Image SEO: Optimization Tips You Need To Know | INeedArticles.com

Your Complete Guide To Image SEO

Most site owners ignore visuals when it comes to ranking their site and this is a mistake. Image SEO has become a staple for pushing past the competition and attracting thousands of new leads.

So, how does image SEO work? What can a site owner do to ensure their images are optimized for Google and Bing?

Let’s take a look in this in-depth read on the subject.

Basics

It’s important to start with the basics before diving headfirst into the details of image SEO.

Image SEO is ideal for:

1)            Infographics/Graphs/Images Made To Gain Traffic

2)            Product Images

3)            Images for Sale (Licensing)

This is a good step for those wanting to know where image SEO can come in handy and why it should be the primary focus of their setup.

Now, it’s not only these images, which require SEO but it’s a good starting point moving forward.

For statistical proof, 12.5% of all web traffic pushed by search engines begins from images or image packs. This illustrates the potency of image SEO and the amount of traffic it can generate 24/7.

So, what does it take to optimize your images?

Image File Name

You want to begin with the file name. It shouldn’t be a random assortment of letters/numbers because that does nothing for the site. You need to make sure it is named after the specific keyword being targeted. For example, if you are showing an image of acne, you will want to name the image “Acne” or “Acne Treatment” because it will help optimize the image.

The same applies to every image that goes up on your site.

Do not waste your images by leaving them poorly titled. It will hamper your chances of growing the site or ranking well.

Image Caption

You want to look at the image’s caption next. The premise of the caption is to let the viewer know what they’re looking at but that’s just the beginning. You want to shape the text so it is clear and to the point.

Once again using the acne example, you will want to state what the image consists of.

If possible, please include the keyword in this caption. Don’t spam but make sure it is present at least once naturally.

Image Alt Tag

Alt tags are important with images because Google’s bots will scan for them and you want to keep these tags optimized.

The tags are a way to decipher what the file is about.

This means you want to ensure the keyword is used in the alt tag. Keep it simple but make sure it is present.

Page Title

Don’t forget the importance of your page and its headline. The title does matter and it should sync with the image itself. If not, you are wasting your effort and search engines will gloss right over the visual.

You want to ensure the page title fits what the image is showing.

If possible, use the targeted keyword in your title once. The same applies to all sub-titles used on the page.

Surrounding Text

What is present around the image? If you want to optimize the image, you have to look at what is surrounding it. The text should be based around the image and should add value to the visual.

It should be optimized for the keyword as one would with any piece of content.

Don’t avoid this or assume the image alt tag should suffice. It won’t and you will be missing out on a higher ranking.

It’s also important to note, your text should read well. It shouldn’t be a jumbled assortment of words because this will take away from the page’s chances of ranking. Google will look past the image itself and downgrade its value.

Read and re-read your work before publishing it!

Page URL

The page is going to be scoured by Google’s bots, so you want to ensure the page URL has the keyword present. If not, you are not going to rank well and the site will miss out on a great opportunity.

The page URL should be concise, easy to read, and include the targeted keyword for your image.

This is the bare minimum.

Dimensions

With the image being put up, you want to ensure it is sized appropriately. Remember, Google and Bing are picky when it comes to a site’s layout and will not accept an oversized image because it hinders user engagement. They want the image to fit nicely on the screen (desktop and mobile) before ranking the site. Get this right as soon as you can!

Keep the dimensions as close to a square as possible. This is the best rule to apply for dimensions because it appears neat.

When it comes to the image’s dimensions, you should also assess the image’s file size. It should not be larger than it needs to be and that can be an issue with high-resoluation images. Look to downsize them as much as possible because it will hamper your chances of ranking.

Engagement

Google’s algorithm has become picky when it pertains to user engagement and the same applies to images.

You won’t have control over this but Google is going to push up an engaging photo over time.

The only thing you can do is make sure the image is crisp, relevant, and compelling.

Backlinks

Unlike text, if your image is showing on other sites, it will bode well for its chances of ranking.

Google and Bing don’t mind multiple uses of the image. In fact, studies have shown the original photo can often be outranked by other sites who have used the same image!

You want to make sure it is embedded on other sites to bolster your chances of ranking.

Focus on building a reputable setup where the images on your site are compact, easy to view, and do not bog down the site. This will ensure you’re able to rank well on Google and Bing to see higher traffic numbers.

Remember, it won’t happen overnight but the right approach here could lead to a boatload of traffic down the road.

Did you like this article? Well here’s another one we’re sure you’ll love: 2018 On-Page SEO Report: What Marketers Need to Know

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