Pictures Gallery

[EnigmaSolution]

Hello,

I am at building a travel web site where I want to add a 'cool' way for the user to display the pictures (instead of simply listing the picture and scrolling). But when I look on the web for methods to create a pictures gallery, I can see that there is many ways to do that.

From an SEO stand point, which method would be the best? JQuery, AJAX, etc. Or what I should not use if it is easier.

As for the link, beside the loading page issue, Is there a limit of images I should include in a page?

Any advice on what should I use or not use to create an SEO oriented images gallery.

Thanks !

[RobertFisher]

Nancy

** I want to add a 'cool' way for the user to display the pictures **

So, you want a method for site visitors or customers to display their travel pics?

If so, the first question is how are you building the site? Are you using a CMS (content management system) like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, etc.? Are you having it built online by one of the canned website companies?

If you are using a CMS, I would suggest going to the plugins for that particular CMS and seeing what is available (WP has PhotoSmash, etc - Joomla has RS Gallery 2). Note that you need to research this a bit and be clear on what you want or don't want.

As to the SEO stand point, there are various ways you can work with JQuery, AJAX and still maintain SEO (I won't go into each as that would be a bit). You need to decide on one and then follow up with questions around it. (JQuery slider and maintaining seo for example.) I think if you use a CMS, you will find a good solution that is SEO friendly.

As to the images and amount per page, etc. here is what I would say. First, travel site: try to categorize the images by geography. Make sure each image has a way to put in alt text and give the user a good description of what it is, why they need it, and how to develop good alt text. So a given page would be travels to Costa Rica - this allows users to post pics from their recent trip there. By keeping it geo located, you will keep your keywords around Travel and Costa Rica. (You could sub into Diving, Volcanoe exploring, Rain Forests, etc.

You can then have good title tag, url, H1, H2 meta descrip, etc. With your images try to insure they are geo tagged and consider a way of using Schema as this will put you in the forefront.

Hope this helps you out,

Edit: Nancy I totally forgot to put in that you should also have a mechanism for GeoTagging by the user as that will be huge in a travel site. Let us know how it works out.

[EnigmaSolution]

Thanks a lot Robert ! Indeed I use a CMS, Wordpress.

But you know, what? I have not even considered using a Wordpress plugin for that!!! So thanks to you ! I have just look on wordpress web site and there are many plugins that could allow me to add a gallery to my web site.

Since I need to add the plugin inside my custom template, I will try to see which one will fit my need the best.

'insure they are geo tagged and consider a way of using Schema as this will put you in the forefront.'

I am not sure of what you mean about the geo tagged ... could you give me more information?

Thanks again !!