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Image Search Optimization:
Image Search Optimization for Photo-sharing Web Sites
In a recent newsletter we covered how web site images can be optimized to appear in the top positions of the vertical image search result pages and increasingly in the main general search results at Google, Yahoo and Ask. Today, we are focusing on how we can Photo profile pages have great benefits when embedded links from within the photo captions link back to relevant pages in a web site. This generates additional free referral traffic and improves the link popularity of the web site and the rankings in the contextual organic search results at major search engines.
Photo-sharing Web Sites
Photo-sharing web sites are online photo aggregators that allow web users to upload, store, manage and share digital photographs with others, publicly or privately. Some photo-sharing web sites also allow web users to link photo profile pages to web sites, blogs, video sharing sites or a personal profile page, located at social networking web sites. Digital photographs that are uploaded and placed in photo profile pages at photo-sharing web sites and then optimized, using features that facilitate basic search engine optimization techniques, are an additional source of free web site traffic.
Many Photo-sharing Sites, But Few for Optimum Image Search Optimization
While there are many photo-sharing web sites, only a few lend themselves for leveraging image search optimization. The ideal photo-sharing sites for image search optimization are those that allow original photo profile pages that include unique, keyword-rich photo captions and photo titles. Keyword tagging and the ability to add embedded hypertext links with keyword-rich anchor text are also important. The photo-sharing sites also need a site structure that allows deep crawling and indexing into the general search engines so that the photo profile pages show up in the contextual and vertical image search results at Google, Yahoo, Microsoft Live Search, Ask and AOL Search.
Benefits for Photo Profile Pages with Embedded Links
Photo profile pages have great benefits when embedded links from within the photo captions link back to relevant pages in a web site. This generates additional free referral traffic and improves the link popularity of the web site and the rankings in the contextual organic search results at major search engines.
Who the Players Are
Of all the photo-sharing web sites, Flickr lends itself best for image search optimization. Flickr gets deeply and frequently spidered by Google and Yahoo! and allows implementation of unique keyword-rich photo titles, displayed as H1-tags, large photo captions, alt tag text and flexible, embedded hypertext links that may include keyword-rich anchor text. Two other smaller photo-sharing web sites, 23 and Fotki, also have similar functionality and site structures that allow deep spidering and photo profile page optimization.
Image Search Optimization
Below I have posted some general tips for image search optimization that apply to most photo-sharing web sites include:
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Build photo profile pages around each image. Create as many photo profile pages as possible.
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Use original, quality images with high contrast. These create better looking thumbnail images when scaled down and they are more likely to be linked to other web sites.
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Create thematic sets of photo profile pages, such as photos of various models in a product line, or a step-by-step visual presentation of a procedure.
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Implement a consistent image filenaming scheme. Use keyword-rich text that is related to the image in the filename and store the images in .jpg format.
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If possible, include hypertext links with relevant anchor text in the photo captions and point those back to relevant pages on the web site. For example, upload product images from an ecommerce web site catalog and then link them each back to a specific product page.
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Point links from related web pages on the web site, back to the photo profile pages.
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Use all of the available features of the photo-sharing web sites. Use photo caption text with a related title for the photos, tag the photos with related keywords, place keywords in the alt tag text, and associate the photos, when possible, with any groups, albums, or sets that have a related theme.
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Choose flexible, less restrictive licensing (Creative Commons) so others can use the photos, which encourages links back to the web site.
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Flickr
Flickr is the No. 1 free online photo sharing application on the Web. Its primary goals are to help people make digital photographs available to those who interested in them, and to enable new ways of organizing those digital photographs.
Flickr supports the uploading, viewing and sharing of digital photographic images. The community and photo sharing properties of Flickr provide great opportunities for marketers and business owners to use Flickr photo profile pages to advertise their company’s products and services, build brand awareness, educate consumers, get product feedback and connect with customers. One caveat - it must be done in a non-commercial and subtle way, or the community and groups will not appreciate it and you will not achieve the exposure you are looking for.
Due to its “crawlable-friendly” site architecture and features that facilitate the implementation of basic search engine optimization, Flickr has the best potential to be an additional source of free web site traffic.
How Does Flickr Work
Web users need to create a free account to use Flickr. The typical experience for most users of Flickr involves uploading of digital photographs, adding photos to a personal photo album and then sharing the photos in appropriate groups. Posting to groups is the main way photos get exposure in Flickr. Groups are concurring users that post photos related to a group’s theme, such as a company that makes cell phone accessories could post product photos to the wireless group. Then, other members can share the photos and add comments.
Tips - The Best Way to Use Flickr for Image Search Optimization
Tagging. The secret to Flickr is “tagging,” or labeling photos with popular and related keywords and phrases so that search engines can determine what the picture is about. Add applicable and keyword-rich “tags” to all photo profile pages.
Bookmarking. Submit each photo page to del.icio.us using the link at the bottom of the page photo profile page.
Photo titles and descriptions. Write a relevant, original keyword-rich photo title and an appealing, up to 150-word photo caption. Enclose the photo title in a H1 tag. This will give the title more weight.
Links. Add keyword-rich hypertext links to the photo captions and link those back to related pages on the web site. This is how Flickr can drive traffic to a web site. There is also a link popularity benefit in linking to related pages in the web site, because Flickr does NOT apply a “no follow” attribute to the link. Link to any of the photo pages from relevant web pages. The goal is to get more links to the Flickr photo image pages so that these pages get more Page Rank in Google and rank higher in the search results.
Photo viewing. Make the photos pages publicly viewable within Flickr.
Groups. Use Flickr groups by finding and joining the appropriate groups. This increases the visibility of the photos within those groups.
Try leveraging your photo profile pages at photo-sharing web sites, give it some time and enjoy the free web traffic. |
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Monday, November 12, 2007
BizActions Conference 2007
Hilton Old Town
Alexandria, VA
Louise Rijk presents:
Email, Social Media and Search in the Overall Marketing Mix
More Details...
Advanced Media Launches Company Blog
Check out the new AMPloyee blog where Advanced Media Productions’ employees give you an insider perspective on web site design and internet marketing today. More Details...
Recent Presentations
128 Business Expo 2007
"Blogging and Podcasting For Business"
Click here to play the video.
495/Metrowest Business Expo
Pre-Expo Keynote
"The Rise of the Internet as a Mass Advertising Medium"
Click here to play the video.
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| AMPTalk, our monthly audio podcast show on Internet Marketing is jam-packed with interviews and commentary on a wide-range of topics ranging from paid search advertising, ecommerce web site building, social media marketing and online media buying. |
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Advanced Media Productions, Inc.
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