How to Optimise Images for Online Content
Why You Should Optimise Images
A person’s attention can be grabbed quickly by using an image.
Pictures gain a lot more recognition on a webpage than words. It’s easier to take in the site when the text has been split up with images; they give the reader a break from reading. If you have a long piece of writing, make sure you include lots of images within the page so people continue to read on. Images can be used – not only to avoid boredom – but also to evoke an emotion or to emphasise a point.
How to Optimise Images
Google presents images and videos in high ranking positions, so utilising them properly can be a very powerful tactic. To begin with, you have to choose the right images for the webpage. Ensure your picture is relevant and not confusing for the reader. These images will allow you to share information in an easy, aesthetically pleasing way.
An alt tag helps Google understand your image. The tag is the image’s description, providing Google with the subject and content of the picture. To optimise images and get the best SEO, you need to ensure that every image on your site has an alt tag that includes the keyword. Be descriptive, but use plain English.
TinyPNG your images
The size of your image is another important factor to consider. The larger the image, the longer the load time of your website. A slow load time can ruin the user experience. To optimise images size you need to avoid high resolution, and don’t scale them by setting the width and height in HTML source code. Use images which are good quality, but low in size. We use TinyPNG to optimise all our images for the web.
Finally, old content can work against you. Clear any images that you think are expired, making sure your website is fresh.
Take a look at our blog on Image Copyright Laws for more information.