Image optimization refers to the process of creating high quality images with the right resolution, size and format for optimal user engagement. Images play an important role in making online content attractive and engaging while positively impacting SEO. Optimized images improve the speed of page loading and also provide search engines with contextual information to enhance user engagement.
Here are some tips for optimizing images for SEO:
Use Unique Images: Stay away from free images (with low quality) as they are usually poorly clicked and have nothing new to offer to the viewer. For SEO benefits and a strong impact, use high quality original images. Also, ensure that there is no copyright issue with the image chosen.
Resize Images: Higher resolution images with large dimensions slow down page loading so it is recommended to scale down the size of an image when using it on the web. Popular formats are Webp, PNG, GIF and JPEG. Webp and JPEG is the best format for images with many colors whereas PNG works well for simple images.
Right Compression Rate: Compressing an image too much reduces it quality but a low compression rate results in better image quality with a huge file size. Use image-editing tools to strike the right balance between file type and compression rate. Examples of popular image optimization tools are Adobe Photoshop, ImageOptim, JPEG Mini, OptiPNG, etc.
Use Alt Tags: Even if the viewer of a web page understands what an image is trying to convey, search engine spiders require more information in the form of alternative text (Alt tags) for indexing image content. Alt tags are also beneficial for visually impaired users and can be easily read by search engines which help in ranking a page.
Optimize File Names: To rank high in image search results, it is important to choose the right file name. The name of an image file should be relevant and descriptive for higher SEO ranking. Use target keywords separated with hyphens and avoid using underscores as they are not recognized by search engines. It is important for image file names to make sense to both humans and search engines.
Use Sitemaps: It is easier for web crawlers to crawl images that are specifically called out in the source code of a web page. So it is helpful to have image sitemaps to give search engines more information about images used on your website. For each URL listed on your sitemap, include a title, caption, image location, thumbnail URL and more.
Make them Mobile-Friendly: Making your images mobile-friendly can help in reducing bounce rates and increasing conversions. Furthermore, it may improve user engagement and help in attaining higher SEO ranking. The trick to optimize images for mobile devices is to use responsive images which have the ability or re-sizing as per the site they are being viewed on.
For more information on SEO tips for businesses in Atlanta, visit Centex Technologies 1201 Peachtree ST NE Atlanta GA 30361 or call at (404) 994-5074. Website – www.organicseoatlanta.com
