19 Actionable Image Optimization Hacks For Ranking in Google Search Results [infographic]

If you are searching for ways to increase your organic traffic from Google, it’s high time to start optimizing images. It can result in the expansion of your search presence and alignment of your images with visual discovery. If you are aware of the concepts of image Search Engine Optimization (SEO), chances are that you are familiar with filenames and ALT tags.

The team at SEO Sherpa recently prepared a comprehensive graphic with a number of image SEO hacks along with instructions. For those looking to implement some effective and practical strategies to use on their site so it can rank better in Google Image search, the infographic (featured below) is a must-read.

Some of the most important tips found in this infographic are:

1. Start with Image Keyword Research:

It should be noted that Google Image search constitutes 21% of the total search volume, not just on Google but the entire World Wide Web. Thus, doing specific keyword research beforehand is quite important. This research can be done in 3 simple steps i.e. 1. Begin with a broad “seed” keyword 2. Narrow down the results using topical categories and 3. Select the most relevant keywords with high search volumes.

2. Create Exceptional Quality Images:

It is essential to create/use high quality images to improve E-A-T (Expertise, Authority and Trust) and get an increased number of clicks from image SERPs. You can create unique images by image searching for your target keywords and doing the opposite from what appears in the results.

3. Choose the Right File Type:

To ensure that your images load quickly and are clear, the right file type has to be chosen. GIF is used for short animations or pictures with solid colors, line art and text. PNG is the go-to for websites with gradients and screenshots of apps. Last but not the least, JPG is an ideal pick for photos of people, places and things.

4. Scale your Images to Optimum Proportions:

Before uploading your images to your CMS, make sure to resize them to the exact width of your website’s display area. This will reduce file weight and at the same time fasten load times.

5. Optimize your File Names:

After optimizing the image size, it’s required that you optimize the file names as well. This can be done by naming the file in 1-5 words, with hyphens separating the words. Also, keep in mind that the target keyword should appear at the start. Stop words such as I, we, and, the etc. should be omitted. Lastly, the name shouldn’t contain a large number of keywords.

6. Reduce the File Size:

This tip might come off as concerning to many as reducing the size of an image can result in loss of quality. However, there are many tools available that can lighten a file without hindering its quality. The recommended tools for this purpose are TinyPNG, Imagify, ImageOptim (Google’s recommendation) and a few others. An image with smaller size loads quickly, which mean a better UX and this ultimately can help it to rank higher.

7. Write Descriptive ALT Text Containing Your Keyword:

Describing the content of image is an essential part of image optimization. To write a well-detailed yet concise ALT Text, make sure that it’s around 125 words and doesn’t contain any conjunctions/connections. The target keyword should be placed at the starting of the description. Also, make sure that you keep the details brief and to the point.

8. Add an Image Caption and Title:

Once your ALT Text has been written, it’s best to create an Image Title that is both catchy to the reader’s eye as well as matches the ALT Text. Additionally, an image caption that is around 1-2 sentences long and contains important details about the image content, is also required. The caption should include Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords as well.

The above mentioned tips were just a few basic ones. There are other basic as well as advanced tips as well included in the complete infographic that should definitely be read. Understanding and then following these guidelines will make your site perform better in ranking. Once you properly implement these tips and strategies for your images, you will be able to notice the difference in the site’s Google ranking yourself.