Naming Images For SEO: Tricks To Improve Visibility

Did you know that around 10% of Google traffic is for images.google.com? 

That’s right—we’re talking about 1 billion people who use Google Images daily.

If you’re not optimizing your images for SEO, you’re missing out on a massive opportunity to boost your visibility and drive more traffic to your site.

In this post, we’re diving into the nitty-gritty of naming images for SEO. 

No snooze-fest technical jargon here. Just straight-up, actionable tricks to get your images (and your content) the attention they deserve.

These tips will help you turn those bland “IMG_1234.jpg” files into SEO powerhouses. 

Let’s dive in!

Why Image Naming Matters For SEO

Let’s face it: most of us are guilty of uploading images with names like “IMG_2468.jpg” or “screenshot123.png”. But gibberish file names are holding our SEO back big time.

Search engines are smart cookies, but they’re not mind readers. When you slap a random string of numbers and letters on your image file, you’re basically telling Google, “Nothing to see here!” 

Instead, there’s a lot to see, and you need to take advantage of a golden opportunity to boost your rankings.

So, how do properly named images actually help? 

Well, for starters, they give search engines a clue about what’s in the picture. This contributes to your page’s overall relevance for specific keywords. 

For example, if you’re writing a post about “homemade blueberry muffins,” which image do you think will help your SEO more?

• blueberry-muffins-fresh-from-oven.jpg
• DSC0001245.jpg

I’ll bet you a dozen muffins you picked the first one. Plus, maybe this can seem strange, but good image names improve user experience, too. 

Ever tried finding a specific image in your downloads folder? 

Yeah, it’s a nightmare when everything’s named “download(1).jpg”. The same principle applies to your website’s backend. Properly named images make your life easier when you’re hunting for that perfect picture to reuse.

And let’s not forget about accessibility. 

Screen readers use file names to describe images to visually impaired users. So, by naming your images descriptively, you’re boosting SEO and making your content more inclusive. 

Now, I know that renaming every single image on your site sounds about as fun as reading the phone book. But trust me, it’s worth the effort. 

Trick #1 – Use Descriptive, Keyword-Rich File Names

If you’re still naming your images like they’re part of some secret code, it’s time to level up your game. Using descriptive, keyword-rich file names is your secret weapon in the SEO battlefield.

Here’s why it matters:

Search engines look at your website to figure out what it’s about. When they find a picture called “DSC100.jpg”, they don’t know what it means. But if you name it “fluffy-pancakes-maple-syrup.jpg,” they understand it better.

So, how do you craft these SEO-friendly file names? It’s not rocket science, but there’s definitely an art to it. 

First, think about what your target audience might be searching for. Are they looking for “healthy breakfast ideas” or “indulgent brunch recipes”? Incorporate these keywords into your filenames to help improve search visibility while keeping them relevant.

Next, keep it concise, too. “delicious-chocolate-chip-cookies-fresh-from-the-oven-still-warm.jpg” might be accurate, but it’s also a mouthful. Aim for 3-5 words max. Something like “warm-chocolate-chip-cookies.jpg” hits the sweet spot.

Let’s play “spot the difference”:

Bad: IMG_5678.jpg
Good: homemade-sourdough-bread.jpg

Bad: photo1.png
Good: sleek-modern-office-desk.png

See how the good examples give you an instant mental image? That’s what you’re aiming for.

So, next time you’re about to hit that upload button, take a second to give your image a proper name. It’s a small change that can make a big difference. 

Trick #2 – Incorporate Your Target Keyword Naturally

Image file names are like adding spice to food.

You want to use your main word or phrase, but be careful!

Too little, and it’s boring. Too much, and you’ve messed it up. It’s all about finding the right balance.

First things first: identify your target keyword.

What’s the main topic of your page? If you’re writing about “best coffee brewing methods,” that’s your golden ticket. Now, how do we sneak that into our image names without setting off Google’s spam alarms?

The key is to be smooth about it. Don’t just slap your keyword onto every image like a billboard. Instead, think about how you’d describe the image to a friend. “Coffee-brewing-methods.jpg” is okay, but “pour-over-coffee-technique.jpg” is way more specific and natural.

Here’s a good trick: change things up.

If you’ve got multiple images on your page (and you should—visual content is king), vary your approach. Use synonyms, related terms, or focus on different aspects of your topic. For a coffee brewing article, you might have:

• french-press-coffee-maker.jpg
• grinding-beans-espresso.png
• latte-art-heart.jpg

They all relate to coffee brewing without being carbon copies. That’s the sweet spot.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: keyword stuffing. 

You might think it’ll help you get to the top of search results super fast. But slow down! Using too many keywords is actually bad. It’s called “over-optimization” and can hurt your search rankings really quickly.

Search engines don’t like it when you try too hard to game the system. So keep it natural and balanced. 

Stick to one, maybe two keywords per file name. Any more than that, and you’re venturing into spammy territory. 

Here’s a quick reality check:

Good: iced-cold-brew-coffee.jpg
Bad: best-iced-cold-brew-coffee-recipe-homemade-easy-quick.jpg

The first one? Smooth as a well-pulled espresso shot. The second way? Not so good. It’s like using a big hammer when you only need a small tool.

And if you’re struggling to add keywords to your picture names, take a break and think about it. Ask yourself: “If I was showing this picture to a friend, what would I call it?”

If your answer isn’t the same as the name you’re trying to use, stop. It’s time to come up with a new plan.

Picture names should sound natural. Don’t force words that don’t fit. Keep it simple and honest.

Trick #3 – Leverage Alt Text For Additional SEO Benefits

You’ve probably heard about alt text before, but are you really using it to its full potential? 

Alt text (alternative text) is that nifty little description you add to images on your website. It’s like whispering sweet nothings to search engines, telling them exactly what your image is about. 

But alt text is not just for search engines. Screen readers use it to describe images to visually impaired users.

So, how do you write alt text that doesn’t suck?

• Be specific, but concise: “Cat” is too vague. “Fluffy orange tabby cat sleeping on a blue couch” paints a picture.
• Include keywords… naturally: If your image shows a “best-selling mystery novel”, say that—don’t force “buy books online” where it doesn’t belong.
• Skip the “image of” or “picture of”: search engines are smart cookies. They know it’s an image.
• Don’t forget about decorative images: if an image adds visual appeal without contributing to the content, use an empty alt attribute (alt=””) to let screen readers know they can skip it.

Using Alt text is also a smart way to boost your image SEO because when your images show up in Google Image search, guess what text they use for the caption? Yep, your alt text.

Image search is becoming a bigger deal than ever. So, by optimizing your alt text, you’re basically rolling out the red carpet for search engines and users alike.

The final equation is easy: Good alt text = Happy visitors and search engines.

Trick #4 – Consider Image Context When Naming

This part is about deciding where your image will hang out. Is it chilling next to a paragraph about the best coffee shops in Seattle? Then “seattle-indie-coffee-shop-interior.jpg” is gonna work way harder for you than “cafe-pic-final-v2.jpg”. 

It’s all about aligning image names with surrounding content and being specific in your naming based on the image’s role in your post. 

Check it out:

• For product shots: include the brand, model, and a key feature. “Nike-AirMax-2024-neon-sole.jpg” tells search engines (and users) way more than “shoe1.jpg”.
• Infographics: summarize the main point. “climate-change-effects-2030-projection.png” beats “info-graphic-final.png” any day of the week.
• People pics: use job titles or actions, not names. “CEO-presenting-annual-report.jpg” works better than “John-at-podium.jpg”

And hey, while we’re at it, let’s talk about context. If you’re writing about different types of sushi, “california-roll-closeup.jpg” makes sense. But if your article is about Japanese culture, “traditional-japanese-sushi-platter.jpg” might be a better fit for the same image.

Context is important because search engines are getting pretty darn smart these days. They’re not just looking at your image names in isolation; they’re checking out the neighborhood. 

So make sure your image names are playing nice with the rest of your content. They should be like that friend who always knows exactly what to say—relevant, specific, and totally in tune with the conversation. 

Trick #5 – Avoid Special Characters And Stop Words

Cleaning up your image file names is like decluttering your digital closet, but way more fun (okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but stick with me here).

First off, let’s kick those pesky special characters to the curb. We’re talking about:

• Spaces (use hyphens instead)
• Underscores
• Ampersands (&)
• Percentage signs (%)
• Plus signs (+)
• Hashtags (#)

Why? 

Because these little troublemakers can can badly affect your SEO. Search engines get all confused and flustered when they see these characters, kinda like your grandpa trying to use Snapchat filters. It ain’t pretty!

Now, let’s chat about stop words. These are the wallflowers of the language world: they’re there, but they’re not doing much. Words like:

• A, an, the
• And, or, but
• In, on, at

Remove them from your file names. They’re just taking up valuable real estate without adding any SEO juice.

With that said, how do you clean up your existing image mess? Here’s the game plan:

1. Audit your current images. Scary, I know, but you gotta start somewhere.
2. Use a bulk renaming tool if you’re dealing with a ton of images. Trust me, your sanity will thank you.
3. Keep it short and sweet. Aim for 3-5 words max in your file names.
4. Use hyphens to separate words. “tasty-chocolate-chip-cookies.jpg” is the way to go.

Here’s a real-world example: Let’s say you’ve got an image called “My Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Grandma’s Secret!)_final version.jpg”. Yikes. Let’s transform that into “grandmas-secret-chocolate-chip-cookies.jpg” 

See how much cleaner that is?

By following these tips, you’re essentially laying out a welcome mat for search engine crawlers. And who doesn’t love a good welcome mat?

Time To Dominate Search Results

Now that you’re armed with these image naming tricks, you’re well on your way to boosting your SEO game. 

But let me tell you the truth…

Image optimization plays a role in the complex field of SEO, but it’s not the whole story. To really crush it in the search rankings, you need a full arsenal of tools at your disposal.

Think about it: nailing your image names is great, but what if you could uncover the exact keywords your audience is searching for? Or track how your newly optimized images are performing in search results? 

That’s where a solid set of SEO tools comes in handy. Curious about which tools can take your SEO efforts to the next level? 

I’ve put together a comprehensive guide on the best SEO tools out there. From keyword research powerhouses to analytics platforms that’ll make you feel like a data wizard, this post has got you covered.

So why stop at image optimization? 

Head over to my guide and discover how to supercharge your entire SEO strategy. 

Let’s keep that SEO momentum going!