Malphurs

When it comes to managing your media in WordPress, the admin panel has a form that can – and should be – utilized to improve your SEO optimization. It is important to keep in mind some good practices to take into account when adding media to a WordPress site. The following details these practices, ones which Malphurs Interactive has used to success when adding images to a WordPress site.

Let’s begin with the following screenshot of the media window within WordPress admin, focusing on the areas outlined.

An example of the different options outlined in red

Note that you can find this within the WordPress admin by navigating to "Media" in the left had column of the admin window. Next click the "Add New" button at the top of the page (just to the left of the "Media Library" heading)

Step 1

When adding an image it is a good idea to name the file appropriately in order to describe what the photo is (i.e. – wordpress_media1.jpg). Doing so allows for better search engine results because this value is taken into account when generating the results. Also, it allows anyone who may download the image to readily locate it on their computer, which increases the positive experience by a visitor while on the site.

Step 2

Next in order is to add an appropriate “title text” to the image (the image attribute that shows up when as user rolls over an image). You can use the title to be more descriptive of what the image and allow for better search engine results and more accessibility to the impaired.

Step 3

Following the title would be to add “alt text” to images that are being imported into WordPress. Alt text is added to an image in order for the text to be displayed in case the image cannot load, is being viewed in a text only browser, or is needed for accessibility purposes. In addition, many search engines also read this information and factor it into your SEO relevancy. Most importantly, however, could be that this needs to be implemented by whomever the site is being turned over to. Ideally the site is going to end up being managed by a client that is not well versed in best practices for images on the web. So instilling the importance of filling out these fields is not only important, but necessary.

Step 4

The third field is for adding a “caption” to your image. This is typically a short piece of text that is displayed under the image describing what is shown. This may not always be necessary, but should be considered a best practice when optimizing your site for search engines.

Step 5

The fourth field is titled “Description” and allows you to fill out a “word picture” describing the image. This is very useful for the visually impaired, in order that they have enhanced accessibility to your site’s content. This is something that is commonly overlooked, yet quite important!

Moving Forward

Sacrificing some time up front to better manage your images can prove beneficial in the long run. It not only allows for optimal search engine results and an enhanced user experience, but improves your WordPress site’s effectiveness in its ability to increase traffic to your site. Most importantly, when a visitor has a better user experience when visiting your site, they are more likely to return and recommend the site to someone else.