Should I name my images purposefully?

[dreamlife789]

Right now, my image names are just strings of random letters and numbers. Should I name them according to the site's main keyword and then number them to distinguish them? Does image naming really matter?

[HTMLBasicTutor]

From Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide (opens PDF) page 19:

Use brief, but descriptive filenames and alt text
Like many of the other parts of the page targeted for optimization, filenames and alt text (for ASCII languages) are best when they're short, but descriptive.

Avoid
-using generic filenames like "image1.jpg", "pic.gif", "1.jpg" when possible—some sites with thousands of images might consider automating the naming of images
-writing extremely lengthy filenames
-stuffing keywords into alt text or copying and pasting entire sentences

[icecube_media]

HI
yes if name and image is relevant to the content and keyword then it provide much more benefit. to the website.

[bogs]

you should name it according the description of the image.. a few text that best describe the image..

[patrick0001]

Majority webmaster only focus to web search, but they forget that million of designers relied on images search.

it is very important to have descriptive file names and alt text, search engine relied it response relevant query.

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Originally Posted by patrick0001

Majority webmaster only focus to web search, but they forget that million of designers relied on images search.

That's not exactly a great reason to name your images with a useful name. You condone people using image search to "borrow" (w/o permission) images they find in image search? Heard of Cease and Desist? Don't think your clients would be too happy getting one of those.

[patrick0001]

Originally Posted by HTMLBasicTutor

That's not exactly a great reason to name your images with a useful name. You condone people using image search to "borrow" (w/o permission) images they find in image search? Heard of Cease and Desist? Don't think your clients would be too happy getting one of those.

Agree that, there are lot of users who borrow images without permission^_^. Above strategic is more workable to those who create original design.

[tessori]

hi.
Image must be relevant to your site to get the more benefit.

[barickiza]

I currently get about 80 percent of visits per month from Google images, that is about 15000.

Always include the keywords that you are targeting in the image title.

[searchbliss]

Just name it what it is. chicken.jpg, house.gif, etc. This helps you as well as search engines.

[Donnie]

Absolutely, not only does this influence the search engine it makes everything easier to find.

[ArwenTaylor]

Yes, you should describe the images using keywords or names. Although there is a risk that people will use your images without permission, people do use Google images and you can get traffic from it by using relevant keywords.

[marknel]

Add descriptive names to your image and create a folder (name with keyword) to organize your images on your website. This will help in your rankings.

[SagarRox]

image must be relevant to your post and not to your keyword! if users see that the image result is not what they are looking for - they will never come back to your site.

so name images according to the post your are going to use it in, upload it to your server (instead of using image hosts), use alt and title tags, define the height and width.

[joejoe]

Yes! It may not make a huge difference but for the time it takes it's definitely worth it IMO.

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by ArwenTaylor

Yes, you should describe the images using keywords or names. Although there is a risk that people will use your images without permission, people do use Google images and you can get traffic from it by using relevant keywords.

Yes people may try to steel your images, keep in mind you can watermark the picture with your logo. This helps with branding as well.

[Dirky47]

Alt tags are important in images to add credentials in KW's ranking.

[bob770]

STOP naming your images as xyz or 123 image, Properly name your image as according to the type and also don't try to forget alt text, its really very much helpful in Image Optimization. Image Optimization also increase your site's traffic.

[annushka]

Use keywords when You name Your website images

[snakeair]

Originally Posted by annushka

Use keywords when You name Your website images

This has been mentioned already. Let's try not to repeat stuff.

Originally Posted by HTMLBasicTutor

From Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide (opens PDF) page 19:

Originally Posted by barickiza

I currently get about 80 percent of visits per month from Google images, that is about 15000.

Always include the keywords that you are targeting in the image title.

Originally Posted by ArwenTaylor

Yes, you should describe the images using keywords or names. Although there is a risk that people will use your images without permission, people do use Google images and you can get traffic from it by using relevant keywords.