Back 6 minute read

The Do’s and Don’t’s of Image SEO (With Examples!)

The Do’s and Don’t’s of Image SEO (With Examples!) 6
minute
read

The Do’s and Don’t’s series is back! This time, we will be highlighting some key ways you can use image SEO to boost your search engine rankings. In addition, we will highlight some deadly Image SEO sins that could affect your ranking on Google.

According to Mark Hayes on Shopify, Image SEO is a relatively unknown but effective means of boosting your ranking. Not only does it serve as a pictorial representation of your content, but it could also do wonders for your SEO. From reducing your website load time to helping your images show up on Google Images, Image SEO could improve your web experience and online presence.

If you are completely new the concept of Image SEO, then this article will serve as a helpful guideline to you.

DO Choose High-Quality Images

Let’s face it – blurry images like the one above make your website look unprofessional. Opt for high-quality and high-definition images that showcase your products or services. Clear visuals are more attractive and professional. Furthermore, high-quality visuals could boost your Image SEO on Google by appealing more to users.

DON’T Choose Massive Dimensions

Visuals with huge dimensions and giant file sizes could cause your website to take forever to load. It could be frustrating, especially when you have included several images on one web page. Instead, try to stick to JPEG images, they have smaller file sizes but still retain its quality.

When resizing your images, try to avoid anything above 1000 pixels.

DO Rename Your Images

Keywords also matter when it comes to Image SEO. Instead of “Shutterstock_12234657”, try renaming the file name by adding a keyword along with a simple 3-word descriptive caption. Add titles that describe the image.

Here are some examples with the keywords in bold:

  • Barre Fitness Singapore – New Barre Studio
  • Chocolate Milkshake in Singapore for Weight Loss
  • ABC Bakery Best Cupcakes in Singapore

DON’T Stuff Keywords

If you have read our other Do’s and Don’t’s article about blogging for business (click here if you haven’t), you would know that keyword stuffing is a huge no-no for SEO. This is true for Image SEO as well.

Like normal SEO, Google Images hates spam. Hence, stuffing keywords could lower your rankings on Google Images in spite of how optimal it may seem.

Here are some examples of captions which stuff keywords with the repetitions in bold:

  • Best Chocolate Bar in Singapore Chocolate Industry
  • Mother Elephant and Baby Elephant in Elephant Sanctuary
  • Best Movie for Movie Night Latest Movie in Cinema

DO Use Original Pictures

Next, show off your company’s artistic side by using in-house pictures and photographs. Include photographs of your team, office as well as the products and services you offer. Hire a professional photographer to get them taken. Ultimately, people want to see your team members and products rather than nameless individuals and goods on Shutterstock. This brings us to our next point.

DON’T Rely Too Heavily on Shutterstock Images

While an image from Shutterstock is far from being a nail in the coffin of your website’s SEO, relying too heavily on them isn’t doing your SEO or online image much favours. As we mentioned earlier, your customers and users want to see your company and products, not a random person on Shutterstock.

As much as possible, try to use in-house pictures and photographs.

DO Add Alt Text

This is where any HTML knowledge you might have in your arsenal might come in handy.

Unlike a regular image title, alt (short for “alternative”) text could boost SEO. It describes the purpose and function of the image.

When crafting alt text, be sure to include a keyword and keep your wordings as short as possible. Avoid stuffing as it could be detrimental to your Image SEO.

Here are some examples of alt text based on some main titles (main title of image | “alt text“):

  • Pancakes | “Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Pancakes
  • Slippers | “Red Slippers for Ladies
  • Boat Noodles | “Authentic Thai Beef Boat Noodles

For more about alt text, check out Moz’s beginner-friendly guide to alt text and Image SEO.

DON’T Steal Images

In general, stealing is wrong, period. Stealing images online is no exception. Getting into trouble with copyright could be severe to your website reputation. It could make your content look unoriginal and unprofessional. All in all, try and keep your image content as authentic and original as possible.

Suggested Articles