JPEG:

Ideal for photographs and comprehensive images with extensive use of colours. JPEG files are much smaller. So, they are very suitable for page loading speed.

PNG:

Good for transparent images or where high quality is desired without sacrificing too much compression that occurs, like icons and logos.

WebP:

A newer image format that delivers good quality with fewer bytes than JPEG and PNG. WebP images are supported by most modern web browsers and, therefore, useful for SEO.

The right format depends on the type of image you are using; choosing it will maintain your image quality and ensure faster page loading.

Compress Images Without Quality Loss

Another major optimization technique while dealing with images is compressing them without any compromise on quality. Huge image files are indeed the most culprit one behind slow page loads. Compressing an image reduces its file size and subsequently speeds up the uploading process.

Quite a few tools are out there to help you compress images effectively:

• Affinity Photo
• FileOptimizer
• Gimp
• ImageOptim (Mac only)
• JPEG Mini
• Kraken (bulk compression)
• Photopea
• Pixlr (JPEG optimization)
• OptiPNG
• Triage

WordPress plug-ins for image optimization

• EWWW Image Optimizer
• ImageRecycle
• Optimus Image Optimizer
• ShortPixel
• TinyPNG
• WP Smush
• Yoast SEO

Since you reduce the sizes of images and maintain high image quality, that indirectly boosts the speed of your website, which is an important ranking factor for search engines.

Descriptive Keyword-Rich File Names

Although search engines can’t “see” images the way we do, they can read image file names. Giving your images descriptive, keyword-rich file names will help the search engines understand the content of that image and how it relates to the surrounding content on the page.

For instance, instead of IMG_1234.jpg, take a name for an image, such as “red-sofa-living-room.jpg”, for an image of a red sofa in a living room. This helps increase the relevance of your images for related search queries.

Write good alt text for all images

Alt text, also known as alternative text, is one of the most important components of image SEO. It is a description used when the image is unable to load itself, and it enables visually impaired users to understand what is depicted in the image. Alt text also affects SEO very much, as it enables search engines to “read” your images.

Best practices for writing alt text include the following:

• Be descriptive and concise: Describe briefly in one or two lines what the picture depicts.
• Make relevant keywords appear: Use keywords related to the image, but only where appropriate, avoiding overstuffing.
• Ensure your alternative text is accessible and effective in describing the information to a user with a screen reader.

Optimize Image Dimensions

Using images of correct sizes is essential to the proper design of your website. Uploading photos of unnecessarily large dimensions can wastefully add time spent loading, and the image size is too small may make the videos come out blurry. Always resize images according to the layout of your site for the right balance of image quality and speed.

Most websites in a Content Management System and CMS tools like WordPress normally allow you to scale the pictures before uploading to your site, ensuring that it is presented in the appropriate size so that it aligns well without slowing down the loading of the page.

Leverage Lazy Loading for Faster Page Speeds

Lazy loading involves the loading of images when they are within the user’s viewport (that is when the user scrolls down the page). It reduces initial page load times since images that are way below the currently visible portion of the page will not load first. Lazy loading is very helpful for long pages containing many images, such as blog entries or product listings.

Many website platforms, such as WordPress, have built-in lazy loading features. Alternatively, lazy loading may be implemented using plugins or custom code. This can make a huge difference in how fast your website loads and is helpful in improving any site’s SEO.

Increase the visibility of images with structured data

Structured data, also known as schema markup, provides more information on what your webpage content is, and also includes information on images. Rich snippets and image search listing can be achieved by marking up relevant metadata images, such as image description, title, and caption.

For instance, if you are having an e-commerce site, it may use schema markup to identify the product images and their associates. That will enhance the perception in search results by improving SEO performances.

Ensure mobile optimization

With mobile traffic forming the majority of online visits, your images need to be mobile-friendly. Responsive images automatically adapt to the screen size and resolution, thus ensuring they always look perfect on any device without impacting page load times.

HTML attributes such as srcset or even responsive design tools can ensure images are adequately sized for mobile users while minimizing the impact of loading speed.

How a Professional SEO Agency Can Help Optimize Your Image

Image optimization is so seemingly simple; however, there are too many detail nuances involved, requiring expertise. A Professional SEO Agency can work out an image optimization strategy with a deep understanding of your website needs. From proper compression of images to writing alt text and the implementation of structured data, an SEO agency will handle all aspects of optimization of images properly.

For UAE  businesses, working with the best SEO experts in Dubai brings the appropriate tools, strategies, and insights that can upgrade the visual content on your website, allowing maximum visibility within search engines. These experts can help you optimize images on your website in every sense and further ensure that your pages load as quickly as possible, driving more organic traffic to your site.

Furthermore, working with an experienced SEO agency will update you on the latest trends and use of tools for optimization, something that creates a competitive advantage at all times in this ever-changing SEO world.

Conclusion

Image optimization for search is a critical but often overlooked aspect of an integrated SEO strategy. By focusing on aspects such as image quality and compression, alt text, and mobile optimization, you’ll be able to improve your website’s performance, page load speed, and search engine rankings tremendously. More importantly, an agency will work to your best advantage in implementing the image optimization correctly and targeting your overall SEO goals so that your website will rank higher in search results for a better user experience.

If you are interested in furthering your site’s SEO, consider a professional SEO agency to be your guide through the process and to achieve overall long-term SEO success.