How to Make Your Images SEO-Friendly for Google

Images make websites more interesting and easier to understand. They can break up long text, show products, or explain ideas. But images also play a big part in how search engines like Google view your site. If you’re trying to improve your website, learning how to use  image SEO  is a smart move.

Many people focus only on text for SEO, but SEO images can bring in visitors too—especially from Google Images. The good news is, you don’t need to be a tech expert to make your images help your website. You just need to follow some simple steps.

This guide covers how to make your images more SEO-friendly, the best ways to name them, how image compression affects SEO, and even if podcast images can help with your rankings.

Why Is Image SEO Important?

Search engines can’t “see” images the way humans do. Instead, they rely on file names, alt text, and other clues to figure out what the image is about. When you give Google those clues, it makes your content easier to understand—and easier to rank.

Better SEO image practices can help you:

• Appear in Google Image search
• Improve your page loading speed
• Make your site easier to read for people using screen readers
• Keep visitors on your site longer

All of this helps your page rank better over time.

How Can I Make My Images More SEO-Friendly?

Here are some steps you can follow that most SEO companies recommend:

1. Use the Right File Name
   Before uploading an image, rename it to describe what it shows. Don’t use names like IMG_456.jpg or photo1.png. Instead, use something clear like black-running-shoes.jpg.
2. Add Alt Text
   Alt text is a short description that tells search engines (and people who use screen readers) what the image is. For example, alt text for the image above might be:
   Alt Text: Black running shoes on a white background.
   Try to include important keywords without forcing them.
3. Compress Your Images
   Large images take longer to load, and slow pages can hurt your rankings. You can use free tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh to make image sizes smaller. This is one of the most helpful image SEO steps.
4. Choose the Right Format
   Different image types are better for different jobs:
   • JPG/JPEG: Good for photos.
   • PNG: Best for images with text or transparency.
   • WebP: Smaller size with good quality—great for speed.
5. Make Images Mobile-Friendly
   Your images should look good on phones and tablets, not just computers. Use "responsive" images that adjust based on screen size.
6. Use Captions When Needed
   Not all images need a caption, but adding a short line under an image can help explain it to readers and give search engines more context.

Best Practices for Naming Images SEO

Naming your image files is one of the easiest things you can do for better SEO image results. Here are a few tips:

• Use dashes - between words (not underscores _)
• Be clear and specific
• Keep names short but meaningful
• Include keywords only if they make sense

Bad example: pic001.jpg
Better example: custom-leather-wallet.jpg

How Does Image Compression Affect SEO?

Image compression makes the file smaller, which helps your pages load faster. A fast-loading site is one of the signals Google uses when ranking pages. If your site is slow, visitors might leave before it even loads.

This also improves your mobile experience. Google cares a lot about how fast your site is on phones. If your images are too big and slow everything down, that can hurt your SEO.

Most  agency SEO  experts will tell you: faster is better.

Does Podcast Image Help With SEO?

Yes, if you’re running a podcast, having a strong image (like a cover photo) can help. It might not be the biggest SEO improve, but it can help you:

• Show up in podcast platforms
• Appear in Google Images
• Build your brand

Make sure your podcast image also has a clear name, small file size, and alt text. It’s another way to build good image SEO into your site.

Why You Should Care About Image SEO

Images are more than just something nice to look at. When done right, they can:

• Help you show up in search results
• Make your site faster
• Improve the experience for your readers
• Support your overall content strategy

If you’re serious about growing your website, don’t ignore your SEO images.

Need Help With SEO Images or Content?

You don’t have to do it all by yourself. If you’re running a business, blog, or store, sometimes you need experts who know how to make everything work together.

SEO Raft is one of the trusted  SEO companies that can help you fix image problems, speed up your site, and build a plan that brings in traffic. Whether it’s naming images, writing alt text, or planning your content— SEO Raft  knows what works.

Let a skilled agency SEO team guide you through image SEO and beyond. Your website will thank you.