Including images within blog posts can instantly make your content more accessible and interesting to readers. But apart from helping to convey your message and making your pages more appealing, images are equally important for their SEO benefits. Many people use Google Images to search, so optimizing your visual content is essential.
Google and other search engines can’t actually “read” images, so in order to make your content more visible online, try using some of the following optimization techniques before you upload any new images. It could dramatically improve your online visibility and credibility as a blogger.
Optimize Image File Names
Before uploading any image to your blog, remember to rename and save the file name with relevant, descriptive keywords to get the most SEO power. File names should make sense to both search engines and humans, so be clear in your description. For example, an image you downloaded or created of a woman in a hair salon might be called “salon234.jpg.” Rename it “woman-having-a-haircut-in-a-salon.jpg.”
Optimize the Image Title
If you use WordPress, the image title is usually taken from the name of the file, so you can sometimes leave it as it is. If you don’t use WordPress, or the title doesn’t explain the image, rename it with the appropriate keywords in the same way as file names.
You and your readers may understand what a picture is about, but search engine spiders still need some clues. Without alternative text, it’s impossible for search engines to accurately index all your image content. A good alt tag will provide context to your content and help visually impaired users too. Brand-relevant words can also be included here to boost visibility. Just avoid keyword-stuffing.
Include Captions
Image captions – the words directly beneath images – may not have a direct impact on SEO, but they can improve the user experience. Most people are drawn toward image captions to get a feel for the content when they arrive on a page. Without image captions, your bounce rates could increase and therefore damage your credibility with search engines.
Resize Your Images
A key factor in image optimization is the file size. Images created with a professional camera normally have a higher resolution and larger dimensions. If you use these images, it will slow down your page load times considerably, which is not good for SEO. To resize images, use software like Photoshop to save them as medium quality jpegs – around 72 ppi, or as low as you can go without sacrificing image quality. Free online tools such as PicMonkey, and Image Optimizer will also do the trick.
Use Unique Images
Using stock photos is fine, but this won’t necessarily help boost your search rankings as there may be many duplicates of the same image on other websites. In the same way that unique written content is better for SEO , try to upload unique images whenever possible. This may involve purchasing a digital camera, but it could be the most cost-effective solution in the long run.
Ensure Your Text Compliments the Images
The actual copy on the page can help search engines determine the relevancy of your images. If you don’t think the content on the web page includes enough information to explain an image, add more text. When appropriate, add words that describe the image. Remember that the more original your content, the better.
If you’re struggling to get your blog noticed, try to optimize your blog images using these simple techniques. Keep this checklist in mind before you upload any image, and you’ll be one step ahead of the competition. When you become used to optimizing images, it’s a quick way to help your blog get noticed in search engines and improve audience engagement.