Optimising images and videos for search engine optimisation (SEO) is crucial in enhancing the visibility and ranking of your content on search engines. This involves several key strategies that align with traditional keyword research while focusing on user intent to drive better SEO results.
Keyword Research and Content Alignment
The foundation of any successful SEO strategy begins with thorough keyword research. Identifying relevant, high-traffic keywords helps ensure that your images and videos are optimised to rank higher in search results. For videos, incorporating these keywords naturally into titles, descriptions, and tags is essential. Similarly, for images, using descriptive file names that include target keywords can improve their discoverability.
Image Optimisation Techniques
Optimising images involves several techniques:
File Names: Use descriptive file names that include target keywords.
Alt Text: Provide alternative text (alt text) to help search engines understand the image content.
Captions: Add captions to provide additional context about the image.
Compression: Compressing images reduces file size without compromising quality, which improves page load times—a major ranking factor.
Unique images tend to perform better than stock ones as they offer unique value to users.
Video Optimisation Strategies
For video content:
Thumbnails: Create eye-catching thumbnails that accurately represent the video’s content. This significantly impacts click-through rates.
Structured Data: Adding structured data or Schema markup helps search engines understand video content better.
Transcripts and Closed Captions: Include transcripts for additional indexable text and closed captions for accessibility purposes.
By integrating these strategies into your SEO approach, you can enhance the visibility of both your images and videos in search results.