How To Optimize Images For Search Engines Properly? – Answer By Semalt

Jason Adler, the Semalt Customer Success Manager, says that image optimization is one of the major steps of an effective SEO campaign. The search engines are more intelligent and smarter than before, and the procedure of getting good search ranking is very tough. Quality content is not enough as you have to pay attention to image optimization too.

Alt text and description tags:

The alt text and description tags are mandatory from an SEO point of view. If your image is not showing up properly, you should replace it with a picture that has better resolution and don't forget to insert alt text and description tags in it. The alt text acts as the anchor text for a specific link. Google never recommends using multiple links inside a page, but it's a good SEO practice. As far as the description tags are concerned, you may or may not add them.

The image format:

When it comes to saving the pictures in Paint or Photoshop, you should save the file in a proper format. JPEG is the best and most famous image format that adds value to your site's overall look. PNG, on the other hand, is good for graphics such as tiny icons web graphics and logos. GIFs are useful if you want to add some animations to your articles.

Image size:

Use images that are related to your content. Make sure you select high-quality images, and their resolution and size are large enough to be visible on all devices. Another important thing to consider is that you should use stock photos only. Be careful while choosing a photo and make sure it is copyright free. If you want to access such images, you may subscribe to Getty Images, Shutterstock or other similar services. You may want to resize your photos, and there are a lot of tools and programs to make it happen. Huge image files will drag the loading time of your site down and can affect your search engine ranking, so you should always resize the photos before uploading them. If you are on Mac, you can resize them with the Adjust Size option. Alternatively, you can use Photoshop, Picresize, or other similar tools to get your job done perfectly.

Filenames:

Most often, people forget to rename their image files. Before you upload a picture to your website, you should give it a proper name. On an iPhone, the file names are called as IMG_6053. It's important to rename it before you use the picture on your website as this is a must SEO practice.

Alt text:

Alt text describes your picture and Google uses this information to know more about your content. Make sure your alt text is descriptive, clear, concise and informative. Plus, you should not stuff lots of keywords. In fact, the major rule is to write alt text in a few words, describing what your content is about.

Description and Caption:

If you have a WordPress website, you should add the Caption and Description. The description is used to add lots of details, such as the source of your image and when did you take it. The caption, on the other hand, shows up under the image on a published post. It helps describe the nature of your image but is not an essential SEO practice.