Images are powerful tools for engaging website visitors, but if they aren’t optimized, they can slow down your site, hurt user experience, and damage your SEO. With Google prioritizing page speed and mobile first indexing, image optimization is more important than ever. A one-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7%! Follow this simple guide to make your images faster, more accessible, and SEO-friendly.
Use Descriptive File Names
Search engines use file names to understand your images. A clear name like “duct-cleaning-melbourne.jpg” is better than “IMG_123.jpg”.
Include Keywords: Use words that describe the image. For example, “hvac-technician-repairing-system.jpg” is better than “technician1.jpg”.
Use Hyphens, Not Underscores: Search engines read hyphens (-) as spaces. “red-apple.jpg” is seen as “red apple,” while “red_apple.jpg” becomes “redapple”.
Avoid Random Numbers: Names like “photo23.jpg” give no context to search engines.
Write Clear Image Titles
Image titles appear when users hover over an image or if it fails to load. They also help search engines.
Be Specific: A title like “Duct Cleaning in Melbourne – Before & After Results” explains what the image shows.
Keep It Short: Avoid long titles. Focus on the main subject (e.g., “HVAC Technician Installing New System”).
Don’t Keyword-Stuff: Titles like “Duct Cleaning Melbourne Cheap Best Services” look spammy.
Optimize Alt Text for Accessibility & SEO
Alt text (alternative text) describes images for visually impaired users and search engines.
Describe the Image Clearly:
Bad: “duct cleaning”
Good: “A technician in a blue uniform cleaning air ducts in a Melbourne home.”
Include Keywords Naturally: Avoid stuffing. For example, “Melbourne family smiling after HVAC system repair” works better than “HVAC repair Melbourne best services.”
Avoid “Image of…”: Screen readers already announce it as an image.
Choose the Right File Format
Picking the correct format reduces file size without losing quality.
JPEG: Best for photos or colorful images.
PNG: Use for logos or images needing transparency.
WebP/AVIF: Modern formats offering 30% smaller sizes than JPEG/PNG. Check if your website supports them.
Compress Images
Large files slow down your site. Compression makes them smaller.
Lossy Compression: Reduces file size by removing some data (good for photos). Tools: TinyPNG, Squoosh.
Lossless Compression: Keeps all data (good for logos). Tools: ImageOptim.
Aim for 50–100KB: Most images don’t need to be larger. Use tools like ShortPixel for bulk compression.
Resize Images Before Uploading
Don’t upload a 4000px image if your website only displays it at 800px.
Check Display Size: Resize images to match how they’ll appear on your site.
Use Responsive Images: Add the srcset attribute to serve smaller images for mobile users:
<img src="small.jpg" srcset="medium.jpg 1000w, large.jpg 2000w"> Enable Lazy Loading
Lazy loading delays image loading until the user scrolls to them, speeding up initial page load.
Add loading=”lazy”: Simple HTML attribute for modern browsers:
Improves Mobile Performance: Especially helpful for long pages with many images.
Geotag Images for Local SEO
Geotagging adds location data to images, boosting local search visibility.
Use EXIF Tools: Tools like ExifTool add latitude/longitude to images.
Combine with Alt Text: For example, “HVAC technician servicing a home in Melbourne” + geotag.
Note: Social media platforms may remove EXIF data, so use geotagging alongside local keywords.
Test Your Images
After optimizing, test your site’s performance.
Google PageSpeed Insights: Checks load times and suggests fixes.
Lighthouse: Audits SEO, accessibility, and performance.
Mobile Testing: Ensure images load quickly on phones.
Conclusion
Optimizing images is not a one-time task. By using descriptive names, compressing files, and enabling lazy loading, you’ll improve SEO, speed, and user experience. Start today, your website (and visitors) will thank you!
Bonus Tip: Bookmark free tools like TinyPNG, Squoosh, and Google PageSpeed Insights to simplify optimization.
