Optimize Your Images for SEO: A Step-by-Step Guide

Images are important for website engagement, but they can be a double-edged sword for SEO. Poorly optimized images can harm your website's SEO performance. This guide will teach you how to optimize your images for SEO in a few easy steps.

1. Use descriptive filenames

Don’t just name your images something generic like “image001.jpg”. Instead, choose filenames that accurately describe the image. This gives search engines a better understanding of what the image is about. For example, if you have an image of a blue dress, name it something like “blue-dress.jpg”.

2. Optimize the alt text

Alt text is used to describe images to people who are visually impaired and for search engines to understand what the image is about. Make sure to accurately describe the image in fewer than 125 characters.

3. Compress your images

The larger your image file size, the more it affects your website’s load speed. Compress your images without sacrificing too much quality to ensure that your website loads quickly.

4. Choose the right file type

JPEG is best for images with many colors, while PNG is best for images with transparent backgrounds. GIFs are best for simple animations. Choose the right file type to ensure that your image is optimized for its intended use.

5. Implement structured data

Structured data helps search engines understand your website’s content better. Use structured data to markup your images, including the image itself and the page it’s on.