What Is Image SEO?
Image SEO or, more specifically, image search optimization is the strategy of optimizing images so that they are submitted to Google (or other search engines) with additional data that allows them to be found and indexed.
Blogger goals: more organic traffic, more clicks, less frustration
There’s a lot of talk about how a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s true! A recent study by the University of Waterloo found that photos contributed 71% more than text to website rankings. But while you’re busy taking pictures and uploading them to your blog, you might not be considering the impact on your blog’s SEO. And if you don’t follow these steps, your organic traffic could suffer from image-related ranking loss or lost organic clicks.
Other bloggers will be stealing your organic traffic if you don’t optimize your images
Google can index only text; the search engine can’t detect, read or access the contents of images. You’re currently missing out on a lot of organic traffic. If you have a blog that attracts a high volume of visits from Google, keep reading, as this post is for you.
What Are the Benefits?
One benefit can be increased organic traffic through better positioning in search results. Another benefit is the ability to use images as part of marketing campaigns such as banner ads. Other benefits include enhanced click-through rates, increased conversions from people searching for products depicted in your images, and an increase in engagement on social media.
Here are 12 Actionable tips to get More Organic Traffic for Image SEO:
- Replace Image Links with Text Links
This means changing the image link to a text link on your blog and throughout social media. For example, you could add the following text to your post: “If you would like to see a visual representation of this concept, check out [insert image name].” You can also use an easily identifiable anchor text or keyword when linking to an image. - Create Shortlinks for Image SEO
Short URLs are search engine-friendly and easily recognizable by people using social media sites. I recommend using Bitly for creating short links (it’s free). To create short links for your images, simply add short links in place of the full URL when you copy and paste the original URL into Facebook and Twitter posts. - Include the Image Title in Your URL
Be sure to include the image title at the beginning of your URLs. A page that looks like this: www.yourblog.com/post/image-URL-here-1 You will want to add the image title to your URL so that it is unique and easy to read. Don’t forget the “1” if you’re using multiple images with each post. Attach an image description or title, if applicable, after the image’s name in a separate line of text that is not more than 160 characters long (this is for post title only). - Decrease the File Size of Your Images
Your images should be the appropriate size for your blog’s audience. Be sure to resize your larger images so that they don’t slow down your posts and reduce views. For example, if you have an infographic, you might want to save it as a PNG image file that is about 200 x 300 pixels in size. - Create a Gallery That Shows Images for One Category
This will allow Google to crawl through your image links and index them properly. Once your gallery is created, be sure to link to it from each category page on your blog (beginning with the most relevant category). - Create an Image Sitemap
Post a link to your image sitemap on the website right next to your post’s homepage. Your image sitemap should be easy to understand and should contain links to all of the images you plan to use in your posts. - Place Images Within Navigation
Oftentimes, authors leave their images out of the navigation links because they don’t want users clicking through. But if you’re using images for social media as well, you might want people to click through each of your posts and pages. - Images Are Also Ranked On Search Engines
Our case study proved that not only do images rank on search engines (presumably because of their ability to relay a sense of what the page discusses), but they are also ranked quite highly. The average number one position for images is about 10.7, compared to the text being about 15-20 on average. This is significant, and image SEO can be just as impactful as SEO for your content. - Use Schema Markup On Your Images
Schema is HTML tags that allow you to communicate additional information to search engines, like a name and description. You’ll want to use schema markup whenever possible so that you can share your knowledge with Google in the best way possible and get your rankings higher than ever before! - Use High-Quality Images
This applies to all types of images, including photos, infographics, and graphics. The image you choose should be high-quality and have high resolution. Don’t forget to include a title and description if you can. - Include a Description With Your Images
If you are displaying an image in a post or social media site, use the description field to explain what the image is and why it’s there. - Serve Responsive Images
If you are targeting multiple devices, you should use responsive images. These work by scaling down your high-resolution images and replacing them with smaller, more applicable images that suit the unique dimensions of a variety of devices.
This is an incredible time to be a blogger . . . but it’s also an incredibly competitive time to be a blogger. You’re fighting for space in search results and for people’s attention online.
Conclusion:
We have the tools and technology to do so many great things with images, such as using them in social media posts and on your blog, but we have to be smart about using them correctly. Using these 12 tips to get more organic traffic for images can help you reach your goals as a blogger.
Here I hope this post is useful for you. If it is please share it with your friends.
