Best practices for images on websites: Optimising for search engines and users
Optimising images on your website is one of the easiest ways to make your content more appealing and your site faster. Not only does it help search engines like Google understand and rank your pages better, but it also improves the overall experience for your visitors. Here's a simple guide to optimising images that both search engines and users will love.
What is image SEO?
Image SEO is all about making your images easier for search engines to find, understand, and display. When done right, it can help your images appear in search results, attract more visitors, and even make your website faster. Think of it as a way to ensure that both Google and your site visitors can easily "see" what your images are all about. Naturally, this is quite important for your SEO performance.
Where do optimised images show up?
When you optimise your images, they can show up in multiple places on Google, including:
Google Images: This is where many people go to search for images directly.
Google Lens: People use this app to search by taking photos or using an image they already have.
Regular search results and SERP features: Google sometimes shows image results at the top of the search page, which can grab more attention.
Having your images appear in these places means more people are likely to visit your site.
How to optimise images for SEO (and make users happy)
Now you know what image SEO is, let's learn how to do it yourself. This will make sure your images are optimised for both search engines and a great user experience.
1. Use unique, high-quality images
Instead of using overdone stock photos that everyone has seen a million times, try to create your own images. Original images are more engaging, build trust, and give search engines a reason to rank your site higher.
But if you need to use stock images, just make sure you have permission to use them (to avoid any legal issues).
2. Pick the right image format
Choosing the right format for your images is key to keeping them looking great while loading quickly. Here’s a quick breakdown:
JPEG: Great for standard photos and images with lots of color.
PNG: Ideal when you need transparency or a higher level of detail.
WebP: A newer format that’s excellent for keeping file sizes small while keeping images crisp.
SVG: Best for logos and icons because they scale without losing quality.
3. Give your images descriptive file names
Before uploading an image, rename the file to something that actually describes what it is. For example, instead of IMG12345.jpg, try something like blue-running-shoes.jpg. This helps search engines understand what the image is about and can boost your SEO.
4. Add alt text (keep it simple)
Alt text is like a caption for search engines and screen readers. It’s a short description of what’s in the image. For example, if you have a picture of a laptop, your alt text could be “silver laptop on a wooden desk.” It’s not only good for SEO but also helps visually impaired visitors understand your content.
5. Resize images for faster load times
Large images can slow your site down, which frustrates visitors and can hurt your search rankings. A good rule of thumb is to keep image widths under 2500 pixels unless you need extra detail. Tools like Photoshop or online resizers make it easy to adjust image sizes.
6. Compress images without losing quality
Compression reduces the file size of your images so they load faster, but it can be tricky to find the right balance between size and quality. Free tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh can help you shrink file sizes without making your images look bad.
7. Use responsive images for all devices
Your website needs to look great on all devices, from mobile phones to big desktop screens. Responsive images automatically adjust to fit whatever screen your visitor is using. Many website builders handle this for you, but if not, it might be worth adding a plugin or having a developer help out.
8. Add lazy loading for faster pages
Lazy loading is a cool trick that loads images only when visitors scroll down and actually see them. This way, your page loads faster because it’s not trying to load every image at once. It’s easy to add lazy loading by adding a little bit of code to your images.
9. Use an image sitemap
An image sitemap helps Google find all the images on your site. If you don’t have one, Google might miss some of your pictures. You can use tools or plugins to create a sitemap and make sure all your images are getting the attention they deserve.
10. Cache images for returning visitors
Browser caching means storing your images in a visitor's browser so they don’t need to be downloaded again when the person comes back to your site. This makes things load faster and improves the overall experience.
11. Add structured data for SERP features
Structured data (also known as schema markup) gives Google more information about your images. For example, you can tell Google if an image is part of a recipe, product, or event. This can help your images stand out in search results and bring in more clicks.
12. Optimise social media sharing with open graph tags
If you want your images to look great when shared on social media, make sure you add Open Graph tags. These tags tell social platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn what image to display when someone shares your page.
13. Focus on high-quality, original images
Google loves original content, and this includes images. Whenever possible, create your own images to stand out from competitors. Not only does it help your rankings, but it also makes your site feel more trustworthy and unique.
By following these simple steps, you can make sure your images are optimised for both search engines and your site’s visitors. This means faster pages, better rankings, and more engagement from users. Remember, optimising images is not just about getting them to show up in search results – it’s about creating a smoother, more enjoyable experience for everyone visiting your site.
Not sure if you’re doing the right thing when it comes to image SEO? Our Independent Digital Audit can tell you! Contact us today for a free chat.
