Podcast Summary
Main Topic: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tips for Photographers
In this episode, Meredith and her husband provide practical SEO advice for website owners, particularly photographers. They discuss three key strategies for improving website performance and search engine ranking: the power of links, the importance of image optimization, and the misconception about buying exact match domains.
Key Details and How They Help Website Owners:
The Power of Links: Meredith’s husband explains how linking impacts SEO, using the example of a historical Google Bomb where links to George Bush's biography page used the anchor text "miserable failure," causing it to rank for that phrase. This example illustrates the significance of anchor text in influencing search engine rankings, demonstrating that it's not always the content on the page that matters most, but how other sites link to it.
Image Optimization: Three critical aspects of optimizing images for better SEO were discussed:
Image Size: Compress images using the “Save for Web” feature in Photoshop to reduce loading times. This not only improves user experience by speeding up page load times but also favors SEO, as search engines prioritize faster websites.
Alt Tags: Alt tags should be used to accurately describe the content of the images, aiding in accessibility and providing context for search engines. Descriptions should be concise, avoiding keyword stuffing but incorporating relevant keywords naturally.
File Naming: Proper file naming conventions were recommended, such as using hyphens instead of underscores or spaces, and avoiding special characters. Meaningful names that relate to the content of the image can help improve search visibility, especially on platforms like Squarespace that use filenames for alt text by default.
Domain Names: They debunked the myth that buying exact match domains (EMDs) like "brooklyneventphotographer.com" significantly boosts SEO. While this tactic was effective in the past, Google’s algorithm updates have diminished its impact. Investing in multiple domain names for the sake of SEO is now largely unnecessary and ineffective.
Resources
Tips for optimizing images for the web
Best practices for creating SEO-friendly alt tags and filenames
Information on the reduced importance of exact match domains in modern SEO strategies
Conclusion: By understanding the role of links, optimizing images, and focusing on content quality rather than outdated domain strategies, photographers and other website owners can effectively improve their search engine rankings and online visibility.
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