Have you ever wondered how to use photos (images) on your website to improve your SEO strategy? Chances are, no. But photos can improve SEO when you use them correctly. Here’s how.
You can and should use photos to improve SEO strategy. Don’t let SEO scare you. Using images to improve SEO strategy is relatively simple and can make a big difference in the ability of your soulmate clients to find you.
I realize SEO may not be sexy, but it is powerful and can be simplified. SEO is the best and easiest way to achieve long-term success and to grow your business without social media.
Note: Within this post, I use the words photos and images interchangeably. In addition, please refer to Episode 37 for additional details on using images to improve SEO strategy.
What photos to use in your SEO strategy
Start with a professional photo of yourself on your home page and about page. People buy personality, not products and services. Let people who come to your site immediately see who you are – your eyes and smile are the gateway to an emotional connection. Your visual presence is key to building your personal brand.
In addition, include images of you working with clients, behind-the-scenes activities, customized stock photos of your computer, office space, etc. If you don’t have photos of your team, or of you working with clients, use stock photos. Canva is a great resource for stock photos and you don’t need a pro account to use them.
If possible, testimonials featured on your website should include a photo of the person who gave the testimonial.
Where should you use photos on your website?
As I mentioned before, you want to be visible on as many pages as possible so that people know immediately who you are. Your header or banner images are real estate to showcase yourself on every page.
Every page of your website should have at least one photo.
Your blogs should have a featured image which will help your website visitors readily identify what the blog is about – even if only a graphic with the title on it.
Every time you write copy for a blog post, think about the keyword or keyphrase of your post and use an image that relates to that. I’ll explain why.
Photos are a great way to separate large blocks of copy to make your content more skimmable and improve readability. Readability influences SEO.
How to use photos to improve SEO strategy
Let’s dive into the nitty gritty of SEO for images on your website.
Your image setup will be determined by your website platform. I use WordPress so the example in the blog post is specific to that. However, every platform, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, etc. will have the same attributes for you to populate for each photo on your website.
If you haven’t been doing this all along, you may feel overwhelmed or discouraged at the thought of this task, especially if you already have a lot of images on your site. Focus on doing this going forward and backtrack as time permits. This is not something to get overwhelmed about. It is simply knowledge for you to employ so that you can continue to grow your business.
What attributes to include on photos on your website
Alt Text
Many people don’t know that the purpose of alt text is to help non-sighted people know what is on a graphic or image. Not only can you add alt text to images on your website but also on social media platforms and LinkedIn.
When adding alt text, describe in as much detail as possible what is on the photo or graphic. Include your keyword or keyphrase for that page or post in the alt text.
Title
When you title your image, include your keyword or keyphrase for the page or post. Here’s a hint. If you use Canva to create your graphics/images for your website, you can title them in Canva. When you title the image or graphic Canva, the title is already present when you upload the image to your website.
Caption
You do not need to include a caption for SEO purposes, it is an optional feature. But note that if you do include the caption, it will be featured under the photo or graphic when you add it to your page or post.
Description
The description is similar to the alt text but doesn’t need to have as many specifics. You know that I’m all about simplification and saving time. With that said, I copy the first part of my alt text explaining what the post or page is about and paste it into the description. In addition, I always include my name so that when people find the image or graphic online, they know it belongs to me.
URL
The URL will be automatically assigned based on the URL you have established for the page or post. You can customize the URL, however, I don’t recommend it because you want it to be found with the page or post you have added it to.
Size
Speed is a very important factor for the health of your website. Therefore, you do not want to have large photos that will slow the functionality of your site. Your images should be no more than 800 pixels on the largest side. In fact, I often use 600 x 600 pixels when using a square photo or graphic.
If you do not have a program on your computer to size images, don’t worry. You have options. There are plugins that you can add to your website that will compress your photos. In addition, you can resize images in Canva. When you download images from Canva, choose the jpeg format and size the image using the slider. So simple.
Videos can improve SEO strategy too
Note that all of these tips to use images to improve SEO strategy also apply to videos on your website.
Do you want to grow your business without social media? If yes, the Success Without Social Mastermind Business Growth Program is the best place to start! Learn more and apply today.
Download a free Intro to SEO training and get started on your SEO strategy today.
