How to SEO Your Website Images
So many of us here at Wealthy Affiliate are now paying attention to the value our website images can have on our website’s SEO that many members are now wanting to know how to improve their SEO on the images used on their websites... thus, I decided to share what I know on this topic.
First and foremost, you should have all of your images that you want to use ready to upload to your website. Once you have them, then you need to make sure the file names used each contain the keywords you want your post to appear in search results for.
To do this, I usually use my post titles along with image01, 02, etc., or header-image... so that my image file would look something like the following:
post-title-here-image01.png or post-title-here-header-image.png
In this way, my images all contain the keyword(s) PLUS when removing a post in the future, naming my images like this makes it sooooo much easier to remember which images need to be removed along with the post.
SIDE NOTE: Remember that removing unnecessary/unused images from your Media Library will help your WordPress website load faster. Once your websites ages a bit, you will be updating and deleting information in order to keep your websites up to date.
Then, once my image is uploaded to my Media Library, I click on the image from the Media Library view and check the Title texbox to see that it is used properly. I can then use this for SEO purposes (the file name usually appears here by default).
However, if you REALLY want to gain “brownie points” or credits from Google, you now need to pay attention to using your ALT Text textbox (for ALL of your images) so that when a website visitor comes to your posts using a screen reader, their browser will be able to inform them exactly what your image is all about.
EXAMPLES
Now, I upload my images to my Media Library first, then one by one, I fill in the necessary ALT Text textbox and then I create my new post (or page). That way I don't forget to use the ALT Text field.
So, be sure you offer an explanation that you would tell a friend about the image you used, let’s say, over the telephone.
After taking the time to do this will all of my websites over a year ago now, I noticed an improvement in my websites rankings for the better. All of this was thanks to a member here who uses a screen reader, and we had quit the discussion about the necessity of using ALT Text textboxes. Before that... I truly did not pay any attention to the ALT Text textboxes at all. I left them empty.
What USED to be is NO MORE: Many years ago, the ALT Text was called ALT tags and the tag WAS used for SEO purposes. Nowadays Google literally frowns on that usage as it is no longer an acceptable practise. For those interested, check out Google’s guidelines on images.
Here's Google's take: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/114016?hl=en
Credit for Header: image by Tumisu seo google search engine at pixabay.com
PS: https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/triblu/blog/why-do-click-on-...
Recent Comments
128
I am puzzled with " when removing a post in the future". Why would you do this? Can you say more what you do, redirect or what? I have never removed a post. What about broken links?
Yes Jovo, I delete outdated information on my websites as often as I can. No redirects... just deletions. I have even deleted posts that have never gained that much traffic over the space of years.
Yes, it COULD cause broken links among my posts that were published before installing a quality theme, but I have a link checker installed as a backup so any broken links are caught within days.
My one website has been online for many years now and I had well over 100 posts, of which nearly 30 have now been removed. Having outdated information on a website can be as damaging as too thin of content.
Hi, thanks for the information. I wonder if you talk about really outdated information because if I write about magnesium, the info is not going to change ever forever.
Hey Nemira,
Think you are in for a shock, as LOTS of information, especially on health products/procedures are changing all of the time. Here's Kyle's recent blog post on this very topic: Is Using Kleenex the Best Way to Blow Your Nose? Website information is what my business blog offers, so that can become outdated even quicker than other types of information... which is why we need to keep our posts updated whenever necessary.
Thank you so much Trish I was leaving it pretty much blank. I'm happy my site is newer and I'm going to go back and fix it.
You are very welcome David. Better that you had left them empty than used for SEO. Sites that use ALT for SEO purpose will receive Google penalties.
See more comments
Thanks for this post. I will be deleting unused images in my Media library today. Why didn't I think of that? Thank you!
Hey Holly,
It has taken me a long time to learn what I have. Had it not been for the WA member I met, I may never have discovered the actual value in using the ALT Text properly instead of ignoring that field.