Guidelines for Effective Image Optimization

Image optimizationWhen it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), most people only think about optimizing the text of a website. However, image optimization is also very important, especially for ecommerce sites. Optimizing your images can help you reduce the loading time of your site, make your images visible on various devices, as well as drive more traffic to your site. Here are some guidelines for optimizing your images effectively:

1. Optimize your alt tags

Alt tags are simply a text alternative which describes the identity of your image. Visitors will see the alt tag when they hover over an image with a mouse pointer or when an image fails to load. You need to optimize your alt tags by including relevant keywords in them. This will help you significantly boost your site’s ranking on search engines. If you are selling something that has a serial number or model number, be sure to include it in your alt tag. However, don’t use toomany keywords since you might end up getting penalized.

2. Reduce your image sizes

The size of your images will play a major role in the loading speed of your site. If your site loads slowly, people will get impatient and click away, thus costing you valuable visitors or customers. In addition, slow loading speeds will negatively affect your ranking on Google. Therefore, you need to find a way of reducing the file size of your images before uploading them. The good news is that there are numerous tools such as Image Resizer that you can use to adjust your images accordingly.

3. Use the right image file type

PNG, GIF and JPEG are the most recognizable image file types out there. JPEG is one of the oldest and has become the default file type for most sites. The great thing about .jpg images is that they can be compressed greatly without losing their quality. They are therefore the best option when it comes to ecommerce sites. GIF is the file type commonly used for basic images such as icons and thumbnails. However, .gif images are of a lower quality compared to .jpg images, and would therefore not be suitable for product images. If you are looking for an alternative to GIF and JPG, then you could consider the PNG file type. The best thing about .png files is that they don’t lose their quality even after numerous re-saves.

4. Name your images properly

Every photo taken using a camera will have a default name such as ‘0012.jpg’. However, before uploading it, you need to rename it appropriately. A descriptive file name with appropriate keywords can significantly boost your site’s ranking on search engines. When choosing a file name, consider how a potential customer would search for your product. You can use tools such as Moz and Keyword Discovery to find out the different phrases customers use when searching. Choose the best phrase which would enhance your chances of being found.

5. Display the right angles and dimensions

Showing different angles of your product is one of the best ways of grabbing the attention of your visitors. For example, if you are selling a car, don’t just have one photo showing the exterior appearance. Potential buyers will also want to see the upholstery, the rear, underneath the hood and a close up of the dashboard. Don’t forget to have unique alt tags describing each image.

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