3. Use Descriptive, Keyword-Rich File Names

Delivering flawless technical solutions to clients is essential. Image optimization for SEO plays a key role in improving the performance of delivered websites. Here’s a reminder of the essential practices to integrate into your workflow to ensure results that meet your expectations:

1. Choose the Right Image Format

Common formats:

• JPEG for photos or complex images (good quality with reduced file size).
• PNG for images requiring transparency (larger file size than JPEG)..
• WebP for better compression while maintaining excellent quality (ideal for modern web use).
• SVG for lightweight, scalable vector graphics (logos, icons).

Choose the format according to the type of image and its intended use.

2. Compress Images

Reduce image file size to improve loading time. Use tools like:

• TinyPNG
• ImageOptim
• Squoosh

Heavy images slow down pages, which can hurt your SEO.

3. Use Descriptive, Keyword-Rich File Names

Rename your images using descriptive keywords. For example:

• modern-modular-home.jpg instead of IMG1234.jpg.

Use hyphens (-) to separate words for better readability by search engines.

4. Add ALT Tags

Describe each image using the alt attribute. This:

• Improves accessibility (especially for screen readers).
• Helps search engines understand the image content.

<img src="house.jpg" alt="Modern house with garden">

5. Use Title Tags for Images

While less important than the alt attribute, the title tag can offer extra information to users on hover.

6. Optimize Image Dimensions

Adjust image sizes based on usage:

• Banners or full-width screens: max width of 1920px.
• Thumbnails or icons: a few hundred pixels are enough.

Use scaling tools to avoid loading images larger than necessary.

7. Implement Lazy Loading

Load images only when they become visible on screen to improve performance.

Example :

8. Create an Image Sitemap

Include your image URLs in your XML sitemap to help search engines index them.

9. Use Structured Data

Add schema.org tags like ImageObject to provide detailed metadata about your images.

10. Test Your Image Performance

Use tools like:

• Google PageSpeed Insights
• GTmetrix
• Web.dev

These tools offer recommendations for further image optimization.

As a web agency, mastering these best practices allows us not only to meet our clients’ technical requirements but also to deliver high-performance, competitive websites. Need help or tools to integrate these optimizations into your projects? Let’s talk!