What’s a website without images right? If people visited your site just to read large chunks of text, would it be a website, or a digital novel?
So, let’s be real, nobody wants to stare at walls of text. This is where images come into the picture. They make your content engaging, and also, wait for it, help with SEO!
Yes, you read that right. Images play an integral part in ranking your site. But, there’s a catch.
If you don’t optimize your images, they will slow down your website, and even affect SEO negatively.
32.9% of Google searches include image results.
Source: Supple Digital
But most site owners have no idea about advanced image optimization techniques, except compressing images for them to load faster.
This is why we are here to help.
Read on to find out a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know about optimizing images for SEO, from choosing the right formats to implementing technical enhancements.
What is Image SEO?
Image SEO, or image optimization as it’s sometimes referred to, is the practice of making alterations, adjustments, and even compressions to the images on a website in order to enhance overall website performance while still retaining a certain level of visual quality.
Image SEO optimizes images to rank higher in search results
To optimize images, various processes are performed, such as choosing an appropriate file format; for example, WebP, PNG, or JPEG. It also includes compressing the images so that their size fits the display limits of the website, as well as cropping images to make them less file-size-heavy.
However, in 2025, image optimization is more than just resizing images and or even naming them. There are different types of advanced image SEO techniques that can improve the outcomes of SEO. This helps search engines better understand our images and index them properly to make the overall content on a web page more discoverable.
Benefits of Image Optimization for SEO
Before we move on to the best practices of image optimization, let’s understand why image optimization is so important.
Images are a key component of web content and make websites more engaging and visually appealing. However, poorly optimized images can slow down your site, which negatively impacts user experience and search engine rankings.
Google prioritizes websites that load fast and provide users with a seamless experience.
Thus, by optimizing your images, you can improve page load speed, reduce bounce rates, and enhance your site’s overall SEO performance.
In addition to this, optimized images can rank in image search results, driving additional traffic to your website.
Below are some of the key benefits of image optimization for SEO.
• Improve website loading speed, reducing bounce rates.
• Enhance user experience, making content more accessible.
• Increase chances of ranking in Google Image Search.
• Improve accessibility for visually impaired users.
Now that you have an idea about why image optimization matters, let’s look at some of the best practices for image optimization for SEO in 2025! And we are covering much more than resizing images and naming them. Because let’s be honest, simply resizing an image and calling it a day is so 2015!
Advanced Image Optimization for SEO in 2025
If you want to leave no stones behind in optimizing your images for SEO in 2025, well, then this guide is for you. Below, we have highlighted and discussed the key steps you should follow to keep your website looking great and ranking even better!
1. Use Next-Gen Image Formats
We all know the usual image formats we have been using like PNG, JPEG, and even WebP. However, it’s 2025, and you need to use the next-gen image formats that everyone is talking about.
We are talking about using modern image formats like WebP, AVIF, and JPEG XL. Bet you didn’t know about them!
These formats offer superior compression and quality compared to traditional formats like JPEG and PNG. They ensure that your images load faster without compromising on visual appeal.
WebP: Developed by Google, WebP provides high-quality images at smaller file sizes. It’s widely supported by modern browsers and is a great choice for most websites.
AVIF: This format offers even better compression than WebP. It is gaining popularity for its ability to deliver stunning visuals, that too with a minimal file size.
JPEG XL: JPEG XL is a newer format, and is designed to replace older JPEGs while also maintaining backward compatibility. It’s ideal for websites that have a mix of old and new images.
Next-Gen Image Formats
Thus, by adopting these next-gen formats, you can significantly improve your site’s performance and SEO.
2. Compress Images Without Losing Quality
One approach to optimizing images for SEO is through image compression. Non-compressed images can drastically increase the load time of your website which will lead to higher bounce rates and lower search rankings.
- Compressing images does not mean that the quality has to be sacrificed. You can use tools like TinyPNG, Squoosh, or ImageOptim to reduce file sizes without noticeable quality loss.
- You can also consider implementing responsive images that automatically adjust their size and resolution based on the user’s device. This ensures that mobile users get smaller, faster-loading images while desktop users enjoy higher resolution.
- There are also tools that offer AI-powered image compression that optimizes your images without sacrificing their quality. These tools help you find the right balance between file size and quality.
- Images also come with unnecessary metadata that adds up to their file sizes. Thus, you can use image editing tools to clean out these metadata before loading them on your website.
In 2025, AI-powered compression tools will become more prevalent, and offer even smarter ways to balance quality and file size.
3. Use Lazy Loading
Lazy loading is a method that defers loading images until they are required.
For example, images that are located underneath the fold (the part of the page not immediately visible) are only loaded when the user scrolls down. This practice enhances page load speeds, particularly on websites that are oversaturated with images.
- Try lazy loading using HTML attributes like loading=”lazy” or JavaScript libraries like Lozad.js
- Ensure that critical images (like logos or hero images) are loaded immediately to maintain a smooth user experience.
29% of websites use built-in image lazy loading
4. Optimize Image Dimensions
Optimizing image dimensions is an important aspect of image optimization that ensures images on your website load efficiently, while also maintaining their intended impact and quality. Below are some pointers to optimize image dimensions properly.
- Resize to Fit Display Make sure your images are the right size for your webpage. Avoid using oversized images, as they can slow down your site and use more data. Try to resize them to fit their display area or slightly larger if necessary.
- Use Responsive Images Use HTML’s srcset and sizes attributes to make images responsive. This way, the browser loads the right image size based on the device’s screen and resolution. This helps to improve speed and performance on all devices.
- Maintain Aspect Ratio Maintain the aspect ratio when resizing images to avoid distortion. This keeps them looking natural and professional, without appearing stretched or squished.
- Use Image Cropping Crop images to highlight the most important part of the visual. This helps to reduce file size and makes the image more relevant by removing unnecessary background or distractions.
- Optimize for Different Devices Optimize images for all devices like desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Try to use different sizes and resolutions to ensure they load quickly and look great on every screen.
5. Optimize Image File Names and Alt Text
Search engines rely on text to understand the content of images. By optimizing file names and alt text, you can make your images more discoverable in search results.
- File Names: Use descriptive, keyword-rich file names instead of generic ones like IMG_1234.jpg. For example, if you are uploading an image of a red running shoe, use red-running-shoes-2025.jpg instead.
- Alt Text: Give a brief yet detailed description of the image while adding relevant terms. Not only does alt text promote accessibility for visually impaired users, but it also greatly benefits SEO.
For example, the image below shows a slice of pastry. The file name of the image can be pastry, while the alt text can be: a slice of pastry on a plate.
6. Implement Structured Data for Images
Structured data, also known as schema markup, helps search engines better understand the content of your images. By adding structured data, you can increase your chances of appearing in rich snippets and image carousels.
Below are some tips to implement structured data for your images.
- Use Schema.org markup to provide details like image captions, licenses, and subject matter.
- For e-commerce websites, implement Product Schema to highlight product images, prices, and availability.
Here is also a link for optimizing structured data in general on your website from Google.
CTR is 82% higher for pages with structured image data.
Source: Google
7. Optimize images for Google Lens
In 2025, users will employ visual search features such as Google Lens when searching for content. With Google Lens, users can look for information using images instead of words which is why it is an effective way of generating website traffic.
20 billion visual searches happen monthly on Google Lens.
Source: Google
Below are some ways to optimize your images for Google Lens.
- Use Clear Images Make sure the images you upload on your website are clear and sharp. Low-resolution and blurry images can hinder recognition. Try to use high-resolution images that clearly showcase the subject. Also, try to avoid any unnecessary clutter in the background.
- Use Relevant Keywords Always keep descriptive file names and detailed alt text for all of your images. Metadata such as this improves Google Lens’s understanding of the content and context of your images. This facilitates the categorization of your images and searching for similar images on the internet.
- Avoid using Over-Edited Images Avoid using excessive filters in your images or any edits that may change the appearance of your original image. Try to maintain a realistic appearance as Google Lens relies on an image’s authenticity to provide accurate results.
- Optimize for Mobile Devices Primarily, Google Lens is mostly used on mobiles meaning your images should be mobile-friendly. Use responsive images that adjust to various screen resolutions. Furthermore, you will need to compress images so they can load quickly on mobile devices.
The technology for visual search is improving, and optimizing your images on different tools like Google Lens will be a remarkable addition on your SEO strategy for 2025.
8. Optimize for Mobile-First Indexing
With mobile-first indexing, Google primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking and indexing. Since mobile users often have slower internet connections, optimizing images for mobile is crucial.
- Use responsive design to ensure images adapt to different screen sizes.
- Serve smaller image files to mobile devices using the srcset attribute in HTML.
- Test your site’s mobile performance using tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
In 2025, mobile optimization will remain a top priority, and image optimization will be a key part of that strategy.
9. Utilize CDNs for Faster Image Delivery
Content Delivery Networks, also known as CDNs, can significantly improve image load times by serving images from servers closer to the user’s location. This is especially important for websites with a global audience.
Using an Image CDN can speed up your website!
Below are some of the benefits of using CDNs for your image optimization strategy.
- Smart Image Optimization CDNs can automatically adjust images to suit the user’s device and internet speed. They resize, compress, and tweak image quality to ensure fast loading without sacrificing how good the images look.
- Faster Delivery with Caching CDNs save copies of your images on their servers (called edge servers). This means users get images quickly, even if your site gets a sudden surge in traffic. It also reduces the strain on your main server.
Better Website Performance Using a CDN for images takes the load off your website’s server, making your site faster and more responsive. Faster load times improve user experience and can boost your SEO rankings, as search engines prefer speedy websites.
- Extra Security Features CDNs provide extra protection for your images, such as guarding against DDoS attacks and ensuring secure delivery. This keeps your images safe while they’re being delivered quickly to users.
As internet speeds and user expectations continue to grow, CDNs will become an essential tool for image optimization.
10. Use Image Sitemaps
An image sitemap helps search engines discover images on your website, which helps to improve visibility in search results.
Image sitemaps enhance SEO by ensuring search engines index your visuals.
Below are steps to create an image sitemap.
- List Your Images: Include the URLs of all the images you want to index.
- Add Metadata: Provide details like captions, titles, and licenses for each image.
- Submit to Search Engines: Upload your image sitemap to Google Search Console or other search engine tools.
An image sitemap is a simple yet powerful tool to enhance your website’s image SEO and drive more traffic.
11. Use Browser Caching for Your Images
Browser caching stores copies of your website’s images on a user’s device after their first visit. When they return, the images load from their local storage instead of being downloaded again. This ultimately helps to speed up page loading times on the user’s end.
Here’s how to implement browser caching for your images.
- Set Cache-Control Headers Use Cache-Control headers in your server settings to tell browsers how long to store images. For example, Cache-Control: max-age=31536000 caches images for one year.
- Use Expires Headers Add Expires headers to set a specific expiration date for cached images. This reduces server requests and speeds up loading for returning visitors.
- Add Versioning to Image URLs Include version numbers or unique strings in image URLs (e.g., image.jpg?v=2.0). When you update an image, change the version to force browsers to load the new version while keeping cached versions for unchanged images.
By enabling browser caching, you ensure quicker access to your images, enhancing performance and SEO.
12. Disable Google Images Inline Linking
To prevent Google from displaying your images directly in its search results, you can opt out of inline linking. This ensures users visit your website to view the full image, driving traffic to your site instead of allowing Google to host it.
To do this, consider following the tips mentioned below..
- Add the max-image-preview:large meta tag to your site’s HTML header.
- Use the robots.txt file to block specific image directories if needed.
By opting out, you maintain control over how your images are accessed and ensure your site gets the traffic it deserves.
Final Thoughts
Whew! Who knew SEO for images could be another chapter?
And if you thought advanced image optimization was optional, you are wrong. It’s a necessity for SEO success in 2025.
In addition to this, advanced image optimization is more than just reducing file sizes—it’s about improving speed, accessibility, and SEO rankings.
Thus, by following these strategies, you can ensure that images on your website contribute to a better user experience and improved search performance.
Is your website struggling with slow load times or poor search rankings?
At Nico Digital, we specialize in advanced image optimization to help your site load faster, rank higher, and deliver an exceptional user experience!
Let us handle the technical details while you focus on growing your business.
So, ready to transform your website’s performance?
Contact Nico Digital today and let’s optimize your images for success!
