Practical guide
Ecommerce image SEO: useful photos, alt text and speed
Product photos need to help people inspect what they will receive. Image SEO starts with that usefulness, then makes the pictures understandable and efficient to load.
Scan your site free1. Show the real product clearly
Use accurate photos with views of important details, scale and relevant variants. Avoid an attractive image that obscures the object or misrepresents included accessories. Keep permission and licensing records for images you did not create.
2. Write alt text for the image's purpose
Describe relevant visible details in natural language. For example, a fictional backpack photo might use 'Green hiking backpack with side bottle pockets'. Do not add search phrases that the picture does not depict. Decorative images can use empty alt text where appropriate.
3. Keep context and filenames meaningful
Place pictures beside the matching product information and use manageable descriptive filenames. A filename alone cannot compensate for an unclear page. Ensure the image is accessible to crawlers when you want it eligible for image search.
4. Deliver suitable sizes
Let your platform provide responsive image sizes and efficient formats. Preserve enough detail for shoppers to inspect the product. Reserve dimensions to reduce layout movement, and avoid delaying the main above-the-fold product image unnecessarily.
5. Test the result on a phone
Check sharpness, zoom, missing images and load behavior on a real page. Use appropriate performance testing tools for speed measurements. Trendifyn's Page Optimizer shows page screenshots and copy findings, but its screenshot is not a Core Web Vitals measurement.
Sources and further reading
By Trendifyn. Examples are illustrative; your results depend on your store and implementation.
Frequently asked questions
Should alt text contain every target keyword?
No. Describe the picture and its purpose naturally, without keyword stuffing.
Should I compress images as much as possible?
Balance efficient delivery with the detail buyers need to inspect the product.
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