Are Amazon Images Damaging Our Websites?
Amazon Images: Damaging to Our Sites Or Helpful?
Like a lot of people here I have been using Amazon as a go to for my sales on my websites
But are the Amazon Images really OK for our websites or are they doing more harm than good?
I'm sure you have all used the image HTML Amazon offer us as affiliates but have you seen how long that coding is?
I've always trusted the image HTML coding as I thought Amazon would want us all to make more sales
I HAVE CROPPED MY PERSONAL DETAILS OUT SO THAT I DONT KEEP GETTING RANDOM GIFTS SENT TO ME 😉😂
Like So...
But with Google watching over us like a hawk with that big stick ready to smack us on the ass
Wouldn't we be better just downloading the product image ourselves, making it more SEO friendly, then adding the Amazon Text Link to that image?
I have been writing a post today about Rugby Kicking Tees and obviously needed to use the Amazon image codes but one came up that didn't have an image available
So as we do, I downloaded the image, optimized it correctly and then added it to my website.
disclaimer: I don't know if downloading the image straight from Amazon and adding the Amazon text link is allowed but I haven't had any trouble with payments or banned accounts so far ;)
Anyway, if you know if that is OK or not please let me know, lol
Lets get back to it before I keep talking about random crap again
As I was saying...
I used this Kooga Rugby Kicking Tee as an example and I put both the Amazon "official image HTML" and a properly optimized downloaded image onto a test post to see the coding difference
And this is what I got...
See the images are pretty much the same but the bottom one is a bit larger
Now let me show you the HTML of them both...
This is the Amazon Image Code in Html form
And this the Optimized Amazon Image Html that I put in myself
Surely the downloaded image looks much better to the Google Bots!
But what would I know!
Now, There's a question that needs answering here which has baffled me for a while now!
Should we keep using the Amazon Image codes, or optimize them ourselves?
I really don't know if this is an issue with websites and the way Google ranks them according to the Html coding so I would really love it if someone here could shed some light on the matter
What do You Think?
Thanks,
Recent Comments
19
I am quite happy with Amazon images .One small image with a link to a product is all I do. I am more concerned that my content or review is up to the mark
Well, I'd be careful about copying and downloading images off of Amazon...it's against their TOS as SleeperF explained in the comments below. I used to do it myself, but after hearing of others being banned from Amazon I changed mine to the Amazon image links although I never heard any complaints from them about doing it.
I definitely know what you mean by their html code looking clunky, but I suppose I haven't noticed any issues with my site because of it either. Although I would recommend to also add a text link for whatever product you promote too, besides Amazon's image link...
If you've ever noticed these Amazon images disappear when you're in "private" browsing mode...so anyone visiting in that mode won't see them either...at least that's what I've noticed when checking mine, adwords won't show and neither will the Amazon image links from Amazon...which makes it tempting to change it back to the way I used to have it, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Anyways, good luck with your sales!
Best wishes :) ~Sherry
This is very interesting. I will need to redo all my images as I simply saved and copied them. Jim
Sincerely, I don't seem to observe any damage Amazon images can cause to our websites. Thanks for the post!
Israel Olatunji
Hi Shwni, I've been with Amazon for several years and I don't consider Amazon images damaging to my websites.
It's illegal to download images straight from Amazon. So even if you thought it was better, you'll be banned at some point because of it.
That's why they give you the HTML code, so that you're pulling straight from the image that Amazon has. My guess is that Amazon doesn't really own the images either - the product owners do.
And so if the product owners pull their images (and their products), then Amazon will make sure that all those using the certain product images won't be able to use them either (if that makes sense).
All the above to say - make sure you use the HTML code that Amazon provides for you, even if you other ways seems 'cleaner'.
Edit: Below is a good example of someone hosting their own images, and the consequences that followed: Do You Use Amazon Images? You May Be In Violation Of Their TOS Now Thanks To An Update Last Year
yes, correct, and if I understand the TOS correctly, the product owner can also change images and by using the HTML code provided from Amazon, you would now automatically be displaying the new image... if you use your own image and apply the code you would be displaying the wrong image in this case and that can get you banned. Is that your understanding too @SleeperF?
Yeah, that's the way I understand it. Though I should probably read their TOS again, just to make sure I have the correct understanding :D
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Hi Matthew - I think you have the answers below. but I'd like to add a couple of other things.
Even if the code makes no difference to G's comprehension or rankings, I think it, and Adsense Code can affect site speed. This is a perennial problem, I have no answers but I'm just exploring different ideas.
Secondly, If you're an aff of the company, they poften have images you can use so maybe you could add a text link to those. If not, many companies have a press area with images there specifically for promotion.
Ian