Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-08-30 Origin: Site
Earn more links by providing your audience with good visual content. Learn what types of images you can use and how to optimize them.
An engaging title will draw you in.
A good opening line will entice you to keep reading.
And a well-prepared, eye-catching visual will keep you focused and remembered long after the words you read are forgotten.
Not only will images engage your audience, but using visual content is also a practical way to build links.
A study by Skyword showed that 'content that includes relevant images performs better across all content categories.'
Moreover, Google is continually 'working to include more images and videos in searches' and changing the way information is presented on results pages.
This means you need to change the way you present your website information to Google and other search engines.
So, you know visual content is an effective link building strategy, but how do you make it work?
It’s important to understand the different kinds of visual content. Here’s an introduction to some of the key visual content types you can use to build links to your website.
1. Infographic
Some people think infographics are overused, others swear by them.
Using eye-catching infographics, coupled with useful information that readers can understand, is still a great way to get some links, whether you love them or hate them.
2. Correct use of logos
Your brand identity is the visual content that appears in multiple places on your website.
If you ever write a guest post, or contribute to a community page, it may appear on other sites.
Track where your logo appears on the web and make sure it's linked to your website.
3. Product photos or brand photos
If you are an e-commerce website or you have an online store, use your product images to build links.
Always use high-quality original photos and make sure all steps have been taken to optimize each image for SEO.
No photos of your product?
Try a branding photo shoot with a professional photographer.
If you're a writer, showcase your book in a photo shoot as well.
You can use your brand photos in many ways.
4. Company or employee photos
Even photos from your last company retreat or photos of employees on your team page can be used to build links.
Again, make sure the images are high quality and that your employees' names are spelled correctly.
5. Statistical charts, graphs and maps
Also known as data visualization, charts, graphs, and maps are a great way to generate links.
You can even pull these from leading statistics or research.
Make sure the information displayed is useful and easy for readers to understand.
Even without creating an original chart, graph, or map, you can run a report from a third-party website, screenshot the results, and share it as an image within your content.
Remember to share the source of the report, but the image itself - the screenshot - can be attributed to you.
6. Memes and GIFs
If you haven’t been using memes and GIFs in your content, now might be the time to try it.
Use them correctly because people love to share good memes, and this will mean plenty of internal links for you.
You can generate your own memes for free at Meme Generator.
7. Creative pictures
Another type of visual content that is often overused (and sometimes incorrectly used) is stock photos, which can still be useful for link building if used correctly.
Choose a high-quality, tasteful photo that is relevant to your message.
Now, let’s talk about how to optimize these images for SEO so you can get the full benefits from your visual content.
1. Add a title
Adding descriptive captions to your images is often overlooked, but surprisingly, 'captions reach 16% more readers than text,' according to PRSA.
The image title is different from the image's file name or alt text. It is text that appears below the image and briefly explains what the image is about.
Many related images can be understood without titles, but this is not always the case.
Titles add extra context to images and help readers and search engines process the information on your page.
2. Optimize image file names
Creating keyword-rich file names for images is crucial for SEO optimization.
The file name of your image helps describe the image to search engines.
The filename should be a short, relevant description of the image and should include primary and secondary keywords.
3. Include Alt text
Alt text refers to the text that appears in place of the image when the image cannot be rendered for some reason.
The image's alt text should be similar to your image's filename: a short, relevant description of the image, including keywords.
Adding alt text to your images can improve your website's ranking by associating your image - and therefore your website - with the keywords and descriptions used.
