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How to optimize a site for Google's image
search
One of the most interesting features of the major search
engines is the image search option. You can find them at the
following URLs:
To reach the image search engines, you can either use the
links above or use the Images/Pictures option at the homepage
of the search engines.
Image search is another opportunity to promote your Web site
with search engines without much extra effort or cost.
Remember that search engines are incapable of reading text
on graphics. They index the images on your Web pages by looking
at the text around the images or by reading the attributes
of the image HTML tags.
Here are 8 tips to get a good position in Google's image
search (all tips also apply to the other image search engines):
1. Use the standard IMG tag.
The image search engines can only find images that are
displayed by the <IMG SRC = "...">
tag. Don't use JavaScript, the OBJECT tag, image maps or
dynamically created links to display your images if you
want search engines to be able to find your images.
2. Use the ALT attribute of your IMG tags.
The <IMG ALT> attribute provides a short description
of the image. It's used when the image cannot be displayed
by the Web browser or when the Web page is displayed using
assistive technologies like screen readers. Search engine
software programs also read the ALT attribute.
Use descriptive, keyword-rich descriptions in your IMG
ALT attribute, for example, if you sell dog food, write
"Natural dog food with an exclusive combination of
meat proteins from USDA inspected plants."
3. Use the TITLE attribute of your IMG tags.
Write the <IMG TITLE> attribute in the same
way as the ALT attribute. Some Web browsers display the
TITLE attribute as a "tool tip", a short message
that appears when the mouse cursor pauses over a graphic
or link.
If your image is also a link, you can use the TITLE attribute
for your <A HREF> tag as well.
4. Image file name.
Instead of naming your images "image1.gif" or
"welcome.jpg", use descriptive file names that
include your keywords if possible.
For example, use the file name "dog-food.gif"
for a picture that shows dog food. Use spaces or hyphens
to name your image files.
It's also a good idea to put all images into a directory
that is named after your most important keyword, for example
"dog-food/dogs.jpg" or "natural-dog-food/dog-
food.gif".
5. Surrounding text.
Google and other search engines use the text before and
after the image to put the image into context. Make sure
that the text the graphic is keyword-rich and relevant to
the image.
6. Document title.
If possible, the title of your Web page should match the
keyword, for example "Natural dog foods" would
be a good Web page title for our dog food seller.
7. Links and link texts.
Links from other sites that point to the Web page with
the image should use file names and link texts that include
your keywords, for example <.A HREF = "http://www.dog-food-123.com/natural-dog-food.htm">
Natural dog food<./A>
8. Robots.txt file.
If available, check your Robots.txt file if it prevents
search engines from indexing your images. Check if you have
locked the access to your images directory or to gif/jpeg
files in general.
Here's a complete example. Our dog food seller would like
to get found for the key phrases "natural dog food"
and a combination of "dog food" and "health",
so he'll display a picture that shows dog food in the following
way:
Our high quality natural dog food contains only the
best ingredients to make your dog strong and healthy.
<IMG SRC = "natural-dog-food/healthy-dog-food.jpg"
ALT = "Our natural dog food significantly improves
the health of your dog."
TITLE = "Natural dog food is important for the
health of your dog.">
Improve the overall health and fitness of your dog with
dog food from the natural dog food specialist.
As you can see, the keywords are mentioned before and after
the image, as well as in the image file name and in the ALT
and TITLE attributes.
Image search is another way to promote your Web site with
search engines without a lot of extra effort or cost. With
the tips above, you should get some extra visitors through
the image search option of the search engines.
Best of all, all tips above also help you to improve your
position for your keywords in the normal text search.
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