Being found on images is important! 4 tips to make happen.

Welcome to the world of images. Our world. But when you're selling products online, whether it is clothing or car parts, good product photos and image editing should also have your attention.

More and more people search via Google Images or Google Shopping with a specific word or a combination of words. Your customers don't even need to visit your website to get to your product photos. Do you want to stand out from all those photos? Then it is very important that the photos are representative and attractive. The good thing is: you can create this yourself! Do you want to know how? In this blog, you will read four tips to easily optimize your photos for search engines and your customers!

1. Give images a relevant name

Relevance is key for content marketing. For example, Google can tell what kind of image it is from the file name. IMG099728625 does explain anything, but a description of what can be seen in the photo does. Therefore, use a fair amount of relevant names and keywords. Also, keep in mind that you use hyphens (-) for findability. Do not confuse these with underscores (_). For example, the file name of the photo in the header of this blog is called: be-found-on-images-4-tips

2. Add an alt-text

The alt-text (in HTML - alt attribute) makes it even easier for a search engine like Google to recognize what a photo shows and easier for the consumer to share. Why? The alt means alternative. It is the text that a consumer (including someone with a visual impairment) will see if, for some reason, the image does not become visible, and when consumers move their mouse over the image. In addition, it helps the search engine to understand the link between the search term and the image. Google rewards relevant keywords in the alt text. Think about it as SEO for images. You simply rank higher and are easy to find. It is important that you do this not only for Google but also to provide your potential customers with the correct information. Reliable information also results in extra visitors.

The alt text of the photo below this piece of text is for example: add an alt-text.

3. Do not increase the file size too much

Time to leave slow opening photos behind. Visitors leave before photo are opened. In addition, users all over the world have different browsers with different speeds, making it even more important to keep images small. Therefore, adjust your files to the maximum your website can handle (about 4 MB each). Each software and template has its own standards like Amazon, Google, Bol.com and eBay have. For product images it is useful to use a fixed format of, for example, 1000x1000px and banners of, for example, 1200x600px. This ensures that the images are clear enough and consistent in size for a great appearance without decreasing the quality of your photo. Finally, and also very important for the visual experience of your customer: pick a format that fits the page. So make sure to test this until you find the right one.

4. Use a subscription

You can do this by using captions. Photos with a caption perform better in search engines, but this mainly ensures that the reader knows what the photo is about. Include relevant words in the caption images as you did in the file name and alt-text. A caption also grabs the reader's attention and confirms that the correct information has been searched for. As you can see in the image below, the inspiration is not only confirmed by the photos, but also by the naming and caption.

Keeping this in mind, it is not that difficult to optimize your images. If you follow these steps, you will have a good basis to continue with. Do you want to get started with Google Shopping? Read what else you can do to be found better. Or contact us.