Optimisation for Google Images

[onlinemediadirect]

What techniques do you use for the optimisation of images on Google.

Alt tag , image title

Surrounding text

Anyone tested actual linking to the image url and not the page url. I have achieved hundreds of top listed images but when it gets competitive what is the most useful technique you have used.

Thanks

[RyanKent]

Three other thoughts come to mind:

1. Ensure your images are optimized for size, as in disk-size. If you use Photoshop, there is a specific option to save a file for use on websites. Otherwise Smush.it is a great lossless image compression tool.

2. Always declare your image dimensions. This step is part of site speed optimization.

3. If you use the image as a link and offer text as the same link, present it as a single link within a single tag. If you have an image showing a Ford Mustang and below the image you type the word "Ford Mustang" then the area should be a single link to the proper page of your site.

[onlinemediadirect]

how do you explain the ranking of images on competitive terms. What would you say is the most responsive way of improving image rank.

also you mention declaing the image size what do you mean exactly by that.

[RyanKent]

how do you explain the ranking of images on competitive terms

The only manner in which I know images are associated with keywords are through the use of ALT text and links. Search engines certainly have the tools to associate images with the words surrounding the image or the title of the page which contains the image as well. I have not personally performed any testing in that regard and am unaware of such testing.

you mention declaing the image size what do you mean exactly by that.

[onlinemediadirect]

how important do you rate the title attribute on images. I have found this combined with a Alt tag to provide Top 3 positions for images -

title="Free Web tutorials"

[RyanKent]

There is no SEO benefit offered by using the title property for images.

I did forget to mention the file name as a factor as well. Provide your images with descriptive titles such as craftsman-wrench.jpg instead of image344213.jpg.