SEO OPPORTUNITIES OPTIMIZED IMAGES
Do new customers contact you as a result of finding you through a Google Search? Well, if this idea appeals to you and your business then read on!
Recently the good people at Google wrote a blog reminding the world of how relevant website images are to the world of search. They also advised on techniques to help optimize website images for new social sharing sites, like Pinterest and Google+. You may not be aware of this, but the images on your website can generate substantial traffic from search engines.
So, not sure if the images on your website are optimized for search? Here are a few things to check and while you’re at it why not take a look at your competitor’s site to see how well their site is optimized?
1. Alt Text– Since search engines don’t have eyes, at least not yet, they “see” an image by reading the Alt Text. Simply put, it is the text search engines use to understand images. Its tedious work so most web designers skip this when they are building a site. The code looks like this:
You can check the Alt Text by simply hovering over an image. Try this at Domicile Designs. The search engines can see their images and they are keyword rich as well.
2. File Names – Most clients send use images with file names like img2345.jpg. However, if a user comes across this image in a Google search this is not going to be a very useful description. A much better file name would be kitchen-remodel-san-francisco.jpg. Again this is rich with not only keywords, but also potential searchers will know what they are looking at.
3. Optimize Image Size – Another aspect that gets overlooked is the image file size. All the images on your site should be reduced to the smallest file size without affecting image quality. This can be done easily in an image editor such as Photoshop. A lot of large image files on your site will slow down loading times, which will negatively affect SEO.
We all want to realize an increase in website traffic and sales quickly. Please remember the time it takes to see improvement in search engine results depends on a number of factors. I’ve touched on only one of these factors. Also consider the length of time and the amount of effort your competitors have invested in their search engine optimization efforts. Good luck!
