Images are one of the big ways you can make an impact with your audience. Studies have shown that 50% search engine results will be image based. Images can speak louder than written text, and can enhance what you have already written. They also can convey a message without the use of words at all. Making sure your images are optimized on your website can make or break your business’ online success.
Check out these image SEO tips and tricks to give the best customer experience possible.
The best images to use are ones that you have created or taken yourself. Generic stock images are great for only certain areas of your website. However, using too many can ruin the trust and authority you have with customers. You don’t need high level graphic design skills or professional-grade camera equipment for image content. Canva is a great program for creating unique and exciting designs, and using your smartphone with good lighting is all you need!
One thing to avoid with image SEO is to upload a photo without adjusting the size. Image size has a huge impact on your website SEO as a whole. The size and file type of the image can greatly reduce your website loading times. Time your website with how long it takes to load. If it’s more than 10 seconds, it’s time to go in and see what you can fix in your images. Scale them down or upload a JPEG image to help speed things up.
An easy way to help image SEO is to write some ALT text for your images. ALT text is used in HTML code to help describe the image. This is also a huge help for search engine web crawlers. If your image has ALT text, it will help your website rise in search engine rankings. Use your keywords in the ALT text, and be as descriptive as possible while keeping it short and sweet.
One of the best things you can do is allow visitors to share your content easily on social media. Add social media buttons to the sides of your images to increase the chance of it being shared. This allows your business to get in front of more eyes, which creates brand awareness. Allowing visitors to share on social media is an easy way to market your products and services for free. Plus, word of mouth is one of the biggest influences in purchase decisions.
Image SEO doesn’t have to be a difficult task. There are many simple, yet highly effective, things you can do to help get your business get out there, and make the customer experience as best as it can be.
