5 Steps to Optimize Images for SEO
Have you been doing SEO for quite some time, but don’t seem to be getting any results? Or maybe your content gets a great response from users, but it doesn’t rank high on Google?
In either case, you should look at how you upload images to
your website.
You may be wondering, what do images have to do with SEO?
Isn’t SEO all about links and content?
Believe it or not, images play a major role in any SEO
strategy. Whether you are uploading images to your e-commerce store or blog,
there are certain things you should keep in mind when adding images to your
website.
You’ll be surprised at the effect that optimizing your
images has on your rankings!
Here are 5 steps to help you optimize images for SEO:
1. Make Sure Your Images are the Right
Size
When you are uploading images to your website, you want to
make sure that your images are of high quality. However, did you know that
uploading images with too high a quality can affect your rankings?
Images that are too large take longer to load and can affect
your website’s design. Considering that loading speed is a major ranking
factor, make sure your images are the ideal size.
2. Save Your Image Files with the Right
Names
When saving your images, make sure that you save them with a
relevant name. You may not care what the image file's name is, but search
engines do care.
Choose a keyword that matches the image and is ideal for
ranking. For example, if you are uploading a new car image, then you should
save it as “new cars for sale” or a similar keyword that you want to rank for.
3. Add the Right Captions to Your Images
When uploading an image, you will usually have the option to
add a caption to your image. These captions will be visible on the site and
often affect how the user views the image.
Try and add an explanatory or descriptive caption to your
images and you’ll achieve a lower bounce rate. This can positively affect your
SEO score.
4. Use Alt Tags Wisely
Alt tags are the text that search engines look at when
ranking your web pages. When adding an alt tag to your website, make sure that
it matches the content of the web page. Also, try and add relevant keywords in
the alt text.
Just as with keywords on your website, avoid adding too many
in the alt tags. 10 keywords are usually the ideal number for a good alt tag.
5. Upload Unique Images
When it comes to ranking content, Google often favors
websites with unique and informative content. The same applies to images on
your website.
Avoid stock images and try to get unique images from a
professional photographer. You can also create your own images through Adobe
and other editing software.
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