Optimising Images to Rank Higher

Don’t dismiss images as an afterthought; they are content that count in SEO ranking.

Images rank in image search. They contribute to helping search engines to understand what a page is about, and eventually generate page views from those who seek information based on images. In this day and age, a large number of consumers prefer to scroll through pictures than read huge blocks of texts.

But that does not mean we can spam our content with images; no, that will only decrease the page’s ranking. So how can we utilise images in SEO?

Here are several ways:

Simplify images. As of July 2018, download speed is a Google ranking factor. The faster the loading time, the more a page ranks highly in Google Search. Complex images that feature many details tend to create larger files and thus require longer loading times, while simplified illustrations mostly load in an instant.
Avoid mixing photographic images with fonts and graphic elements. The JPEG format needs to be saved at a higher resolution to minimise pixelation. A PNG illustration with some words superimposed on it generally creates a smaller file size compared to a JPEG photographic image with lettering on top.
Save images in the correct formats. Use .jpg for images and .png for illustrations.
Avoid the use of too many colours. A wider range of colours means larger file size. Generally, people wouldn’t notice if there’s only a shade of each colour.
Compress images. A 1200 pixel size image may resize in a page’s display, but it still carries the same file weight. Resizing a fairly large image into a smaller one will not make it look worse.
Make pictures support the content. Never use an image as decoration; always consider that as content. Keep in mind that helping visitors understand a page better is an image visual aid’s primary role.
Give images meaningful context. Try adding captions to an image to better explain what a page is about. Pages that are helpful and relevant rank higher in search engines.