Shweta, a food blogger who posts wonderful photos on her website. However, her website does not appear in search results despite all of her hard work. Why? Her visuals aren't at their best.

Image SEO is what makes a difference. Adding images is not enough; you also need to make sure they load quickly, are searchable, and are visible to Google. Whether you are an e-commerce business owner or someone like Shweta, it is important that you optimize your image for search engines.

We'll teach you how to optimize your images for search engines, speed up load times, and increase natural traffic to your website in this blog.

Image SEO: What is it?

Image SEO is the practice of optimizing images so that search engines can discover, comprehend, and rank them. It's an important part of on-page SEO because it increases your content's visibility in Google Search and Images.

When done correctly, image SEO improves:

• Page speed
• Experience of the user
• Accessibility
• Your ranking in image search results

Why Is Image SEO Important?

Google's bots rely on alt language, file names, and structured data to decode visual information because they are unable to "see" photos the way people do.

Your website may load more slowly and lose out on important search traffic if your photos are not properly optimized for search engines.

Here's why it matters:

• Websites that load faster receive higher rankings.
• Google Images shows optimized photos.
• Excellent graphics boost time spent on the site and user engagement.

How to Make Images SEO-Friendly

1. Use descriptive and keyword-rich file names.

• Rather than uploading IMG1234.jpg, change the file name to something like this:
• Organic-green-tea-leaves.jpg is a nice example, 
• Bad example: photo1.jpg. Good example: organic-green-tea-leaves.jpg.
• This improves your chances of appearing in image search results by helping Google recognize the image.

2. Use Clear and Relevant Alt Text

 Alternative text defines your image for screen readers and search engines. Utilize a short, clear description with keywords when its relevant.

 Example: 

• Alt text: "Freshly brewed organic green tea in a transparent glass cup"
• Keep your content genuine and helpful; don't stuff it with keywords.

3. Reduce Image Size without Degrading Quality

Your website is slowed down by large graphics. Make use of resources such as:

• TinyPNG
• ImageOptim
• Squoosh

Try to keep the file size under 100KB, particularly for mobile views or thumbnails.

4. Make Use of the Correct File Format

Depending on the sort of image you have, select the appropriate format:

• JPEG: Ideal for pictures
• PNG: Excellent for transparent images and logos
• WebP: A contemporary format that provides excellent quality at a reduced size

Utilizing effective formats improves load speed and picture optimization for search engines.

5. Include captions for images when appropriate.

Readability and engagement are enhanced by captions beneath photos. Although it's not necessary for every image, utilize it if it provides context.

For example: "Green tea contains antioxidants that support weight loss."

6. Make All Device Images Responsive

Utilize srcset or plugins that automatically resize images to fit the screen. This raises your image SEO score and helps in mobile SEO.

Try this if you're using WordPress:

• Smush
• ShortPixel Adaptive Images

7. Use Lazy Loading.

Images that are loaded only when a user scrolls to them are said to be lazy loading. This speeds up your website's initial load time.

8. Make and submit an image sitemap

If your site contains a lot of visuals (e.g., portfolios or product pages).

Make use of SEO resources such as:

• WordPress-powered Yoast SEO
• Screaming Frog Spider for SEO

This speeds up Google's crawling and indexing of your images.

9. Include Structured Data (When Applicable).

Use schema markup for product, recipe, and video pictures. This increases the click-through rate and provides rich search results.

You can also follow Google's official guide to structured data.

Pro tip from The Social Stack

At The Social Stack , we assist companies in optimizing all material, including photos.

Our SEO specialists ensure that your images are as searchable as your headlines by optimizing image tags and improving site speed.

Explore our services to see how we optimize content for performance and ranking.

Conclusion

When properly optimized, high-quality images do more than just improve your content—they increase traffic. Make sure each image improves the functionality of your website by using these image SEO techniques.

Do you need assistance with your content, SEO, or website speed?

Need help with content or speed? Get in touch with The Social Stack today.