Optimize media for better SEO

Images, videos, and other multimedia elements don’t just make your content more engaging—they’re also important for SEO. Search engines value well-optimized media because it improves user experience and accessibility.

What you’ll learn:

• How to optimize images for search engines.
• Best practices for video optimization.
• Techniques to improve page load speed with proper media files.
• How to make your media accessible to all users.

Adding images to your content improves engagement and SEO, but only when properly optimized:

Search engines favor content with visual elements that enhance the text. When adding images:

• Ensure images relate to your content—random images won’t help your SEO.
• Place images near the relevant text they support.
• Include original photos you took, if relevant.

Before uploading an image to your site, rename the image file to describe what they show:

1. Before uploading, right-click your image file and select “Rename”.
2. Create a descriptive name using 2-4 words separated by hyphens.
3. Include a relevant keyword if it naturally describes the image.

Bad example: “DSC4536.jpg”

Good example: “chocolate-chip-cookie.jpg”

Keep names short but descriptive, as this helps search engines understand what the image contains.

Here are tutorials for renaming a file based on your computer’s operating system: Windows↗︎ | Mac↗︎

Large images slow down your page, harming both user experience and SEO.

• Use JPG/JPEG for most photos (the best balance of quality and file size).
• Aim for files under 1 MB.
• Resize large images before uploading.

Learn how to optimize your media.

Alt text is essential for both SEO and accessibility:

• Describe what’s in the image clearly.
• Include your target keyword when it makes sense contextually.
• Vary descriptions across multiple images instead of repeating the same text.

Example: For a cookie recipe, use varied alt text like “chocolate chip cookie dough in mixer” and “baked chocolate chip cookies cooling on rack.”

Learn how to add alt text to images.

When appropriate, include captions that:

• Provide context about the image.
• Add 1-2 sentences of description.
• Include keywords naturally (don’t force them).

Learn how to add a caption to images.

Videos can significantly boost engagement, but require their own optimization:

Thumbnails appear in search results and greatly influence click rates:

• Make them relevant to the video content.
• Ensure they’re visually compelling.
• Use high-quality images that represent the video accurately.

Learn how to set a video thumbnail.

Just like with images, name your video files descriptively before uploading.

Here are tutorials for renaming a file based on your computer’s operating system: Windows↗︎ | Mac↗︎

Embedding the same video on multiple pages creates competition between your own pages.

1. Choose a single, most relevant page to host each video.
2. For other pages, link to the primary video page instead of embedding again.
3. If you must embed on multiple pages, use canonical tags (available in SEO plugins).

Transcripts make your content:

• More accessible to all users.
• Easier for search engines to understand and index.
• More likely to appear for relevant searches.

Learn how to add video captions.

To create video transcripts:

1. Create a transcript of your video content.
2. On WordPress.com, add a Details block after your video.
3. Label it “Video Transcript” and paste the text inside.

Review the content you selected earlier and improve its media elements:

1. Check that all images have descriptive file names.
2. Add or improve alt text for all images.
3. Compress any large image files.
4. Consider adding captions where appropriate.
5. If you have videos, ensure they have proper thumbnails and transcripts.

By taking these steps, you’ll improve your SEO and create a better experience for all your visitors, including those using assistive technologies.