How To Optimize Images For Search Engines, Social Media and People
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Optimize your images for search engines:
- Keywords in alt text, text around the image, image name, page title;
- Preferred image formatting - jpg;
- Separate SE accessible image folder;
- Image freshness. (SEW suggests re-uploading your images to keep them fresh);
- Enabled image search option at Google webmaster tool.
- Reasonable image file size (see the discussion at WW)
- Limited number of images per page;
- Popular and reliable photo sharing hosting (e.g. Flickr is reported to help in Yahoo! image optimization).
Optimize your images for social media:
- (obvious) use really great images to give your readers another reason to spread the word;
- (to get Digg thumbnailed submission) stick to jpg format and make sure the images can be resized to (or already are) 160×120 or 160×160 pixels (Unless you have an image that can be resized that way Digg will not offer the submitter a thumbnail to go with the post).
Optimize your images for people:
- People pay more attention to a clear image where they can see details (choose high quality images).
- (Clean, clear) faces in an image get more eye fixation. (don’t use abstract images too often).
- Keep them relevant: images are not the first thing a visitor sees on a web page but they can compel him to stay (according to the eye-tracking research web text is prior to images; when looking at a printed article people see images first; with web page they see text first - nevertheless images make the visitor stay and remember the page via relevant associations).
Gender specific:
- women are better at recognizing facial emotions than men (research):
- men seem to be more likely than women to first look at faces rather than other parts of a nude body (source);
- women are more interested in images with more than one person (source).
Tools and fun for image optimization:
- SEO Friendly Images WP Plugin - automatically optimize image ALT and TITLE with the help of post “%title†variable;
- Play with Google Images labeling (and help improve the quality of Google image search).
How to find images online.
- Finding Stock Photos - lists 3 great resources for stock photos;
- A Guide to Finding and Using Incredible Flickr Images - describing (1) which Flickr images you are allowed to use; (2) tactics to quickly find best images.
Post image: Feeling lucky punk?
Related posts:
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43 Responses to “How To Optimize Images For Search Engines, Social Media and People”
Great read. Thanks for the write up Ann.
By Brian Chappell on Mar 15, 2008
i always thought these are images you see first when entering the site. i didn’t know text is prior to images! very interesting
By Troj on Mar 16, 2008
Thanks for the great information! [stumbled]
By mark on Mar 16, 2008
@Brian, @Troj, @Mark and everyone - thank you for the thumbs up!
By Ann Smarty on Mar 17, 2008
Very good posting I really appreciate. According to me the best way is alt tag for promoting images but today I learns other thing is well thanx for shering with us.
By Unsecured Loans on Mar 17, 2008
thanks for the mention, it’s so nice that know that I thought these are good images.
By Ethan on Mar 18, 2008
Thanks for the idea.
By Seo Company India on Mar 19, 2008
Thanks for sharing the tips on how to optimize images for search engines. Very informative Post.
Bookmarked!
nhick
http://www.itrush.com
By ITrush on Mar 22, 2008
Haven’t done controlled tests yet, but a few more ideas:
* try hotlinking the images, or even copying to another site (don’t change filename or edit it or md5sum will change)
* place within same block level HTML elements as keywords
* use the word “photo” in the alt text
By Pocket SEO on Mar 23, 2008
Thanks for the idea.
By Mitesh Patel on Mar 24, 2008
If you have a page which is talkin about famous people them image optimization techniques can be extremely useful and good ranking can drive a lot fo traffic to your site.
By Affordable Search Engine Optimization on Apr 16, 2008
very good information..
By Aswani on May 21, 2008
Good resource, thanks.
By gestalt therapy on May 26, 2008
Nice organization and referencing, Ann!
By Brian Carter on May 26, 2008
Noway is jpg prefered. All my images are png. Will they still appear in google images at all?
http://www.reabo.co.uk
By ricky on Jul 6, 2008
Hi Webmaster,
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Have a nice day
By mukesh on Oct 1, 2008
Hi Webmaster,
We can do directory and article submission. If you are interested to deal with us . you can provide submission work to us . We will promise, your work will complete in best way (in good page Rank Directory). we will give you complete work with in proper time period. We can do work both salary and commission base. please help me .
We are waiting your positive response
Have a nice day
By mukesh on Oct 1, 2008
Nice tips, must follow now,
Thanks,
Happy new year.
By cuocthiseo on Dec 26, 2008
Nice and wonderful posting, thanks for giving the information.
By Hanu Software on Mar 18, 2009
I’m just wondering why my images on picasa got a good position on image search? While i haven’t used any method mention above.
By Bibokz on Apr 13, 2009
Re-uploading your images? Never would have thought of that.
And… info on where to find free images.
Great post, thanks for all the work.
Keith D
By Keith D on Apr 20, 2009
Thanks for the idea.
By France casinos on May 15, 2009
Good resource, thanks.
By Unibet poker on May 19, 2009
Ann
Your “how to find images online” is useful.. I’m always looking for good quality, eye catching free images.
Thanks
By Bill Simcox on May 23, 2009
So usefull! Nice post thanks for sharing and good idea lol …
By parier internet on May 25, 2009
Thanks for giving the information.
By Bonus Betclic on Jun 2, 2009
Thanks for the great info! I have a bunch of amazing images that I’m getting ready to upload!!!
By Maldives Dive Travel on Jun 9, 2009