Human beings naturally gravitate towards visual stimulants. Words are important, images and videos are probably more important. In the online world that is dominated by s…
Human beings naturally gravitate towards visual stimulants. Words are important, images and videos are probably more important. In the online world that is dominated by social media, you have to tweak your SEO campaign along with the changing tastes and trends. Gone are the days, when websites with dry words were able to attract attention of the users. Now the consumers want more.
Components of rich media like videos and images can give your prospective customers something to connect to. Various studies have shown that people respond better to Facebook and Twitter posts that are accompanied with images or videos. Well, the same is true for Google SERPs. Google favors websites that incorporate rich media in their content.
Whether you are adding images and videos to your already existing content or you are letting your rich media tools stand on their own, you need to optimize them to rank higher on universal search pages. It is not enough that your images and videos come up when a user searches through the “images” and “videos” functions available on the search pages. You have to make your rich media appear along with the text results on the main result page.
Image Optimization
When a user types in a query in search engine’s search box and gets relevant results, he is more likely to click on a link that has an image with it. Your click through rates can increase if you add quality images in your web pages. Here is how you can ensure that.
- You should title each image well. This allows SERPs better make the connection between the text and the image. The title should be descriptive and precise.
- Using original images that go well with your products and services can increase your likelihood of ranking higher on SERPs. A few high-quality, relevant and original images must be a part of the mix.
- A relevant image is not enough. The quality and clickability of the image matters as well. If an image is blurry and takes forever to upload, you do not have much chance of it helping your SEO strategy.
- In addition to the title of the image the alt text you use to describe your image is also vital. Using your keyword in the description makes it more visible in the eyes of SERPs.
- The size of the images you use on your web page should also be kept in mind when optimizing your page for search engines. The size should be such that it gets the message across, is pleasing to the eyes, without slowing down your page.
- Developing image site map can help search engines to navigate it better.
Video Optimization
Google and other Search engines are increasingly showing videos on their SERPs. Users are likely to click on an appealing video. Whether you are using off-site video platforms like YouTube or using your own site to launch your videos, following tips can help you optimize your videos to help you rank higher.
- Pay attention to what you say in your video. Make your videos informative and interesting at the same time. The videos should be well designed and produced and must be coherent.
- You must avoid complicated video-developing platforms like JavaScript and the make sure the size of the thumbnails is such that it entices the users to open your link. Pixel size and overall video quality also matter greatly.
- The length of the video should also be considered. Concise and light videos perform better. The shorter a video is, more are the chances of getting valuable clicks and hopefully conversions.
- Description of the video should contain your keyword, so should the title. Adding a transcript of your video to your webpage can also help search engines better decipher your content.
Rich media plays a vital role in Search Engine Optimization. Hope you will make use of the techniques explained above to rank higher on SERPs.