I honestly didn’t think much about images. I would just upload a picture, hit publish, and move on.

Over time, I noticed my site was loading slowly and many of my posts weren’t ranking well on Google. That’s when I realized that image SEO is just as important as writing a good article.

If you’re trying to get more traffic, learning how to optimize your images can make a big difference. Let me share the exact steps I follow and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

What is alt text and how to write it properly?

Alt text is short for “alternative text.” It describes what’s in the image so people using screen readers can understand it.

At the same time, it helps search engines figure out what the image contains.

The key is to be descriptive and natural.

For example, if I upload a screenshot of my Google Analytics dashboard, I write something like:
“screenshot of Google Analytics showing blog traffic growth.”

That way, it’s useful for accessibility and SEO.

What I avoid is keyword stuffing. Writing something like “SEO alt text for images SEO alt text for blog SEO alt text tips” doesn’t help anyone.

Instead, I focus on writing in a way that makes sense to a human reader.

Why File Names Matter for Image SEO

One of the first mistakes I made was uploading pictures with names like “IMG_123.jpg.” Google has no idea what that image is about.

Once I started renaming my files with descriptive words, like “seo-alt-text-example.jpg,” my images began showing up in Google Images.

A good file name tells both search engines and people what the picture is about.

It’s simple but powerful.

Now, I never upload a picture without renaming it first.

(although it is just putting more work)

Image Size and Compression for Faster Loading

Big image files can slow down a website. I learned this the hard way when my blog took more than 10 seconds to load. People would leave before even reading my content.

Now, before I upload any image, I resize and compress it. You can use online image compressors, but I personally installed a WordPress plugin called EWWW Image Optimizer to handle compression automatically.

This one step alone made my blog load much faster.

How Image Sitemaps Help Google Understand Your Site

Another thing that helped me was adding images to my sitemap. A sitemap is basically a map of your website that you share with Google.

When you include images in it, you make it easier for search engines to find and index them.

If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math can do this automatically.

For me, this was a quick win that ensured all my visuals were being crawled.

I use RankMath for my SEO plugin so I don’t have to worry about my image SEO. It automatically adds it to my sitemap so Google can look into it.

Surprisingly, when I use image search on Google, some of my images are actually appearing and getting indexed.

SEO for Infographics and Visuals

What I usually do is create an infographic and post it on Pinterest. Some bloggers even share it on their own social media if they find it engaging and visually appealing.

But just like regular images, infographics need optimization. I always give them descriptive file names, clear alt text, and sometimes even a caption.

That way, people understand the content, and Google can index it properly.

My Action Plan for Image SEO

Here’s the simple checklist I follow every time I upload an image:

1. Rename the file with a clear and descriptive name.
2. Write helpful and natural alt text.
3. Resize and compress the image. (I use the EWWW Image Optimizer Plugin, so it happens automatically).
4. Add it to my sitemap (with a plugin like Yoast or Rank Math).

It only takes a few minutes, but the long-term benefits are worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is SEO alt text for images?
Alt text is a short description of an image. It helps search engines understand the content and makes your site more accessible for people who use screen readers.

2. How long should alt text be?
Alt text should be short but descriptive, usually one sentence. Around 100 characters or less is ideal.

3. Should I use keywords in alt text?
Yes, but only if it makes sense. If the keyword naturally fits the image, use it. Avoid forcing it.

4. Do all images need alt text?
Yes, except for purely decorative images. If an image adds value to your content, it should have alt text.

5. Can alt text improve Google rankings?
Yes. Alt text helps your images rank in Google Images, which can bring in extra traffic to your site.

Conclusion

Optimizing images might feel like a small task, but it adds up over time. By fixing file names, writing proper alt text, compressing images, and using sitemaps, I’ve seen my blog load faster and rank better.

If you haven’t been paying attention to image SEO, now is the best time to start. The habits you build today will help your blog grow tomorrow.