In this article, we’re going to explain two ways of getting your photos to appear in Google searches, i.e. how to index images. The first approach is for those who already have a personal or business website, while the second is for those who don’t yet have a website.
How to index images
Indexing images in Google or another search engine (Bing, Yahoo!, Baidu, etc…) is the process of making your images searchable in Google Images. This means that when someone searches for a specific image, your images can appear in the search results (SERPs).
What is image indexing?
Google’s robot, called Googlebot, is software that crawls and indexes web pages. It browses links and reads the content of websites to store information in a database, called an index. During the indexing process, Googlebot analyzes the text, images, videos and other elements, determining the relevance of the pages for specific searches. The better structured and optimized the site (SEO), the more likely it is to be well indexed and appear in Google search results.
Why index your images?
- Increases visibility: More people will find your images, increasing the reach of your content.
- Drive traffic to your site: If the images are on your site, users who click on them will be directed to your pages.
- Improves SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Well-optimized images can help improve the overall positioning of your site in Google’s search results.
How do you index your images on Google?
- Publish your images on a website: Google mainly tracks images that are hosted on websites.
- Use descriptive file names: Use relevant keywords in the file name of your image. For example, instead of “IMG00083.jpg”, use “my-happy-dog.jpg”.
- Optimize the ALT attribute: The ALT attribute is an alternative description of the image, used by screen readers and also by Google to understand the content of the image. Use relevant and descriptive keywords in this attribute.
- Create an image sitemap: An image sitemap is an XML file that lists all the images on your site, making it easier for Google’s robots to work with.
- Check indexing: Use Google’s image search tool to check whether your images are being indexed.
Additional tips:
- Image quality: High quality images of the right size load faster and provide a better user experience.
- Image format: The most common formats supported by Google are JPEG, PNG and GIF.
- Original content: Avoid using copyrighted images. Create original content or use images with free licenses.
- Page content: Text around the image also helps Google understand the context of the image.
- Keep your site up to date: Google indexes sites regularly, so update your site frequently with new images and content.
Examples of tools for creating image sitemaps:
- Yoast SEO: Plugin for WordPress that automatically generates image sitemaps.
- XML-Sitemaps.com: Free online tool for creating image sitemaps.
- Google Search Console: Allows you to check the indexing of your images and identify possible problems.
Remember: Indexing images can take some time. If you follow the tips above, your images will have a better chance of appearing in Google’s search results.
Indexing images on Google without a website
To index images on Google without using a website, the options are more limited, since Google mainly indexes content from websites. However, there are some strategies you can consider to make your images visible on Google without relying on your own website:
Image sharing platforms
Publishing your images on platforms that Google indexes regularly can be a good alternative. These platforms are crawled by search engines and can help get your images on Google.
- Google Photos: Although Google Photos is primarily a private storage platform, images you share publicly can be indexed.
- Flickr: Flickr allows you to share images publicly, and published photos can be indexed by Google.
- 500px: This is a popular platform for photographers, and images uploaded with the right tags can appear in Google results.
- Pinterest: Uploading your images to Pinterest and optimizing them with the right descriptions, titles and tags can increase the likelihood of them being indexed by Google Images.
Social media
Posting images on public social media platforms can also result in images being indexed by Google.
- Instagram: Although not all images are indexed, some public photos on high-profile accounts may appear in Google results.
- Facebook: Public profiles or Facebook pages with publicly shared images may have some of their photos indexed.
- Twitter/X: As X (formerly Twitter) is a public platform, images shared in public tweets may be indexed.
Google My Business
If you have a business, you can upload images directly to your Google My Business listing. These images, including logos, company photos or products, can be indexed and appear in search results related to your business.
E-commerce platforms or marketplaces
Etsy, eBay, Amazon: If you sell physical products, publishing images on these platforms can result in them being indexed by Google, as these platforms are often crawled by search engines.
Use image storage services such as Google Drive
Google Drive allows you to create public links to your images, but they are not automatically indexed by Google. However, you can share the links publicly on blogs, forums or social networks, which could result in those images being indexed indirectly.
Posting images on forums and blogs
Publishing images in public forums such as Reddit or on sites such as Medium (for blogs) can help get your images indexed. Google crawls many forums and blog platforms.
Google Maps (Street View or Places)
If your images are related to a physical location, you can publish them on Google Maps via Street View or by associating them with places. These images can then be indexed in searches related to those locations.
By following these strategies, you can increase the likelihood of your images being found and indexed in Google search results, even without your own website.
Why is it difficult to index images without a website?
- Lack of context: Google needs context to understand what images represent. On a website, this context is provided by the text around the images.
- Less authority: Websites generally have more authority than social media profiles or image hosting accounts, which influences search rankings.
- Complex algorithms: Google’s algorithm is constantly updated, and the rules for indexing images can change.
Although it is possible to index images without a website, the effectiveness of this method is limited. If you want to have greater control over the indexing of your images and optimize your SEO, creating a website is the best option.
