Images are very important for marketing campaigns – but especially for those online. Images make your content more accessible, appealing, and entertaining to users. They are also one of the best tools to boost your SEO performance and add visual storytelling to your content.
According to recent SEO statistics, well-optimized images drive organic traffic by as much as 111% and help to rank higher on Google. Here are the best tips for image optimization.
4 Tips for Better Image Optimization
1. Choose the Right Image File Type
There are many image file types – JPEGs, PNGs, vectors, GIFs, and more. However, when it comes to SEO optimization, it’s better to stick with JPEGs and PNGs. Let’s break down the characteristics of these two.
JPEG is one of the most popular image file types. It’s easily accessible on nearly every device. JPEG preserves the coloring of your images but loses some data during compression. These are the best for blog posts where professional photography is not necessary.
PNGs, on other hand, don’t lose any data and keep the quality of your images. However, they have larger file sizes which can decrease your site speed. PNGs support elements like transparent backgrounds. Try to use them only for icons, logos, and images that might have to be zoomed in.
2. Resize and Compress Your Images
Resizing and compressing the image are not the same thing. Image size is the dimensions of the image, while the file size is the amount of space needed to store it on the server. Images with large sizes tend to have a larger file size.
You need to resize and compress your images if you want your website to load faster. There are many free tools available online that can compress your image and make them smaller. But keep in mind that you don’t want your images to have poor quality and decrease user experience. The key is to find the balance between the right file size and image quality.
3. Add Alt Tags
Search engines can’t find your images without alternative texts. You must ease the job of algorithms as much as possible because this will only help to rank higher.
A good alt tag is an accurate description of an image. Google uses these descriptions to decide whether your content is relevant to a user’s query or not. So provide some time to accurately describe your image and its purpose.
4. Use Unique Images
While using stock photos is the easy way, it won’t help your search rankings. You need to have unique content even when it comes to images, as other websites can also use the same stock photos. Upload unique and topic-related images as much as possible.
Image optimization is not an easy task. With Google improving its ability to recognize elements in photos daily, it makes sense to ensure that the image and all of its elements contribute to a positive user experience as well as SEO. Before you post any image, keep these tips in mind for better-optimized images.
