Optimizing my images to appear on Google Images

[Leah777]

My website ranks at the top for my keywords, but my images barely show up on Google Images.  I'm renaming them, tagging them, I'm not sure what else I can possibly do.  Any suggestions?  Thanks!

[OlegKorneitchouk]

Make sure...

1. file name contains keywords
2. wherever you use the image, make sure the alt text and title text is keyword friendly
3. the image appears on a page that is relevant to the main keywords
4. the text surrounding the image (e.g. caption) gives the image more context as well

Don't worry about exif/meta data.

[Leah777]

Thank you Oleg!

Unfortunately, I do ALL those things and I still can't seem to get my images to appear.  I am a photographer, so I use the word "portrait"  "photography" "photographer" as well as "newborn" and "baby" and maybe it thinks I'm keyword stuffing.  But the reality is just about every picture I display is a "newborn baby picture" or "baby photograph."  Is it possible that Google thinks I'm trying to spam it by using these words over and over, even if they are words that accurately describe what's in the image?

[TimHolmes]

Have you considered also adding an image sitemap.xml to your site to make it easier for Google to crawl all of the files you want etc. You could use something like Screaming Frog to generate one for you.

[Leah777]

Thank you Tim.

How can I tell if my site has an image sitemap already?

[OlegKorneitchouk]

Yes, it may be over optimized. First off, make sure the images are being indexed (search for site:yourdomain.com + keyword in image search).

Since most of your images are so similar, you should add more descriptive terms (clothing, scenery, lighting, ethnicity, baby synonyms (toddler, infant, newborn, etc)) so that google doesn't think you are just stuffing keywords.

[Leah777]

Thank you Oleg.

So when I put this in Google and click on the image results, I get a TON of my pictures.  I think that means Google is indexing my images, would that be true?

Here's the "this" I referred to:  site:lseverson.com newborn photography

[OlegKorneitchouk]

Yep, they are being indexed.

I also see your work for https://www.google.com/search?q=Indianapolis+Baby+Photography&source=lnms&tbm=isch

It could just be an authority issue... you need to strengthen your website authority (get more backlinks) in order to rank your pictures higher.

[Leah777]

How could make website rank so high but not the images?  Seems like both should be ranking about the same, no?

[EGOL]

Kickass images are the best optimization.

[Leah777]

Thank you Tim.

How can I tell if my site has an image sitemap already?

[Leah777]

Well I would argue that the images I have posted are kick-ass, so I'm guessing that's not my issue.

[IsaCleanse]

When using wordpress are all the Media fields needed to be filled out?

ie. Title, Alt Text, Description?

Would you have all these the same or different? Specially as then when you insert the image into the page you also have Caption on top of the 3 above bits of information?

[IsaCleanse]

When using Wordpress (or similar) are all the Media fields needed to be filled out?

ie. Title, Alt Text, Description?

Would you have all these the same or different? Specially as then when you insert the image into the page you also have Caption on top of the 3 above bits of information?

[wearehappymedia]

We've found (and I'd love someone else to verify this) that there is some invisible meta data in JPEGs when they are first created. The name of the JPEG before it's placed in a site seems to have a significant effect on rankings in some cases. Have a play with some meta data editors and see if that makes a difference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_metadata_editors

[wearehappymedia]

Anyone had experience with this?

[IsaCleanse]

Thought I'd just ask again in hope someone might see the question that has had experience with this:

_"When using Wordpress (or similar) are all the Media fields needed to be filled out? _

ie. Title, Alt Text, Description?

Would you have all these the same or different? Specially as then when you insert the image into the page you also have Caption on top of the 3 above bits of information?"

[Leah777]

So I have always renamed my file before uploading it.  But what I realized is that while I was occasionally filling in the "title, alt text, description" I was not doing that consistently.  I have started going back into my media library and filling that information in.  As I have thousands of pictures on my sites, it will take some time, but I'm hoping that will fix my issue.

I would also love to know if title, alt text and description should be the same.  My gut says "no" because Google would likely see that as "spammy."  I'm certain I could be wrong though.  Would love to hear from others.