SEO Tip: How To Maximize your SEO Mojo through Image Optimization
I'm frequently asked to explain the best practices for blog and web site image preparation. Or, I get asked for the techniques I use when I perform search engine optimization for images. 
I've compiled four suggestions with examples intended to help you gain the most SEO benefit from your web site pages or business blog. The techniques are NOT difficult to adapt or implement. Like many SEO techniques, more a tedious implementation detail to be performed only after establishing a solid keyword strategy and understanding why specific keywords are being used. Here are my image optimization tips:
1.) Utilize a keyword term in each image file name. The file name should be descriptive of the image content. If using a long tail keyword strategy, place hyphens between each of your key terms. For Example: turtle-image-optimization-PA170239.jpg. If you need to keep the image name your camera assigned to the image, try to place the camera image name after your key terms.
2.) Include unique key terms in each image's alt tag. Create human readable copy describing the image while including a key term in the alt tag 
for each image. Keep the alt tag somewhat short, usually a short sentance less than 15 words. Less is better and avoids being spammy or suffering 'keyword stuffing' penalties.
DID YOU KNOW? Alt tags were originally intended to be used as a means to describe visual images for either browsing users who didn't want to download images (with initial image downloads turned off) and for handicapped access (ability to 'read' an image that isn't visible due to blindness or other). Since search engines still aren't able to identify image content, they utilize alt tags, file names and other mean to determine image content. The butterfly image at right uses alt tag "Maui Butterfly on Ginger for Image SEO example."
3.) Avoid using exessivelly large 'dimensioned' images. Large images are often associated with a non professional web site. When only one or two images are presented on a page or in a blog article, I recommend keeping images at or under 600 pixels wide by 480 pixels height. When several images are displayed on a page, then 480 x 320 pixels or smaller should be used. 
The noted dimensions facilitate a visually compelling presentation for the visitor while avoiding many issues.
4.) Keep your image file sizes below 40 k. Doing so ensures your visitors 'see' your image before departing your site or blog article in favor of faster performance! If several images will be displayed on the same page or in the same blog, try to keep each image file size below 25k each. When multiple large images load into a page, the cumulative effect can be significant! With data trends showing visitors are spending less than 3 seconds before clicking to another page or site, your web site and blog visitors will not endure long waits!
You may also enjoy an article by Rebecca Churt, '5 Ways to Optimize Images on a Website or Blog'.
If you found this article informative or if you have SEO questions, please leave a comment below. If you would like to learn how to get found and convert visitors, request a FREE Inbound Marketing assessment.