SEO optimisation of website images

When we talk about website promotion in Google, most people immediately mention texts, keywords, external links. But very often they forget about the image. And in vain - correct SEO optimization of images can significantly affect the positions in search results, improve the speed of loading the site and even help attract more traffic from Google Images.

Why optimize an image at all?

An image is not just a "picture for beauty". They are also "read" by search engines, and how you upload them determines:

• Will the site open quickly?

• Will Google be able to understand what is in the image?

• Will the image appear in image search?

• How will the site look for people with poor internet or visual impairments?

That is, it is important both for Google and for the average visitor.

1. Give your images clear names

Before uploading an image to the site, name the file normally. Not "IMG_4537.jpg", but, for example, "myakyi-stil-dlia-ofisu.jpg". The name should briefly explain what is depicted, and preferably contain a keyword related to the page.

Such names help Google better understand the content, and sometimes it is the file name that gets the image into the Google Images search results.

Advice: do not use Cyrillic and spaces - Latin and hyphens are better.

2. Don't forget about the alt attribute (it's important)

Attribute alt — this is the description of the image that Google (and people with screen readers) sees. It is displayed if the image fails to load.

This description should be short, precise, and relevant. For example:

<img src="stul-derevyannyi.jpg" alt="Wooden chair for kitchen">

In 2025, Google has become even better at recognizing content, but alt is still an important element. It is also an opportunity to add a keyword to the page naturally.

3. Image compression = fast website

Site speed is now one of the ranking factors. And images often take up the most space. Therefore, it is better to compress them before loading.

Here are some popular services:

• TinyPNG — Compresses PNG and JPEG without losing quality.

• Squoosh — Google tool, lots of settings.

• JPEGmini — Suitable for large JPEGs.

New for 2025: Many CMS (like WordPress) automatically compress images when uploading. But it's still better to optimize the image before uploading - this will save space on the server.

4. Choosing the Right Image Format

In 2025, the situation is as follows: new formats have emerged, but the classics still work. See the table below:

What's better now?

• For photos - WebP or AVIF, if CMS and browsers support it.

• For transparent images - PNG .

• For simple icons - SVG (vector format).

• For older browsers, it is better to have backup options.

5. Image size = in pixels

Don't upload a 4000x3000px image if the site displays it as 800x600. It's just a waste of time.

Resize the image in any editor (like Photoshop or even online in Canva or Figma) before uploading.

Advice: adapt images for mobile devices – now the majority of traffic comes from smartphones.

6. Lazy load: convenient and fast

In 2025, it has become almost mandatory to use the lazy loading function - when images are loaded only when the user scrolls them.

This significantly reduces the load when opening the page.

In HTML, it is enough to add:

<img src="..." loading="lazy" alt="...">

In WordPress , Shopify, Tilda and other CMS it is often configured automatically.

7. Don't forget about image captions

If you add a large image to a page, such as a product or infographic, add a short description or caption underneath it. This is helpful for both the user and SEO.

For example: Photo: handmade wooden chair made of natural oak.

8. Hot in 2025: AI-Generated Images and SEO

Today, many people use artificial intelligence to create images (for example, through Midjourney or DALL E). If you use such images, be sure to optimize them as you would regular ones:

• Name the files.

• Add alt.

• Compress.

• Use the correct size.

Google does not yet penalize such images, but you should not overuse them - it is desirable that the majority of the content is original and corresponds to the topic of the page.

9. Use image maps where appropriate.

If there are many elements in the image (for example, a diagram or a product catalog), you can make an image map with clickable zones. This is convenient, but rarely used.

You can also add separate links under each part of the image, if this is easier.

Conclusions

Optimizing images is not difficult. But it will help:

• make your site faster,

• improve its SEO ,

• put your images in Google Images,

• improve user experience.

🔹 We give the files normal names.
🔹 Adding alt with description.
🔹 Compress before uploading.
🔹 Choose the right format.
🔹 Select the size for the design.
🔹 Use lazy loading.
🔹 Add captions and description.

It would seem like a trifle. But such trifles are what make up a quality website that both Google and visitors love.