Dakno web design and real estate marketing clients often ask me, “Bobby, what are the best practices for optimizing images on my website, blog and IDX?”. In fact, I can thank Dakno web design client and Frederick, MD Real Estate Pro Marie Petrelis for prompting me to write this post. Here are a few tips you might want to consider executing:
1. Use your desired and targeted keywords in the file name. Example: silver-lake-neighborhood-chicago.jpg NOT image1234.jpg
2. Keyword file name relevance should be consistent with the text content on the page. If the image file name is about curb appeal and has an associated keyword reference to curb appeal don’t upload the image to an unrelated content page.
3. Use the alt attribute text to define the image content. The <img> tag offers the alt attribute so you can describe the image contents in words. It’s important to know that search engines regard the alt attribute text as a very strong source of keyword relevance. DO NOT duplicate the image file name as alt text. DO NOT spam keywords in your alt attribution or use the same keywords over and over in the alt tag.
4. Use the right image format. There are three image formats that are web-friendly: jpg, png, gif
5. Google takes page load speed into consideration for search results. Use optimized image sizes for web resolution and enhanced load time. (Most web designers agree 800 pixels X 600 pixels is an optimum file image size)
6. Be wary of loading images from external sources via hyperlinks. If the third party source is linked to spammy neighbors so will you. Plus, third party images depend on the site where the image resides to be up 24/7. If the host site goes down, so does your image.
7. DO upload optimized images to the following portals for backlinks and SEO in the following order of importance:
a. Create a WordPress Photoblog on a sub domain. Upload optimized hyper local images of neighborhoods, condo buildings, architecture, highlight amenities, nearby schools, nearby medical facilities, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, parks & rec, playgrounds, walking trails…. Here’s a terrific example of a WordPress Photoblog for Living on the Hudson.
b. Google+ – create and upload your optimized images to your G+ profile “Albums” (using your keywords for your images and for your albums)
c. Panoramio – owned by Google
d. Picasa – another Google product
e. flickr – Caution! Avoid commercial use of images on flickr. Your account will get “deleted” without warning.
g. Pinterest – it’s a big social media playground based on eye candy. Don’t count on it offering tons of SEO, but if used properly, it can provide your sites (from which you pin your images using the “Pin it” tool) a little boost of traffic. Pinterest also offers social media top of mind marketing opportunities with your target audience.
It is recommended you make note of these tips and keep them handy when you take photos, upload photos to your hub sites and upload them to other sites listed above.
What Other Ways do You Use Your Images?
Leave a comment and let us know!
To Your Success,
Bobby Carroll
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