Great Images For Your Website – updated

In 2016, I wrote an article about images for your website. How/where to find images, how to title images to optimize for Google (SEO-search engine optimization), and how to size your images. You can find that article here.

Today, I wondered if I utilized AI and asked the questions I answered back then would there be any differences?

Question for AI:

The Best Way To Find Images For a Website

AI Answer:

1. Stock photo websites: There are numerous stock photo websites that offer a wide range of high-quality images for various purposes. Some popular options include Shutterstock, Getty Images, Adobe Stock, and Unsplash. These platforms typically provide a selection of both free and paid images, with different licensing options depending on your needs.
2. Creative Commons: Creative Commons licenses allow creators to share their work with certain permissions granted to others. Websites like Flickr, Pixabay, and Wikimedia Commons offer a vast collection of Creative Commons-licensed images that can be used for free, with proper attribution in some cases. Always check the specific licensing terms for each image you intend to use.
3. Google Image Search: You can use Google Image Search to find images, but be cautious about copyright and licensing. Use the “Tools” feature to filter the results by usage rights and select options such as “Labeled for reuse” or “Creative Commons licenses” to find images that can be legally used.
4. Company websites and blogs: Some companies and bloggers provide free or low-cost images for use on websites. They may require attribution or have specific usage guidelines, so be sure to review and adhere to their terms.
5. Hire a photographer or graphic designer: If you have specific image needs or want custom visuals for your website, you can consider hiring a professional photographer or graphic designer to create unique images that align with your brand and requirements.

When looking for images to use on a website, it’s important to consider copyright laws and licensing requirements. Here are some recommended methods for finding images:

Remember to always read and understand the licensing terms associated with the images you find, even if they are free to use. Properly attribute and credit the images as required by the license terms to respect the rights of the creators.

If you’re unsure about the licensing or usage terms of an image, it’s recommended to consult with a legal professional to ensure compliance with copyright laws and to protect yourself from any potential legal issues.

Question for AI:

How To Rename Images So Google Can Read Them for Search Engine Optimization

AI Answer:

To optimize images for search engine optimization (SEO) and make them more accessible for Google and other search engines, you can follow these guidelines for renaming your image files:

1. Use descriptive and relevant filenames: Rename your image files using descriptive and meaningful keywords that accurately describe the content of the image. Avoid generic filenames like “image1.jpg” or random strings of characters. Instead, use specific terms that reflect the subject matter or key elements of the image.
2. Include relevant keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords that align with the content of the image and are also related to the overall topic of your webpage. This can help search engines understand the context and relevance of the image in relation to the webpage’s content.
3. Use hyphens to separate words: When naming your image files, use hyphens (“-“) to separate individual words within the filename. This helps search engines recognize separate words and improves the readability of the file name.
4. Avoid special characters and excessive length: Keep your image filenames simple and avoid using special characters, symbols, or excessive length. Stick to alphanumeric characters, hyphens, and underscores.
5. Be mindful of file format: Ensure that your images are saved in a search engine-friendly file format, such as JPEG, PNG, or GIF. These formats are widely supported and can be easily recognized and indexed by search engines.

Remember that while optimizing your image filenames can contribute to overall SEO efforts, it is just one aspect of image optimization. It’s also important to consider other factors such as image size, alt text, surrounding content, and page load speed to maximize the impact of your images on search engine rankings and user experience.

Additionally, optimizing images for search engines should not compromise the user experience. Prioritize using descriptive filenames that accurately represent the image content rather than solely focusing on SEO.

Question for AI:

How To Size Images For WordPress Websites

AI Answer:

When adding images to your WordPress website, it’s important to optimize their size to ensure fast page loading times and a good user experience. Here’s how you can size your images for a WordPress website:

1. Determine the required image dimensions: Assess the specific areas on your website where the images will be displayed, such as headers, featured images, or content sections. Check the theme documentation or the specific requirements for those areas to determine the recommended image dimensions.
2. Use image editing software: Before uploading images to WordPress, use image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or online tools like Pixlr or Canva to resize your images. Open the image in the editing software and adjust the dimensions based on the required size. Maintain the aspect ratio to avoid distorting the image.
3. Compress the images: Image compression reduces the file size of the image without significantly impacting the visual quality. You can use image optimization tools like Adobe Photoshop’s “Save for Web” feature, online tools like TinyPNG or Optimizilla, or WordPress plugins like Smush or Imagify to compress your images. Aim for a balance between file size reduction and maintaining acceptable image quality.
4. Upload the optimized images to WordPress: Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the media library by clicking on “Media” and then “Add New.” Select the resized and compressed image files from your computer and upload them to your media library.
5. Insert the images into your content: When creating or editing a page or post, use the “Add Media” button to insert the images into your content. WordPress automatically generates different image sizes (thumbnail, medium, large) based on your theme settings, so you can select the appropriate size or let WordPress handle it automatically.
6. Test and optimize: After uploading and inserting the images, preview your website and ensure that the images are displaying correctly and loading quickly. If you notice any issues, you may need to further optimize or resize the images.

By resizing and optimizing your images before uploading them to WordPress, you can help improve page loading times and create a more efficient and visually appealing website. Remember to regularly check the performance of your website using tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to identify any image-related optimization opportunities.

Conclusion

Looks like all has stayed the same but love the extra “Remember to check performance with PageSpeed Insights….” .

However, I do miss the actual links (like Tiny.PNG) to go directly to places and images for reference.

But all in all, very solid information. Now what? Where and how far will AI go? Very cool and a bit scary too.