Five top tips for Website Image Optimisation
Did you know, that consumers are 60% more likely to consider or contact a health and wellness business when an image appears in local search results? There's no denying that images are essential for a successful website strategy.
But don't be fooled here. You can't use any photo or video on your site and expect it to align with Google's multimedia standards. You must carry out a few essential tasks when optimising images and videos.
This week we will start with images. Next time, videos…or…reels. (Still not quite there myself.)
Three top tips
#1. Include pictures on EVERY post and page. Why? Google loves images. Think of Google as a nostalgic and reminiscent Grandma who spends her days looking through old, dust-covered photo albums. When she finds a blank or irrelevant one, she scans to the next one. So think of Grandma Google and include visual elements, such as photos, illustrations and video, on each post and page you publish.
#2. Use original photos over stock photos. We have been using the internet for over twenty years now. We can tell a stock photo from an original. Stock photo examples include people smiling at salads, ridiculously handsome people, hands hovering over laptops and desk succulents and location-less landscapes we don't have the equipment to photograph, let alone climb. Smartphones are, well, smart. Use your camera to take snaps and footage of things and people in line with your brand.
#3. Make them contextual. Don't insert odd things in random places to add a visual element. Google is smart enough to know when an image relates to the text and when it doesn't. Judge-y Google.
4. Give image files descriptive names and make use of alt text. Don't settle for "DSC1837.jpg.' What does it even mean? Re-title the image with something simple like; 'Trees in forest.' This is what Google recognises when crawling. I recommend using alt text also; this is the written copy that appears in place of an image on a webpage if the image fails to load on screen. It is also vital for accessibility and visually impaired visitors.
#5. SIZE MATTERS: Use "jpg" or "jpeg" files for your photos, as these balance clarity, quality and file size. If your image is too big, your page/post will load slower, which judge-y Google HATES. Ensure your image size is under 1 MB. , consider resizing them. And what does it all mean, jpg, jpeg, MB? Not my forte. But these guys can help: https://www.fileformat.com/
Whether you own a corporate website, are a small business, or run an online shop, quality images are essential for engaging your prospects and converting clicks.
Research continues to tell us that website visitors scan websites. They don't read them. (Can someone remind me why I am writing a blog again?) To boss it, that’s why.
Images communicate critical information in a short space of time. Considering website visitors are on a page for 8 seconds before they decide whether to stay or go, the right image will make or break the conversion journey.
And if you are reading this thinking, where on earth am I going to find the time to do all this stuff? Now is an excellent time to Branch Out.
#TeamBranchOut