How to optimize images for SEO

Image optimization is an important factor in On-Page SEO Techniques. About 200 ranking factors in Google SEO checklist, optimize images for SEO is one of them. But Google does not inform clearly which factors they are using to rank a website. Popular SEO Experts and online marketers especially Neil Patel founder of Neilpatel.com and Brian Dean founder of Backlinko recommend optimizing images for SEO.

However, optimize your images for the web to rank on Google perfectly following our image optimization techniques. This SEO Techniques not only help to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) but also help to increase user attraction and conversion rate.

Best SEO Techniques to optimize images for SEO

If you search on Google or any other search engine about "image optimization for SEO", Google search this image and You will get about 51,100,000 results. So think, how important is an image SEO factor!

For doing Image SEO optimization perfectly follow below instruction. It helps to make your images SEO friendly.

1. Use unique images:

I think You know recently google giving priority for unique and meaningful content to rank a website on the 1st page. You may hear the word "Quality is better than quantity". So try to use unique images in your content for ranking in the 1st place.

Look at the above picture. You will see an image search option in the red box. It uses to find images on Google. If you optimize your website images right way using unique images, your image will get first place. As a result, you will get more and more unique traffic just using Image SEO.

2. Use the right image:

A lot of users searching google with an image to find the right content because an image tells a thousand words. So use the right image at the right place in the text to reduce the bounce rate. By using the right images in the content you will be able to create an awesome article that will be attractive to read for visitors and they read the full article with interest. As a result, the user spends a long time to read the page and Google will think this is a useful article. So you will get the first place in the search engine.

Do you know what is the right image of your content?

The right image is your content related image. If you don't understand which image is right for your article, Find some articles about your topic and save all images for Google search by image engine. After collecting some pictures or images try to google search with image and get images for your article.

For Example:

Your website is Health related. So you have to use health-related images like a doctor, nurse, medicine, etc.

Avoid using Google Search result images on your website. Try to use your own images or use a free stock photos from. 

• Gratisography
• Pexels
• Pikwizard

3. Use Relevant Filenames

The image filename is the most important part to optimize images for SEO. Use the main keyword in your image like the page Url. Suppose your web page keyword is "keyword research".

Use the main keyword in the first image file name and other images use related keywords. Don't over-optimize your content. Try to be natural.

Image File Name Ex.

Good Use: keyword-research.jpeg

Bad Use: ABC.jpeg, keyword research.jpeg

Don't use space or underscore (_) within the image file name.

4. Reduce the file size of your image

Page speed is the most important SEO Factor of Google and other search engines. So be careful to use a large size image on the web page.  Before adding images reduce the file size. You can use Image Optimizer to reduce file size. After publishing the content check page speed using PageSpeed Insights Checker. Make sure using high-quality images with low file size.

5. Make your images responsive

Make all images responsive to display the image properly in the mobile device. Now a day mobile device user is increasing day by day. So try to make those users as customer or visitors. To make all images of your website you can add below code in your style.css file.

img {max-width: 100%;}

6. Create an alt text that optimizes the image.

Alt text or Alt HTML tag is required to make images SEO friendly. An alt tag is known as "alt attribute" and applied to image tags to provide a text alternative for search engines. Applying images to alt tags such as web content can positively impact search engine rankings.

Example of Alt attribute uses in HTML

<img src="online-marketing.jpg" alt="Online Digital Marketing" />

7. Add images to your XML sitemaps

8. Separate your thumbnails from main pictures

9. Choose the right file format

10. Include a concise caption with your image

Video Guide of WordPress Image Optimization