Image Optimization for SEO
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Whether you write articles for your blog or have a small business website, it’s important that each page has some sort of image included. Images are a great way to introduce your message, make your blog post more memorable and even add color to your blog. One of the best parts, however, may be the SEO value that images have if your images are uploaded correctly.
Images placed within a post can help your search-engine efforts if you abide by the following rules:
1. Choose the Right File Name
Optimizing your images for search engines will first start with the file name. This name is the first thing search engines will look at.
You’re going to want to let the search engines know what this image is about, so instead of naming it “JPG12333.jpg,” you would want to describe it while using keywords. So, for example, if your page and picture were about desk fans, then you would want to name your picture “desk-fan.jpg.”
You’re going to want to let the search engines know what this image is about, so instead of naming it “JPG12333.jpg,” you would want to describe it while using keywords. So, for example, if your page and picture were about desk fans, then you would want to name your picture “desk-fan.jpg.”
2. Watch the Loading Time
Search engines love speed, and sadly, if your image isn’t optimized properly, it can really increase your website’s loading time. Since loading times have been said to be one of the many factors Google looks at, it’s so important you scale your image to size. This means you will want to save your image the exact size that you want it to display on your page. For example, if you downloaded a 3500×2500 pixel image but display it as a 350×250 picture, your website will still load it as the 3500×2500 image.
3. Reduce the Size
Point three touches upon the last point. If you need to reduce your file size and don’t know how to do it, there are many great tools on the Internet that can help you do so. For example, ImageOptim and JPEGMini can reduce your picture to the size you want within seconds.
Now that you know what to do when it comes to naming and resizing your file, the next thing you’re going to want to do is educate yourself on how to add the photo to your article so it gives you that extra boost in the search results.
4. Add Captions
If you pay close attention to images on most web pages, you will notice that most will have a small caption on the bottom. This caption often serves as a way to show your visitors what the picture is about. If a caption makes sense to your visitor, consider adding one to your photo. WordPress, for example, allows you to add a caption when you upload your picture. When adding this caption, remember to use your keywords.
5. Edit the Alt Text
The alt text is added to a picture if, for some reason, a visitor isn’t able to view the picture. If you want to know how it works in action, do a quick image search, and hover over the image on the page. If words pop up in a yellowish text box, this means the website owner added text to the alt tag. As a good practice, it’s best to add text to the alt tag each time you upload a picture. Again, this can be done easily by using the photo editor in WordPress; you will just want to look for the “alternative text” field.
As you can see, image optimization is more than just adding a picture and uploading your post. With search engines being able to read what your picture is about, it really makes sense to use the tips above to contribute to a good user experience as well as SEO.
Christopher Gleason is a business development and digital strategist at KM Digital in Leesburg, Virginia. He can be reached at cgleason@kmdig.com or 703.581.5579.