Not only do images enhance the user experience by making your content more engaging and accessible, but they also significantly contribute to your SEO efforts.
By understanding and applying the principles of image SEO, you can achieve better rankings, enhanced user engagement, and ultimately higher conversion rates.
Understanding Image SEO
What is Image SEO?
Image SEO is an on-page SEO practice that involves optimising your images to make them more discoverable by search engines and more useful for users.
This process includes several steps such as resizing and compressing images, adding descriptive file names and alternative text, and ensuring the images load quickly on any device.
Why is Image SEO Important?
Images contribute to better user engagement, lower bounce rates, and improved conversion rates. In 2018, it was reported that images accounted for 21% of an average web page’s total weight, which has likely increased.
Hence, optimising image size and quality is crucial for maintaining site performance and improving rankings.
The Importance of Unique Images
Original and unique images are vital for enhancing your website’s SEO and overall user engagement. Unlike stock photos, which are generic and widely used across the web, unique images offer fresh content that appeals to both users and search engines.
Here’s why focusing on unique images can significantly benefit your business:
Why Unique Images Matter
Unique images provide genuine visual content, making your website more authentic and trustworthy. Search engines like Google appreciate fresh content and often reward websites that consistently provide new and original images.
Types of Images to Use
To achieve the best results, consider including the following types of images on your website:
- Work Examples: Photos showcasing the work you’ve done can highlight your expertise and allow potential customers to see the quality of your services.
- Team Photos: Images of your team help personalise your brand, making it more relatable and trustworthy to your audience.
- Office Photos: Showcasing your office environment can build credibility and give customers a sense of your business culture and professionalism.
- Branded Vehicles: Photos of your branded vehicles can enhance recognition and trust, especially if potential clients see them regularly in their local area.
- Street View: Including photos of your business’s exterior and surroundings can help users find your location more easily and add to the authentic feel of your website.
Case Study Highlight
A good example of the power of unique images is the ranking success of a page of one of our clients, Hammer and Brush. The page https://www.hammerandbrush.com.au/picnic-tables-bar-benches-perth/ likely ranks well for the keyword “Picnic Tables Perth” because the client provided a wealth of images showcasing their work.
The abundance of original, high-quality images helps the page stand out in search engine results, demonstrating the impact that unique visual content can have on SEO.
Read our other SEO case studies here.
Encouraging Regular Updates
Regularly updating your website with new images, even if they’re not perfect, can significantly boost your SEO. Search engines recognise and reward the introduction of new content.
Consistently adding images that reflect your ongoing projects, team activities, and day-to-day operations can make your website more dynamic and engaging.
Remember, the quality of your photos matters, but authenticity and relevance are equally important. By consistently providing original visuals, your website is more likely to engage visitors, hold their attention, and rank better in search engine results.
Related: 5 Amazing Free Photo Websites You Won’t Believe Are Free
How to Optimise Images for SEO
Resize Your Images
Image size and file size are different; the former refers to dimensions, while the latter is about storage space. Large and high-resolution images can drastically slow page load times. Resize images to fit your web layout without compromising quality.
Tip: Check platform-specific guidelines to identify optimal image sizes for social media and other applications.
Choose the Right Image Format
Different formats have different advantages:
- JPEGs are great for photos and images with many colours.
- PNGs are better for graphics that need transparency.
- WebP provides smaller file sizes with both lossy and lossless compression, improving load times while maintaining high quality.
Compress Your Images
Compressing images reduces their file size, helping to improve load times. Tools like TinyPNG, JPEGmini, and Squoosh can significantly reduce file sizes without losing much quality.
Optimise Image File Names
Use descriptive, keyword-rich file names. This helps search engines understand the image context.
For instance, “woman-having-a-haircut-in-a-salon.jpg” is much more descriptive than “salon234.jpg”.
Add Alt Text
Alt text provides a textual alternative to images, crucial for accessibility and SEO. This text helps search engines understand the image content. Include relevant keywords but avoid keyword stuffing.
Tip: Aim for 10-15 words that accurately describe the image.
Related: What is Keyword Research?
Ensure Mobile Friendliness
Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of a page for indexing and ranking. Ensure your images are responsive across different devices by using CSS or website builders that automatically resize images.
Add Captions
Captions can improve user engagement as they are visible and can add context to the image. While they don’t directly impact SEO, they can indirectly improve user metrics.
Add Image Structured Data
Structured data helps search engines display your images as rich results, providing more visibility. Google supports structured data for product images, recipes, and videos.
Include Images in Site Maps
Including images in your site maps helps search engines index them more effectively. Each entry should include the title, description, URL, caption, and license information.
Implement Lazy Loading
Lazy loading delays the loading of images until they are in the user’s viewport. This reduces initial page load time, improving overall performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I select the best image format?
The best format depends on the image type. JPEGs are ideal for complex images with many colours, PNGs for images requiring transparency, and WebP or SVG for scalable graphics.
2. What tools can help me with image compression?
Tools like Imagify, TinyPNG, JPEGmini, and Squoosh are excellent for compressing images without significant loss of quality.
3. Why is alt text important?
Alt text improves accessibility for visually impaired users and helps search engines understand the image content, which can boost your SEO.
4. What is lazy loading and how does it help?
Lazy loading defers the loading of images until they’re needed, which improves initial page load times and enhances user experience. Also, read how page experience can help in improving your rankings.
5. How often should I update my site map to include new images?
If your website frequently updates its content, it’s advisable to update your site maps regularly to ensure search engines index new images promptly.
Optimising images is crucial for enhancing both user experience and search engine rankings. Incorporating best practices in image SEO can significantly boost your website’s performance. At Halo Digital, we specialise in providing comprehensive digital marketing solutions that include thorough SEO strategies. For tailored advice and expert assistance on SEO services in Perth, give us a call or contact us today.
Here is a link to Google’s official documentation for Image SEO best practices.
