Billions of Searches. Almost Zero Competition.
Google Image Search handles billions of queries. And yet, most SEOs don't even think about it.
That's an opportunity.
rubs hands together
How Image Search Keywords Differ
Visual intent. The searcher wants to SEE something. "Kitchen renovation ideas" / "Business card design examples" / "Yoga poses for beginners."
Product discovery. Google Lens and visual shopping are growing fast. People search for products by image.
Inspirational browsing. Image search is often early-stage, exploratory. Pinterest-like behaviour on Google.
How to Optimise for Image Search Keywords
File names. "kitchen-renovation-modern-white.jpg" beats "IMG_4523.jpg." Every time.
Alt text. Descriptive, keyword-rich alt text. This is Google's primary way of understanding image content. It's part of our on-page SEO checklist.
Surrounding text. The text around the image on your page provides context. Place images near relevant content.
Image quality. High-resolution, original images. Not stock photos everyone else uses.
Image sitemap. Help Google discover and index your images. Our XML sitemap best practices guide covers how to include images in your sitemap.
Keywords That Trigger Image Results
Search your keywords on Google. If an image pack appears in the results, that keyword has visual intent.
These are your image SEO targets.
Common categories: design, recipes, DIY projects, fashion, travel, product photos, infographics. Google's SEO documentation includes specific guidance on image optimisation best practices.
The Low-Effort Win
Image SEO takes minimal effort compared to content creation. Rename files, write alt text, use original images.
Small effort. Meaningful traffic.
Cover All Your SEO Bases
SEO Checkup includes image optimisation in its 113-task checklist. Free. No credit card. 30 seconds.