Seven Essential SEO Images Tips You Have to Know
22, Jun 2021
Craig UptonMost people know that the most attractive and engaging online experiences tend to be visual in nature; people prefer to look at pretty pictures online than blocks of unbroken text.
Nevertheless, it is surprising just how many online business owners and publishers fail to prioritize image SEO. With a few simple tweaks like adding image alt tags, compressing images and so on, it is possible to radically improve your sites overall SEO performance.
If unsure where to start, here are the seven most essential SEO image tips you really need to know:
- Format Selection Matters
Firstly, always be mindful of the format you choose for every image you use, PNG files are larger but higher in quality while JPEG files are adjustable to help you find your preferred balance. Though if quality is your priority,stick primarily with PNG files. - Use Image Compression
There are tons of apps, extensions and plugins available to compress your image to a comparatively tiny size without downloading them, one of the most popular and easiest to use is TinyPNG, which will most likely cover most or all of your requirements. Lower image size = immediate site performance improvement and improved SEO clout. - Showcase Unique Images
Stock imagery sends entirely the wrong message about the personality of your business; it paints a picture of generalness’ and a lack of imagination – none of which will do you any favours. In any case, one of the biggest advantages of unique imagery is its potential SEO value. Google is far more likely to pick out and showcase your original imagery, than the stock pictures a thousand other websites are already using. - Beware the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
Being slapped with an injunction having ‘borrowed’ someone elses pictures is just about the worst thing that can happen, along with being forced to take them down immediately you could also find yourself on the receiving end of an extremely expensive lawsuit. - Use Keywords in Your Image File Names
Not only should your image file names be unique, but they should also contain keywords of relevance to their content. Nothing too complex or creative, just something of relevance thatis notthe default name assigned to your images. - Prioritise Mobile Audiences
With Googles mobile first-indexation system set to take over by the end of March, there is little time left to get your mobile act in order. In this instance, it is essential to ensure that all of your images are optimized for mobile. Every mobile visitor should enjoy the same high-quality experience as those who access the desktop version of your site. - SEO-Friendly Alt Text
Alt tags also provide you with the perfect opportunity to pop meaningful keywords into the mix. Google itself has discussed the importance and value of Alt tags as part of a wider SEO strategy; this provides its crawlers with essential information on the content and relevance of your images to usersqueries.
