SEO : Image Tips
Properly Using the HTML IMG and its associated elements can increase your website, blog or third party listings in terms of search engine placement.
The IMG tag <IMG src="Product001.gif" width="125" height="265> Should always include the ALT parameter and take advantage of the TITLE element to offer additional descriptions and keywords.
For Example
The IMG with ALT and Title elements
<IMG src="Product001.gif" width="125" height="265
ALT="Crystal Lead Decanter"
TITLE="This is shown when a mouse hover occurs when an image is hyperlinked">
The ALT tag can be employed to hold keywords which search engines use to associate the image and a short descripition. Additionally adding the TITLE element provides a secondary description and provides label for a mouse hover when the image employs a hyperlink. Both elements are consumed and put into context for relevance by most search engines. Using these elements for your site image is another relevancy boost for your site.
 | |
| NO ALT or TITLE TAG | ALT="MS DEWEY, Budweiser, Ms Dewey Chugs a BEER" TITLE="Ms Dewey Prepares To Chug a Beer" |
In any proper SEARCH ENGINE when doing a typical WEB search this phrase will produce a result based on "MS DEWEY CHUGS A BEER" and "Ms DeweyPrepares To Chug a Beer". With no further additional work, an IMAGE search applie relevancy to the same phrase associating the ALT and TITLE tages descriptions. This is a better practice of the IMG tag.
Furthermore, ifa browser shuts off images the ALT attribute as it offers information about the image. When hovering over an image that has a TITLE attribute link (as above) the description is displayed to the end user. This display can be used in many creative ways displaying prices, discounts, instructions. Be mindful, this description should only be a few words but it should be pertinent to the image, product or main idead of the page and what it is trying to communicate.
NOTE: The TITLE hover description is only displayed when the image is wrapped with a link.
In Short Here are the tips to use ALT and TITLE:
- You can add an ALT element in any IMG tag
- Insure the tag is brief, to the point and describes the image
- Use Keyword phrases that you may use in the page the image resides, title of the pag, meta-tag of the page
- Limit your Keywords per ALT tag to 1 to 3 words
- Description of the image. Do not just put keywords Example Below:
- (do not) ALT="Keyword1 Keyword2"
- (CORRECT) ALT="Keyword1 Keyword2 Decription of item
- You can add the TITLE element to any IMG tag
- Insure the TITLE's description is meaningful and describes something useful to the user when the a hyperlink is deployed
- The Title element can have a differentdescription than the ALT element for a more pertitent detail