3 Reasons Why Your Business Website Needs Images For SEO
Most contractors, retailers and B2B companies we speak with here at WEB ROI want to get more traffic, leads and ultimately customers from their websites. And when the topic of search engine optimization comes up, the first things which come to mind are that it's:
- Well-written, original content
- Backed by strong, accurate keyword research
- Metadata friendly for the search engines
All of which are very important.
However, one overlooked element to boosting SEO rankings and conversion rates is the placement of high-quality images throughout a website. Oftentimes, landscapers, eCommerce and other businesses are doing themselves (and their customers) a disservice by not investing in brilliantly beautiful pictures.
Here’s why you need to replace your fuzzy, low-res, or pulled-from-Google images with pictures which are more reflective of the work you do.
1. Yes, Images Can Increase SEO Performance
Picture-finding tools like Google reverse image search, TinEye, and Yahoo image search are growing in popularity.
Instead of typing something like “custom outdoor brick fireplace”, you upload an image and the tool you use will tell you where to find it.
This means the connection between pictures and search engine rankings has never been stronger.
It also means having professional-grade quality pictures on your website will increase your online visibility.
Now that doesn’t mean you can add any images to your site. They must be:
- Relevant to the content on your site: It sounds obvious, but many companies miss this target. For example, if you’re a fireplace or HVAC contractor, you want to show pictures of the products you sell and service. A picture of a family having dinner in comfort isn’t pertinent to a page focused on selling air conditioning units. Use the words on the page to guide what the pictures should be.
- Enhanced with alt tags and image title tags: Have you noticed when you hover over a picture, a small text box pops up describing that image? That’s an alt tag and the search engines love them. As smart as Google is, it can’t “see” pictures. But it can read the words behind the pictures.
If you don’t have a high-quality digital camera or the budget for a photographer, use your phone or a basic camera to place images on your site. It’s better to have them than to not.
But large, detailed, web-friendly pictures are bound to attract and keep visitors to your website.
Plus, they entice users to click through to other pages on your website (thus decreasing its bounce rate and boosting its SEO ranking).
2. Images Can Be a Lead Conversion Tool
According to a study by SteamFeed:
- Websites with high-quality images and relevant content get 94% more views than those which just have text.
- Sites that don’t have images to start enjoy a 45% lift in views once they’re added
Without a doubt, websites with good imagery will attract more visitors.
And with high-quality pictures, visitors will spend more time on your website, giving you more time to convert them into leads by:
- Getting more views to your site and creating more conversion opportunities
- Upping user engagement by giving visitors more to see and do
- Lowering bounce rate which means more traffic and higher SEO rankings
Most importantly, though, having excellent imagery on your site creates a visual and emotional connection between customers and your business.
3. Images Are Your Most Effective Salesperson
High-quality pictures tell the story of your products or services.
- If you’re a home improvement professional, you can use strong before-and-after pictures to showcase your work.
- If you’re a building & landscape supplier, you can really showcase your product catalogue with high-quality pictures.
The better the picture quality, the better the results.
In fact, that same SteamFeed study mentioned earlier also highlights that 67% of customers note the quality of images on a website when making a purchase decision.
Plus, high-quality images are much easier to work with in today’s modern web designs because:
- They fit well within any web space. Large-resolution pictures can be scaled to fit in whatever configuration your website has.
- They help promote your business. A collection of nice pictures can be used in other marketing materials, such as online galleries, directories, email marketing, or print brochures.
- They’re great for social media. Using pictures as part of your social media marketing strategy on Facebook or Twitter will deliver more traffic to your website.
Having great images on your site (along with great content too) will show, tell and sell your products and services even when your physical location is “closed for business.”
Strong images – combined with easy-to-use contact forms – will transform your website into a high-ranking, high-converting machine.
We’ll Create the High-Quality Images Your Website Deserves
If you’re a new home builder, shouldn’t your website reflect the quality of your work? And if you’re a niche retailer, shouldn’t you have a gorgeous product catalogue?
Of course, you should. And we can help give them to you.
Start by contacting us for a FREE discovery meeting. We’ll meet with you, discuss your marketing needs and show what your website is truly capable of.
Article Updated June 2023.
