Image SEO: The Ultimate Step-by-Step-Guide for Ranking in Google Images

Peter • September 14, 2021

 There is no doubt that keywords and Meta descriptions play a vital role in SEO and ranking, but surprisingly, images are also pivotal in SEO optimisation. Most people prefer to click the image tab of Google rather than read the content. According to industry reports, ï»¿21% of the total search volume is driven by image-specific searches.

Not just pictures, but Google also pays attention to the quality and content of the image during its ranking. It also shows that creating original, optimised website images will bring more and more traffic to your web page.

Here we have brought you an ultimate step-by-step guide for ranking images in Google. This will help you rank at the top not just on Google but on other search engines as well.

If you are looking forward to ranking your images in Google search results, then it’s best practice to follow these steps:

After choosing a project or topic for your picture, start researching online and reviewing the related images. Invest your time in researching specific keywords for images and content keywords. You can do this in three simple steps:-

Pro Tip: Copy the example images you need into a file for future reference.

Needless to say, high-quality images can go a long way in SEO ranking. Whereas, Stock photography can have a negative effect on SEO due to the E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, and Trust) algorithm. To avoid this, schedule a photoshoot for your content. 

Make a list of pictures required for your content. Try to take these pictures by yourself and utilise them in your content. For this, you need a good-quality camera or a phone with good picture quality, and include some pictures of your surroundings. 

You need to follow the following steps for optimisation of your SEO material:


  • Resize the images to match the display area of the website. If you resize the picture, it will also display the picture according to how you’d like it to be displayed.
  • Update your file name to include target keywords and add relevant pictures. Use words like ‘at’ or ‘end’ to separate the files from each other. 
  • Use an image compression tool to compress the image.
  • Create alt-text for your images. Cover your description within 125 characters. 
  • Add captions to your image with hashtags, titles, and incorporate LSI keywords (latent semantic indexing keywords are known as phrases that are highly correlated with your target topic)


Optimisation of page

After you optimise a perfect picture, design a strong page where your pictures can live on. Do not forget to add target keywords with your picture to the page title or URL string. For better ranking, keep your URL short and accurate. 

Including LSI keywords around the images in the content is also an excellent way to optimise your images. Include these keywords in the image caption also so that they both correlate together. 

 These are the best steps to boost your image SEO; however, even after applying all these steps, if you are still struggling to increase your ranking, you should seek the help of experts. Kangaroo UK is a Leicester-based SEO Agency, and our experts can help you optimise your images. 







A tall stack of silver coins stands next to a single gold coin on top of a blurry financial chart.
By Abhilav March 27, 2026
See how Kangaroo UK’s Amazon team delivered up to 533% sales growth for clients during Prime Big Deal Days 2025. Real results, real strategies, from a UK Amazon management agency.
Example of Amazon Brand Story - Tranquel Plants
By Abhilav March 27, 2026
An Amazon Brand Story lets you share your brand’s values and product range on every listing. Learn how it works, why it increases conversions, and how to set one up.
A person sits on a couch using a laptop displaying colorful, glowing data visualizations and charts on the screen.
By Peter Jones March 27, 2026
65% of Google searches end without a click. Learn how AEO helps your content get cited by ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews. Free downloadable guide included.
By Sharon Keevins January 30, 2026
KangarooUK partners with Marcell Media! Discover how this collaboration brings you more expertise and smart website solutions. Call 01530 560177.
Show More