bing images search with options to drag and image, take photo, paste image, browse or find an image

Bing will show an inventory of related photographs. Which could provide help to discover the video’s authentic supply. Or offer you concepts for associated content material.

Bing video search results showing original source and related content for puppy training video

3. TinEye

TinEye is a device particularly made for reverse search. Its paid plan alerts you when considered one of your photographs or movies seems on a webpage. So that you don’t should manually carry out this process. 

To make use of TinEye, open the web site and add your picture. 

Tineye reverse image search with upload button highlighted

TinEye shows an inventory of comparable photographs. Enter a web site into the search bar (like reddit.com) to filter your outcomes by a particular area. 

Tineye reverse image results with two YouTube matches for Mario game thumbnail

SmallSEOTools performs reverse video searches for 3 totally different search engines like google and yahoo directly: Google, Bing, and Yandex. 

The free model means that you can add one picture at a time. Whereas the premium model means that you can add a number of photographs directly. 

Head to the device and add your video’s picture. And click on “Search Related Pictures.”

Small SEO Tools reverse image search with Ted Talk thumbnail and Search Similar Images highlighted

To view the outcomes, click on “Present Matches” for every search engine.

Small SEO Tools showing similar image result buttons that link to Google, Bing, and Yandex

5. Shutterstock

Shutterstock can reverse video seek for movies inside their very own database. 

Say you’re watching a video that has inventory footage. And also you need to use the identical inventory footage in your content material. Take a screenshot of the inventory footage and use Shutterstock to seek out comparable inventory movies.

Right here’s how.

Head to Shutterstock’s Reverse Image Search for Video. Click on “Search by picture” and add your picture.

Shutterstock reverse image search with 'search by image' highlighted

Shutterstock will return inventory movies much like your picture that you may buy to make use of in your individual content material.

Shutterstock reverse video results showing 6 stock illustrative videos

Reverse Video Search on Cell: iOS and Android

Operating a reverse video search on cell units is much like desktop searches.

First, get a screenshot from the video you need to reverse search:

  • To take a screenshot on an iPhone, press the ability button and the “quantity up” button concurrently
  • To take a screenshot on an Android cellphone, press the ability button and “quantity down” button concurrently

Then, use the next apps to do a reverse video search along with your screenshot:

A video reverse search exhibits you if different web sites have your video embedded on them. So you may ask for attribution and a backlink—which might help your website and video rank larger in search outcomes. 

Upon getting an inventory of web sites to contact, our Link Building Tool makes it simple to carry out outreach. 

To start out, configure the device utilizing our Link Building Tool configuration guide

Then, add the domains that don’t hyperlink to your video to your “Prospects” checklist within the device. And draft and ship a personalised electronic mail asking for a hyperlink. 

Prospects tab of Semrush Link building tool with 3 domain prospects listed

Use Semrush’s Backlink Analytics to watch your outreach marketing campaign’s outcomes. View the report back to see all of the domains linking to your video (search for your video’s URL within the “Anchor and Goal URL” column”). 

Backlinks tab of Semrush Backlink Analytics tool with 2 backlinks highlighted showing link to Youtube video

While you see {that a} web site has given you a hyperlink, return to the Hyperlink Constructing Device and click on the checkmark. This strikes the hyperlink to the “Monitor” checklist, the place you may examine to see if the backlink stays energetic.

Trying to find your movies helps you monitor your content material. And discover cases the place somebody has used your video inside their content material with out permission or correct quotation.

This proactive method permits you to safeguard your work. And management the place your model exhibits up on-line.

The problem to reverse video search with copyright enforcement is you may not discover your movies. Particularly if the offending social gathering modifications the thumbnail. Or alters the video.

However YouTube has instruments just like the Copyright Match Tool and Content ID for eligible accounts. These instruments create video fingerprints—distinctive identifiers based mostly on visible and audio output—for every video. 

Then, YouTube notifies you if somebody uploads a video along with your video’s fingerprint on the platform. This may be an efficient method of imposing copyright for those who publish your movies to YouTube.

Additional studying: YouTube SEO: How to Boost Your Channels’ Visibility

Content material Concepts

Reverse searches show associated content material, which might help encourage new content material concepts. 

Google video search revealing similar content showing same dress as the one in the YouTube video

For instance, say you carry out a reverse video search with a cooking video that includes a sure dish. 

This might yield search outcomes that includes comparable dishes with totally different displays, elements, and cooking strategies. These variations would possibly encourage new content material concepts.

Finding a Video’s Supply

Reverse video search might help you discover the unique supply of a video. 

This may be helpful if you wish to fact-check the video. Or cite the video in a bit of content material like a weblog put up or a video of your individual. 

For instance, this YouTube video encompasses a totally different person’s video on a trending cake. Reverse-searching for the cake featured within the video reveals its authentic supply. 

Reverse image search to identify the original source of a debunking cooking trends Instagram reel

Figuring out the supply of the video permits you to confirm its authenticity and credibility. And ensures you give your viewers correct data.

Additional studying: Video Marketing: The Ultimate Guide

Use Reverse Video Searches to Strengthen Your Model

Video reverse searches provide help to with a wide range of duties. Together with constructing backlinks.

Monitor every video backlink you get with our Link-Building Tool and Backlink Analytics. To strengthen your model’s consciousness and authority.


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