If you’re seeing this error in Google Search Console, it means Google is not indexing your video properly because the page’s primary focus is not the video itself.
Quick Fix: Create a Dedicated Watch Page
Step 1: Ensure Your Video is the Primary Content
Move the video to the top of the page.
Reduce excessive text or other distractions
Ensure the video is prominent on both desktop and mobile views.
Step 2: Use Video Schema Markup
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "VideoObject",
"name": "Your Video Title",
"description": "A brief description of the video.",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://example.com/thumbnail.jpg",
"uploadDate": "2025-01-30T08:00:00+00:00",
"contentUrl": "https://example.com/video.mp4",
"embedUrl": "https://example.com/videoplayer"
}
If the page has Article schema, remove it to improve video indexing.
Step 4: Submit the Updated Page for Indexing
Go to Google Search Console.
Use the URL Inspection Tool to check the video.
Click Request Indexing to recrawl the updated page.
Understanding the “Video Isn’t on a Watch Page” Issue
What Causes This Error?
The above is a sample blog post with an embedded video as a secondary content causing the issue.
On the contrary below are the 3 screenshots of the video on the proper watch page. The video is the primary content on these screenshots causing it to be indexed.
Screenshot no 1:
Screenshot no 2:
Screenshot no 3:
Video is embedded within a blog or product page instead of a standalone watch page.
Too much unrelated content makes the video secondary.
Incorrect or missing structured data.
Video is hidden behind user actions (clicks, logins, or tabs).
Best Practices to Avoid This Issue
Create a dedicated watch page for each video.
Optimize video metadata (title, description, and thumbnail).
Ensure videos are accessible (no JavaScript dependency).
Use stable video URLs (avoid dynamic or temporary links).
Submit a video sitemap to help Google index your videos faster.
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