What’s also pertinent here are descriptive alt texts for each image.Īs a refresher, alt text (i.e. Not only does this keep everything organized on the backend but-more importantly-Google uses filenames to index the image subject matter.įor example, space-gray-macbook-pro.jpg is much easier to crawl and index than img000456.jpg. So be sure to check with you r front-end designer to ensure whatever max width you’re resizing to falls in line with the responsive nature of the site.Īsk any web designer or content manager and they’ll relay the importance of naming conventions for images across the site. ![]() The only caveat here is to take extra care in resizing these images if you’re using a responsive design. And if you aren’t sure what that is, have your designer dig into the CSS to find out. The solution? Resize and upload the images within the maximum width you need. However, loading all 5000px will significantly slow the site down. The image will still be served within the constraints of the site. Put simply, imagine a hero image that’s 5000px wide, yet your site width doesn’t exceed 1200px. When developing the front-end of your site, ensuring a maximum width for each image load is key to preventing an oversized image from slowing down the site load time. ![]() There’s a handful of third-party tools available to accomplish this such as exgif, optipng, and pngquant. No matter what format you decide upon, it’s important to optimize the size of each image to reduce site lagging. JPEGs, then, are typically the preferred format for preserving most of the image detail while simultaneously reducing file size-ideal for site speed and load times. Is the highest image quality necessary? PNG might be the best bet. Is animation needed to boost engagement and convey a specific message? Go with the GIF. That said, the selection of a format should be determined by the image’s intended function. However, we are aware of the versatility and applicability surrounding JPEG XR and WebP image formats as well). We’re talking your standard GIF, PNG, and JPEG images found ubiquitously upon sites of all sizes and denominations (For the sake of space and clarity we’ll keep things as simple as possible with these three formats. Image Optimization Best Practices for SEO Choose the best formatīy now it’s safe to assume we’re all somewhat familiar with basic image formats across the web. Pro tip: With Google Pagespeed Insights, you can see which opportunities are available to improve your site’s speed, with image optimization being a major component.Īll that said, we found it prudent to outline some best practices for SEO image optimization across your site to help mitigate any unforeseen challenges due to slow loading times, the inability of crawlers to index site content appropriately, and poor UX for your visitors. ![]() Large and unruly images served across all devices without the help of a CDN (Content Delivery Network) can severely impede user experience, time on site, conversions, and ultimately site rankings in the SERPS. While you may already know the answer to this question, it’s important to understand why and how image optimization affects not only SEO, but also overall site health. ![]() And behind all these crisp, colorful, and high-resolution images is SEO optimization-playing a pivotal role in driving qualified users-like yourself-to the site. Well, this is by no means an accident but rather purposeful. What jumps to mind? Product description and specs or the look and feel of the site as a whole (lifestyle and studio product photography, macro imagery, etcetera)? Makes sense, right? Especially when you consider close to 90% of data the brain transmits is visual.ĭon’t believe us? Here’s a thought experiment for you: try recalling the latest eCommerce site you visited. Seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how effective image optimization can be for SEO. According to Google, images are beyond critical for SEO, overall user experience, website “stickiness,” and retaining visitors in a world where the average online attention span is a mere eight seconds.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |