By Harper Harmon
Videos and images are a large part of website content, especially in terms of attracting and keeping clients. When considering the bottom line of a company, the conversion rate makes a higher impact than the visitation rate. As a result, the question remains: do videos and images affect a website’s SEO performance?
The short answer is “Yes, absolutely.”
To increase your traffic, you must stand out among the thousands of websites calling to your potential market.
Pictures
Images are a tricky part of your performance. Any search engine optimization expert will tell you there are key points to increasing the drive to your site. After all, visuals are an excellent way to retain interest in content. However, you’ll want to prepare these images so they’re search engine optimized.
Optimizing Images
File Name – Surprisingly enough, the file name does matter in SEO. If your file has an arbitrary name, it becomes meaningless to a search engine. The image should contain keywords that describe the image, such as a photograph featuring a loan officer looking at a checklist, “loan-officer-checklist”.
Image Scaling – In order to reduce load times for visitors, especially those on mobile devices, images need appropriate scale ranges. A user who must load a 1920 desktop image into a 480 screen space will suffer speed loss.
File Size Reduction – When you scale down an image, you must also reduce the size of the file to its lowest, acceptable size. When considering retina screens, you’ll want 100% quality with a reduced file size. This often occurs by removing the EXIF data and compressing the file.
Responsive Images – In order to create a user-friendly experience, images need responsive behavior. Bounce rates will drastically increase with a poor user experience.
Captions – A user will most likely skim your page before they fully engage. Captions, when used properly, will help them identify content and immerse them into the content.
Alt and Title Tags – Not only do search engines utilize the alt tag to identify the significance to content, users read the title tag when an image fails to display or while using a screen reader. Without them, the images have little relevance to search engines and users.
Images and Profit Impacts
The bottom line for websites comes down to the profit line. Are you over, under, or breaking even? This is why conversion rate is imperative to the overall yield: the fewer users browsing and buying, the lower the gain.
Users enjoy the aesthetics of a site. When a site exhibits visual appeal, visitors spend more time browsing. As long as the site grabs and holds their attention the likelihood for spending increases. In short, images support the desire for appeal:
- Users enjoy aesthetics, thus browse longer
- Images grab attention and keeps attention
- An impressed state of mind increases buyer prospects
However, just utilizing images doesn’t make this possible. It isn’t a case of “display it and they will come”, but rather a case of “display it with relevant consideration and they will stay”. A bounce rate will increase with a lower trust level between the user and the site.
For instance, placement of an image matters. There’s a natural viewing process for users and that order occurs as image, headline, and then copy. You don’t want to break the focus between the headline and the copy, nor do you want to display images that hold no appeal or don’t demonstrate a visual example of your content.
Indeed, improperly utilized images damage profits:
- A loss of trust leads to a loss of loyalty
- Bounce rates increase
- Higher bounce rates lead to losses in conversion rates
- Lower conversion rates decrease long-term profits
Ideally, you want images that help with the visual aspect of the actual content, assist (or don’t interrupt) the flow of concentration, and engage the user’s’ interest.
Images work well when they follow a few simple practices:
- Adhere to sequenced, appropriate placement
- Employ well-written, unobtrusive captions
- Leave the left margin intact (or right margin for right-to-left readers)
- Develop appeal and demonstrate visual content
Videos
Videos, like images, most certainly make the difference in the experience a user has with a site and whether your company gains a repeat consumer.
Optimizing Videos
Value in the Video – When optimizing videos, an important aspect is the quality and value. You want to serve as an authoritative voice in your field and producing videos that show your knowledge, offer your users quality content, and provide valuable content will build a trust between you, as well as raise conversion rates.
Video Hosting – You’ll want to store your videos on your own site. While it may seem like a good idea to utilize a platform like YouTube, for some it is ideal, but for those looking to increase traffic to their website you don’t want said traffic directed to another site.
Relevant Metadata – Search engines do index video via the thumbnail, title, and description. The purpose of metadata is to offer additional details about the title, description, thumbnail, file name, and length. Like an image, your file name will avoid arbitrary naming.
Reliable Thumbnails – Anyone who has ever used a video platform has noticed thumbnails don’t always match video content. While this can bring in views, the point in optimizing is bringing in views and building a relationship with the viewers. Thumbnails define a video’s content, help draw in viewers, and establish that first tier of trust. Bounce rates drastically increase when thumbnails mislead potential viewers.
Keyword Optimization – When creating the title and description, keyword consideration weighs heavily. You want your keywords to flow seamlessly while still being descriptive and accurate.
Shareable Content – Video needs a shareable aspect to it. Content that draws in users plays an important role, but video that also inspires the user to share is invaluable. Shareable content is the internet’s word-of-mouth, an outlet to never discount or underestimate.
Video Transcript – Writing out a transcript of your video allows a search engine to better index the content and allows for a higher volume of, properly placed, keywords. It also allows for comfort for some users as they may like an overview of all the video contains.
Video Sitemap – A video sitemap works similar to a website sitemap. Instead of defining the different pages and the levels associated with them, a video sitemap expands on the details of the video. It’s another tool to optimize your video for search engines and increasing ranking.
Videos and Profit Impacts
Video is an excellent way to attract new clients. After all, the more information you can provide to satiate curious consumers, the higher your conversation rate. If you’re able to produce proper, valuable content, video will attract the ideal client.
Aside from enabling a social media presence, thus reaching a wider audience, video offers a legitimate reason to email clients. Social media and email provides engagement for users, giving them a reason to return repeatedly. In return, purchases increase and profits rise.
While one-off buyers can end up spending more in a single purchase window then repeat consumers, those who have a history with a company will spend more in the long run. Which is better: a single purchase of $600 dollars or eight purchases for $125? Importantly, longtime consumers will increase their spending rate the closer they grow to a company. Instead of spreading their business over multiple sources, they begin to shop more frequently at the “safer bet”. So the more you engage current consumers, the longer their lifetime with the company grows.
As a result, the longer lifetime a consumer has, the stronger their relationship with a company. Brands build loyalty because the loyalty generates higher profits. In addition, those with a stronger bond to a company are more likely to share their attraction with others.
Finally, while lifelong consumers increase profits so too do they expand the opportunity to draw new consumers. After all, the larger the profit base, the more a company can spend marketing to wider audiences.
Increase your Profits
Content marketing includes a number of requirements, including video and images. Yes, video and pictures do make an impact on website performance. Without legitimate, ideal clients, a company becomes a failing hobby. If a poorly produced video haunts your site while haphazard images muddle content, a website suffers trust and profit damage. If these exist with care and consideration, profits will rise.
That’s why it’s important to consider a search engine optimization expert in your content marketing plan. Someone who knows video and images matter and how to execute them throughout the website is imperative to increasing profits. Take your next step and contact us to learn the best methods for your company.
