Image SEO: alt text, file names and best practices

Why optimise your images

Google doesn't "see" an image the way a human does. It relies on textual clues to understand what it represents. Well-described images can appear in Google Images and bring in extra visitors, particularly for tradespeople and shopkeepers whose visuals matter a great deal.

The alt attribute and the file name

The alt attribute is a short piece of alternative text describing the image. It helps search engines understand the visual and lets visually impaired people, via a screen reader, know what is being displayed.

• Clear file name: "homemade-tarte-tatin.jpg" rather than "IMG_4821.jpg"
• Descriptive, natural alt text, without piling up keywords
• One image, one subject: stay precise

Weight and format, don't forget them

An image that's too heavy slows down your page, which harms both the experience and your rankings. Compress your visuals and choose a format suited to the web. The goal: good visual quality without an oversized file.

Also be careful not to distort your photos and to reserve the alt attribute for meaningful images, not purely decorative elements. Skywebis automatically optimises images at upload to balance speed and quality.

Frequently asked questions