One of the biggest rookie blogger mistakes for SEO is to incorrectly use images in blog posts. To improve your site visitor experience, discoverability and traffic, it’s important to learn how to optimize images for SEO.
When you optimize blog post images, you improve your site’s speed. As such, you improve the site visitor experience and ranking in Google searches… boosting your blog traffic.
Image SEO is one of the things you may not consider when you’re new to blogging. However, it can make a huge difference in ranking your posts with search engines.
As a beginner blogger, I was damaging my website experience with large files that loaded slowly. I also didn’t optimize them for SEO, missing out on potential traffic.
I don’t want new bloggers to make the same mistakes I did. This is why I’m sharing image SEO tips and how to optimize your images for speed.
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on a product or service, and decide to purchase it, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. All recommended products and services are based on my positive experience with them. For more information, please read my Disclaimer.
Why Is It Important To Optimize Blog Post Images For SEO?
Optimizing blog post images for SEO improves their discoverability in Image searches. When you additionally optimize for loading speed, you also improve the site visitor experience.
Search engines prefer fast-loading websites, and this is a factor for ranking.
Here are additional reasons to optimize blog images with keywords and for speed:
- Your images also show up in image searches, giving you more traffic that way, too.
- Using optimized images, Google can understand what your blog posts are about, improving your overall SEO ranking.
- You have the potential to get backlinks, especially if you’re using infographics or your original photography.
Here’s an example of how my focus on optimizing images for SEO has helped them show up in visual searches. You see some of my Pinterest pin images, as well as my feature image (bottom right).
This and all the other reasons I’ve listed above are why it’s so important to add this one extra step before you hit publish on your latest blog post!
| Related: How To Grow Blog Traffic By 200% In One Month Using Three Smart Strategies
Understanding Image Formats & Best Ones For Bloggers
Let’s look at technical ways to optimize images first. To understand this, we need to understand the different image formats.
There are three key image formats that bloggers use on their sites. The goal is to choose those that load fast and look professional, without many tech skills.
But which one to choose and when? Let’s look at each:
JPG (or JPEG): Best For Lifestyle Photos
Use the JPG format for:
- Travel photography
- Food photos
- Home décor shots
- Fashion & beauty images
- Anything with lots of colour and texture
JPG files are small, load quickly, and still look crisp. They are perfect for posts where you’re sharing multiple photos.
NOTE: You will need to save them in smaller pixel sizes (e.g. 780 px width for a standard blog post + sidebar format) and at a lower percentage of quality (70-80%) to optimize them.
PNG: Best For Graphics And Images With Text
Use PNG for:
- Pinterest graphics (pinning directly to Pinterest)
- Blog post graphics with text overlay
- Logos
- Screenshots
Why it’s useful:
PNG images stay sharp, especially when you have clean lines, text, or shapes. They’re larger in size than JPGs, so use them sparingly.
WebP: Best for Speed (But Use the Right Size!)
WebP is Google’s modern image format. It creates smaller files that load faster, making them ideal for SEO and a better user experience.
Use WebP for:
- Almost everything: photos, graphics, product images, décor images
- Any blog post where speed matters (so… all of them!)
Important Note About Quality:
WebP can look pixelated if:
- You convert images that are too small pixel-wise
- You compress them too heavily
- You start with a low-quality original image
Simple rule to avoid bad quality:
- Always start with a high-quality JPG or PNG, then convert to WebP.
- Keep your images sized at least 780px (JPG) or 1200 px – 1500 px (WebP) wide for blog content.
- Avoid converting tiny images — they won’t scale well.
Most WordPress image optimization plugins automatically handle WebP, but you can also use free tools like Pixlr (3 free saves) or Squoosh.app to export clean, high-quality WebP images.
How To Optimize Images For SEO: 5 Key Steps
There are a few key steps to optimizing your blog images to improve your SEO.
A few! There are no excuses to make these small changes.
Once you start doing them, they will become part of your blog writing and publishing routine. For me, they are now just part of the process.
Yes, they do take a little bit of time to implement, but the rewards are so much greater than if you didn’t do them.
So let’s get started so you can learn how to optimize images for SEO and start getting more traffic to your blog!
1. Use Quality, Relevant Photos
You might be wondering how using quality photos relates to optimizing images for SEO.
First of all, if you’re going to be adding alt-text to unrelated, poorly edited images, you need to know they may appear in Google searches.
You want to create a positive perception, right?
So, if you want clicks, you need to put your best foot forward and look like a professional blog. Even if you’re faking it!
Secondly, using relevant photos brings your text to life.
You can use alt-text and image titles that work with your blog. When Google crawls through your post, including your images, it can better figure out the subject matter.
It all helps boost your site as a quality site.
PRO TIP: Edit your photos with a photo editor like Lightroom. If you can’t, use quality stock photos you’ve purchased, as they make your site look more professional. They save you time and effort and go a long way with your site’s branding. I’ve shared some of my favourite stock photo sites. My favourites for this site are Styled Stock Society and PixiStock. Both have beautiful, feminine stock photos that I use regularly on this site, as well as my Suburban Tourist lifestyle blog.
| Related: The Best Stock Photo Sites For Bloggers For Professional Shots
2. Resize Images To Smaller Dimensions If You Can
If you plan to add JPEG images, you will need to make sure they are reduced to smaller pixel sizes. Otherwise, it’s harder to reduce the file size.
What do I mean by correct dimensions? To optimize your images for SEO, you will need to edit the size to fit the minimums for your blog theme.
Images that aren’t optimized for the correct sizes will load more slowly.
Google notices this, too! Check out what happens when I check a blog post with an improperly sized feature image in the Google Page Speed Insights test:
Each blog theme has different requirements for image dimensions. For example, mine needs to be a minimum of 780 px in width for blog images.
If I’m using a larger-sized JPG image, it will take longer to download. So I always keep to the minimum image sizes.
If your stock photo is larger, use the free Pixlr or Colorcinch online photo editors to save it as a smaller size. In Pixlr-E, open the image in Pixlr and click Save. In Colorcinch, first, resize the image and then save it.
NOTE: Do WebP images need to be smaller in pixel size for Google PageSpeed? No — WebP images don’t need to be smaller in width/height (pixels) to “pass” PageSpeed tests. But… PageSpeed will complain if the file size is unnecessarily large for the place where the image is displayed. Keep them to 1200 px or 1500 px in width max.
3. Compress Images For Website Use
Another way to optimize images for SEO is to save them as smaller, compressed files. So how do you compress images for your blog posts?
Here’s my process:
I use the Pixlr.com platform and resize images to match the preferred width for my theme.
- For JPGs, I size them to my content width (usually around 780 px).
- For WebP, I keep the max width around 1500 px to maintain crisp, non-pixelated quality.
Once my image is properly sized, I save it in Pixlr and slide the quality level down to 70%–80%. This keeps the file lightweight while still looking sharp. I always double-check to make sure it isn’t blurry.
You’ll notice that the final saved image is dramatically smaller in file size. When you upload this optimized image to your blog post, it loads much faster — which helps both your readers and your SEO.
A key tip:
- Use JPG for most lifestyle or blog photos, feature images, décor shots, and Pinterest graphics.
- Use WebP as a faster-loading version of either format if your site supports it.
- Reserve PNG for logos, screenshots, icons, or images with text that need extra sharpness.
This simple workflow keeps your visuals beautiful and your blog running quickly.
PRO TIP: Even though you’re saving your image as a small file with Pixlr, you can take it one step further and use an image compression plugin like EWWW Image Optimizer or ShortPixel. When you upload your image, the plugin does the work of compressing the image for you. Alternatively, you can use a site such as Tiny PNG or Squoosh.app to save images as compressed, optimized files before uploading them.
4. Use Proper Title Names For Blog Post Images
One of the easiest ways to optimize your images is to change the title name to one that’s related to your blog post.
Google searches your images and will index them for its images tab. This is one often overlooked way to optimize images for SEO.
Instead of having your image file’s name as DS12045.jpg, have it include the long tail keyword or title of your blog post.
For example, “How To Optimize Your Images For SEO”
- Not: “DS1245.jpg”
- Not: “DS12045 optimize images.jpg”
- Yes: “Optimize your images for SEO – Laptop”
I use a combination of the keyword with another brief descriptive reference for any subsequent images.
For example, “How To Optimize Your Images – Proper Names.” This makes it easier to search through images in your Media folder, using your keyword or title.
| RELATED: How To Do Keyword Research For Blog Posts – A Beginner’s Guide
5. Add The Alt-Text Description
When you’re learning how to optimize images for your blog, one of the most confusing things is the alt-text. What do you add there?
When you upload your image to a blog post, you’ll also see a spot to enter alt-text.
Alt-text does three things:
- It’s what appears when your image doesn’t load
- It’s what is read aloud for the visually impaired when they’re visiting your post
- It also helps search engines crawl and rank your website
So, it’s very important to include alt-text in images that you want to be crawled. I do this for specific images because I want them to get found! Some images are just decorative and don’t need alt-text.
How do you enter the information?
Write what’s in the image, and naturally add your keyword.
Here’s how you add it in WordPress with blocks. Click your image and then in the “Block” mode, add it in the Alt text box.
So, for example, an alt-text can be something like:
“A keyboard with flowers, a perfect spot to work on optimizing images for SEO.”
A few rules:
- Never start with “A picture of…”
- Keep it short to about 125 characters
- Use your keywords sparingly
- Try using synonyms and similar keywords that work with your image
- Not all images need alt-text, especially if you’re writing something related to the image where it appears.
Now you have the essentials of image SEO that help you with a faster loading page and information that will help search engines understand your content.
What About Image Captions?
Many bloggers don’t add captions to their images.
I don’t either, mostly because the ones I use are either my own or from copyright-free sites (or purchased stock photos).
However, if you’re blogging on topics that can include instructions or visual examples, you can certainly add them.
The same applies when you’re using a photo from somebody else and you need to credit them. This is where a caption section comes in handy.
PRO TIP: Optimize your images with keywords in your caption!
What About Images With Links?
Did you know you can add a link to your image so that when somebody clicks on it, they are led to another page or post?
Personally, the only time I would add a link to an image is if it’s a banner image or something that I’m using to promote a freebie or landing page to something specific.
For example, you have an image you’ve created, advertising a freebie. You want to direct your reader to a separate landing page where you talk more about your free lead magnet.
You can add a link to that page.
When should you not use a link to your images? When it’s a visual that’s a photograph, feature image or Pinterest pin.
Website Image Optimization: A Key Priority
With a few small tweaks, you can make a huge difference in how Google and other search engines view your blog. Not to mention, how much more traffic you get!
To summarize, the best ways to optimize your images for SEO are:
- Use correct image dimensions for your site’s theme
- Save your files as small files
- Use proper file names for images
- Add your alt-text
- Use quality, relevant photos
This is not rocket science. It’s just a bit of extra time spent on the visual assets.
Make sure to keep website image optimization a priority when uploading and adding content. The extra work is worth the effort!
Optimizing Images For SeO: A Small Tweak That Gets Results
Optimize blog images to improve your overall SEO, your rankings in Google and ultimately blog traffic.
By focusing on image SEO – technical (speed) optimization and on-page optimization (inserting keywords) – you tap into the power of your images to create a great user experience while boosting your presence in search results.
The result is a win-win situation.
People stick around your site because it loads fast and it’s visually appealing (signalling to Google that it’s a worthwhile site), and secondly, indicating to Google what your content is about.
If you’re looking to learn more about SEO and how to boost your blog’s ranking, check out my post on Blog SEO Tips.
And if you’re looking for a deep dive, check out my e-book Optimize It: A Guide To SEO For Blogs
Read more on SEO here:
- How to Find The Perfect Keywords For Your Blog Post
- Tips For Crafting Click-worthy SEO Titles For Your Blog Posts
QUESTION: Now that you know how to optimize images for SEO, will you be making this step part of your regular blogging process?
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This is an interesting and helpful post! I will be applying your advice to my blog posts!
Fantastic! Let me know if your posts start showing up in Google image searches!