Best SEO Practices for Images: Boost Traffic Efficiently
Images are important for websites. They make content interesting. But images need SEO too. Why? Because good SEO helps images show up in searches.
Let’s learn how to make images better for SEO. This will help your site. It will also help users find your images easily.
Credit: firstpagesage.com
Why Images Matter in SEO
Images help people understand content. They make text more interesting. Good images can even tell a story.
But search engines need help. They can’t see images like people do. They need descriptions to know what images show.
Use the Right File Name
The file name is important. It tells search engines what the image is about. Use simple words to name files.
For example, a picture of a dog should be named “happy-dog.jpg”. This is better than “IMG1234.jpg”.
| Good File Name | Bad File Name |
|---|---|
| happy-dog.jpg | IMG1234.jpg |
| red-apple.png | DSC0001.png |
Use Alt Text for Images
Alt text describes images for search engines. It’s also helpful for people who can’t see images.
Use simple and clear words in alt text. Describe what the image shows.
For example, “A happy dog playing in the park” is good alt text.
Choose the Right Image Format
Different formats are good for different images. JPEG is good for photos. PNG is good for images with text. WebP is great for web use.
Choose the best format for each image. This makes images load faster.
Optimize Image Size
Large images can slow down your site. This is bad for users and SEO.
Compress images to make them smaller. Use tools like TinyPNG or JPEGmini.
This helps your site load faster. Fast sites are better for SEO.
Use Captions Wisely
Captions are the text under images. They help explain the image.
Use captions when needed. They can make images more interesting.
But don’t use too many words. Keep captions short and clear.
Credit: www.outbrain.com
Make Images Mobile-Friendly
Many people use phones to browse. Images should look good on phones too.
Use responsive images. These images change size based on the device.
This helps images look good on all screens.
Use Structured Data
Structured data helps search engines understand content. It can help images too.
Use structured data to mark images. This can help them appear in search results.
It might be a bit technical. But it’s good for SEO.
Test Your Images
Test your site to see how images perform. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.
This tool can show if images are slowing down your site. It gives tips on how to fix issues.
Make changes if needed. This will help improve your site’s performance.
Conclusion
Images make websites fun and interesting. But they need good SEO.
Use these tips to improve your images. This will help your site and users.
Remember, good images can help your site show up in searches. And that is very important.