Images are an essential component of a website. They enhance the overall aesthetic of the site and help to break up long blocks of text, making the content more digestible. However, unoptimized images can slow down your website, leading to a poor user experience and ultimately, lower search engine rankings. In this post, we'll cover four essential tips for optimizing your website's images.
1. Use Descriptive Filenames
One of the simplest ways to optimize your images is to use descriptive filenames. Instead of using a generic name like "IMG_53367.jpg," use a descriptive filename that accurately describes the image. For example, if you're uploading an image of a pair of white ankle boots, name the file "white-ankle-boots-low-heel.jpg." This will not only help search engines to understand what the image is about, but it will also make it easier for users to find the image if they're searching for it on your website.
I sometimes recommend adding your company’s name, if it's relatively short, in the filename as well. I've found that when someone "grabs" that image from an online search, curiosity will lead them back to the original site the image was featured on.
2. Add Captions
Captions are an excellent way to add context to your images and provide additional information to your audience. Adding captions to your images can also help to improve your website's accessibility. Screen readers, which are used by visually impaired individuals, can read the image's caption to provide context for the user. When writing captions, be sure to keep them short and descriptive but avoid keyword stuffing at all costs. Doing so can cause your website to be penalized by search engines.
3.Include Alt Text
Alt text is a text alternative that describes what's in the image. Most people assume that alt text is only used by screen readers to describe images to visually impaired individuals. However, it is also used by search engines to understand the content of the image. When adding alt text, be sure to be as descriptive as possible. Using the white ankle boots example. use something like "white ankle boots" in the alt text.
4. Resize Images to Reduce Load Speed
Finally, resizing your images is an essential step in optimizing them for your website. Large images can slow down your website, leading to a poor user experience. To ensure that your images load quickly, resize them to the correct dimensions before uploading them to your website. You can use a photo editor or online tools to do this. One of our favorite image compression websites is tinypng.com. It allows you to upload up to 20 images at a time, each with a size limit of 5 MB.
By following these four tips, you'll ensure that your website's images are optimized for both search engines and users. Remember that optimizing your images will help to improve your website's load speed, user experience, and search engine rankings.
It may sound like a tedious task, but every bit of SEO counts when it comes to your ideal clients finding you in search engine results. If you need any further assistance with this task, leave a comment below and 6Seventeen will get in contact with you soon.
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