Effective HTML Image Tags for On-Page SEO

Why HTML Image Tags Matter

HTML image tags are a big deal for making websites accessible and boosting SEO. Knowing how to use them can help digital marketers and content creators get the most out of their web content.

Making Websites Accessible

HTML image tags are key to making websites accessible. They help screen readers, which are used by people who are blind or visually impaired, understand the content on a page. One of the most important parts of this is the alt text (alternative text) attribute.

Alt text describes what an image looks like or what it does. Screen readers read this text aloud so that people who can’t see the images still know what’s there. This makes sure everyone can understand the content, no matter their visual ability.

Plus, if an image doesn’t load, the alt text shows up instead, keeping the user experience smooth.

Boosting SEO Rankings

HTML image tags also play a big role in SEO. Search engines use these tags to figure out what’s on your site and how to rank it. Alt text is especially important because search engine bots read it to understand the images and the page better.

Google’s John Mueller has said that alt text is a ranking factor in image search. For regular search results, Google treats alt text like any other text on the page. This means you can use it to include keywords and improve your page’s relevance and ranking.

Tips for Writing Alt Text:

• Be clear and descriptive
• Use keywords naturally
• Don’t overdo it with keywords
• Keep it short and sweet

For more tips on optimizing images for SEO, check out our guide on optimizing images for SEO.

Understanding how to use HTML image tags can make a big difference for both accessibility and SEO. Want to learn more about on-page SEO? Read our article on what is on-page seo?.

Making Images Clickable

Clickable images can jazz up your website and keep visitors engaged. When you make an image clickable, it can take users to another page or resource, making navigation smooth and adding a fun, interactive twist to your content. Let’s break down how to make images clickable using anchor tags and image URLs.

Using Anchor Tags

The easiest way to make an image clickable in HTML is by wrapping the image tag (<img>) inside an anchor tag (<a>). This method is simple and widely used.

Here’s how you do it:

<a href="https://example.com">
  <img src="https://example.com/image.jpg" alt="Descriptive Alt Text">
</a>

In this example:

• The <a> tag’s href attribute is the URL where the image will take you when clicked.
• The <img> tag is the image itself, with the src attribute pointing to the image’s source and the alt attribute providing a description for accessibility and SEO.

For more details on HTML link tags, check out our article on HTML Link Tags Explained.

Specifying Image URLs

When setting the URL for a clickable image, make sure it’s valid and points to the right place. The URL can be an internal link (another page on your site) or an external link (a different website).

Here are some tips for specifying image URLs:

• Internal Links: Use relative URLs to keep your site structure intact.
• External Links: Use absolute URLs to ensure correct navigation.

Example with an Internal Link:

<a href="/about-us">
  <img src="/images/about-us.jpg" alt="About Us">
</a>

Example with an External Link:

<a href="https://externalwebsite.com">
  <img src="https://externalwebsite.com/image.jpg" alt="External Image">
</a>

Using descriptive alt text is crucial for both accessibility and SEO. Alt text helps search engines understand the image content, boosting your page’s SEO. It also helps screen readers describe the image to visually impaired users.

For more on optimizing images, visit our guide on Optimizing Images for SEO.

By making images clickable with anchor tags and using accurate URLs, you can make your site more interactive and improve your SEO. For more on related topics, explore our articles on What is a URL for a Website? and Alt Text for SEO.

Best Practices for Image Tags

Getting your HTML image tags right is a game-changer for both accessibility and SEO. Let’s break down two must-dos: nailing your alt text and setting your image dimensions.

Alt Text Optimization

Alt text is like a secret weapon for your images. It tells search engines what your image is about and helps visually impaired users understand your content. Think of it as the unsung hero of your web page (Moz).

Key Points for Alt Text Optimization:

1. Be Clear and Specific: Paint a vivid picture with your words. The more specific, the better (Moz).
2. Use Keywords Wisely: Slip in your target keyword naturally. It can boost your image search rankings (Moz).
3. Describe, Don’t Just Label: Give a full description to help search engines and users alike (Moz).

Example:

<img src="example.jpg" alt="A woman using a laptop in a sunlit room" />

Want more tips? Check out our guide on alt text for SEO.

Image Dimensions Specification

Setting your image dimensions in HTML is like giving your browser a heads-up. It speeds up your page load and makes your site look slick. By defining the width and height, you avoid those annoying layout shifts and keep your users happy ().

Benefits of Specifying Image Dimensions:

1. Faster Page Load: Your browser knows exactly how much space to reserve, making things snappier.
2. Better User Experience: No more janky layout shifts.
3. SEO Boost: Faster pages can climb higher in search rankings.

Example:

<img src="example.jpg" alt="A woman using a laptop in a sunlit room" width="600" height="400" />

By following these tips, you can make your HTML image tags work harder for you. For more on making your images SEO-friendly, check out our article on optimizing images for SEO.

Advanced Image Tag Attributes

Getting a grip on advanced HTML image tag attributes can really boost your on-page SEO game. Let’s talk about the crossorigin and sizes attributes.

crossorigin Attribute

The crossorigin attribute in the <img> tag tells the browser how to handle fetching images from other domains. This is super handy if you’re using images in a <canvas> element and don’t want them to be “tainted” (MDN Web Docs).

Here’s what you can set for crossorigin:

• anonymous: Fetches the image without sending any credentials like cookies or authentication.
• use-credentials: Fetches the image with credentials.

Using the crossorigin attribute can help when you’re optimizing images for SEO, especially if you’re pulling images from other sites.

sizes Attribute Usage

The sizes attribute in the <img> tag helps the browser pick the right image from the srcset based on the screen size. This is a big deal for responsive design, making sure your images look good on any device (MDN Web Docs).

Here’s how you can use sizes:

<img srcset="example-small.jpg 480w, example-medium.jpg 800w, example-large.jpg 1200w"
     sizes="(max-width: 600px) 480px, (max-width: 900px) 800px, 1200px"
     alt="Descriptive Alt Text">

In this example:

• For screens up to 600px wide, the browser uses the 480px wide image.
• For screens up to 900px wide, the browser uses the 800px wide image.
• For larger screens, the browser uses the 1200px wide image.

Using the sizes attribute right can speed up your page load times and make your site more user-friendly, which are key parts of what is on-page SEO?.

By mastering these advanced attributes, you can fine-tune your images to boost your website’s performance and SEO rankings. Plus, your images will look great on any device.

For more tips on HTML tags and their SEO impact, check out our articles on what is semantic html for seo and heading tags for seo.