Image and Video SEO Optimisation

How To Boost Your Product Visibility in Search Results

Are you wondering how to make your products easier to find online? Do you want your images and videos to show up when people search on Google, YouTube, Pinterest, or even ask voice assistants for recommendations? If you answer any of the questions above with yes, you need product and video SEO optimisation - your key to helping search engines understand and display your content to the right audience.

With more people using visual search and voice commands, well-optimised media can make your products appear in results that matter most. Based on our knowledge and long-term experience, in this article, we share practical strategies to make your images and videos discoverable, engaging, and conversion-friendly, helping your content rank higher in both standard search and AI-powered platforms.

Explore This Article:

1. What is SEO for Images and Videos?

2. How Keyword Research Differs for Video and Images

3. Tools and Strategies for Visual Keyword Research

4. Key Components of Image and Video SEO Optimisation Strategy.

5. Best Practices for Both Images and Videos

   Conclusion

   FAQs

1. What is SEO Optimisation for Images and Videos?

SEO for images and videos is the process of optimising visual content so that it can be understood, indexed, and ranked by search engines. While traditional text SEO focuses on written content, visual SEO uses specialised strategies to ensure that images and videos contribute to your website’s visibility.

Why? The answer is simple: search engines cannot “see” images or videos the way humans do. They rely on signals such as:

• File names

• Alt text

• Captions

• Page context

• Video titles, descriptions, transcripts, tags, and structured data

  
  

Without optimisation, your visuals may exist on your website but remain invisible in search results. Proper SEO ensures your images and videos support rankings, attract clicks, and drive traffic.

2. How Keyword Research Differs for Video and Images.

Keyword research for images and videos requires a different approach than text-based content. People search differently depending on whether they want a visual reference or a tutorial video. Understanding this distinction ensures your media reaches the right audience.

Search Intent and Phrasing

Search intent varies depending on whether someone is looking for an image or a video.

Video searches typically focus on action-oriented content. Users often want to learn, observe, or follow a process. This includes tutorials, product demonstrations, reviews, unboxings, and comparison videos. People are actively seeking guidance or experience rather than just information.

Image searches are more visual and passive. Users often look for inspiration, visual references, or product appearance. Image searches may include fashion looks, design ideas, product details, or step-by-step visuals.

For example:

• Video: “how to style a red leather handbag” → Intent: tutorial/demonstration

• Image: “red leather handbag front view” → Intent: visual reference/product detail

Recognising the underlying intent allows you to match keywords to the type of content your audience is actively searching for. Optimising for intent improves both discoverability and engagement.

Platforms

Different platforms shape the keywords users use:

• YouTube

  People often search using natural, conversational queries, such as “how to use…” or “review of…”. YouTube functions as a video search engine, so long-tail, question-style keywords perform well.

• Pinterest

  Users search for inspiration or ideas. Keywords tend to be descriptive and visual, often including product attributes like “rustic wooden coffee table” or “summer outfit ideas 2025”.

• Google Images

  Users often use concise, descriptive terms, including colour, shape, perspective, or style, e.g., “red leather handbag side view”.

Tailoring your keyword research to the platform ensures your visual content is optimised for the right audience and search intent.

3. Tools and Strategies for Visual Keyword Research.

Here are actionable strategies and tools to help you find the right keywords for images and videos:

Google Images Search Suggestions

Typing a keyword into Google Images often shows related searches at the bottom of the results page. These suggestions provide insight into what users are actively seeking, helping you select descriptive keywords for your images.

For example, if you type “red leather handbag”, Google may suggest “red leather handbag front view” or “red leather handbag style ideas”. Including these phrases in your file names, alt text, and captions can improve visibility.

YouTube Autocomplete and Trending Videos

YouTube functions as its own search engine. Using the autocomplete feature shows what people commonly search for in video form, while trending videos highlight popular topics.

By analysing these trends, you can adapt your video titles, descriptions, and tags to match what users are actively looking for. This strategy helps your videos appear in search results and suggested content feeds.

Pinterest Trends and Categories

Pinterest is a hub for visual inspiration. Exploring trending pins, categories, and keywords gives you ideas for keywords that describe visual content effectively.

This strategy is particularly useful for lifestyle, fashion, home decor, and creative products where users are looking for ideas or visual inspiration.

Competitor Visual Analysis

Observing top-ranking images and videos in your niche reveals patterns in titles, alt text, captions, thumbnails, and tags. By understanding which keywords competitors are using successfully, you can refine your own strategies to target gaps or underserved searches.

4. Key Components of Image and Video SEO Optimisation Strategy.

Image SEO

Optimising images involves multiple elements that help search engines and users understand your content:

• File names

  Use descriptive, keyword-rich names that reflect the content of the image. Include keywords in file names, e.g., red-leather-handbag-front-view.jpg

  
  

• Alt text

  Provide concise, descriptive text for accessibility and indexing. Include your target keywords naturally, e.g., “Red leather handbag showing front view and strap detail.”

  
  

• Captions

  Use captions to provide context and reinforce relevance for users and search engines.

  
  

• File size and format

  Optimise images for fast loading times without sacrificing quality. Use formats like JPEG, PNG, or WebP for better performance.

  
  

• Structured data

  Marking up images with schema to enhance the likelihood of appearing in rich search results.

Video SEO

Video SEO focuses on optimising the following aspects:

• Video titles

  Use clear, keyword-rich titles summarising content, e.g., “How to Care for Leather Handbags at Home”.

• Descriptions

  Include detailed summaries with relevant keywords and links. Long-tail, conversational phrases help search engines understand the content.

• Transcripts and captions

  Transcripts improve accessibility and allow search engines to index spoken content, boosting discoverability.

• Thumbnails

  Custom thumbnails attract clicks and engagement. Combine with descriptive titles and captions to improve results.

• Structured data

  Implement the VideoObject schema with details such as duration, description, and upload date to improve the chances of rich results.

5. Best Practices for Both Image and Video SEO Optimisation.

Optimise for Mobile and Voice Search

Ensure your images and videos display correctly on all devices. Responsive sizes and scalable players are essential. Clear alt text and captions also help voice assistants provide accurate answers.

Consistency and Branding

Maintain a consistent visual style and branding across all media. This reinforces recognition, builds trust, and indirectly supports SEO by reducing bounce rates.

Monitor Performance and Adjust

Use analytics to monitor image search impressions and clicks, video engagement metrics (watch time, retention), and page speed impact on rankings.

Regularly auditing your media keeps it optimised and aligned with search algorithms.

Image and Video SEO Optimisation. Conclusion.

Optimising product images and videos goes beyond visual appeal. By using keyword strategies tailored to each format, improving file performance, implementing structured data, and focusing on accessibility, your content becomes more discoverable across standard search engines, AI platforms, and voice search. This drives engagement, conversions, and higher search rankings, ensuring your products reach customers who are looking for them.

Are you ready to boost your e-commerce sales?

Growing online doesn’t need to be complicated. Wix Studio websites make image and video SEO optimisation simple, and with Vision Marketing by your side, you’ll have a store that looks amazing and gets found. Let’s make it happen.

FAQs

Q1: How do I optimise images for SEO without slowing down my website?

Reduce file size using modern formats like WebP, compress images without losing quality, and implement lazy loading for off-screen images.

Q2: Do video transcripts really help with SEO?

Video transcripts make spoken content searchable, improve accessibility, and increase your chances of rich results.

Q3: How important is alt text for images?

Alt text is essential for both SEO and accessibility. Descriptive, keyword-rich alt text helps search engines understand your content and boosts visibility.

Q4: Should I include both images and videos on product pages?

Combining images and videos offers a richer user experience, increases engagement, and supports better search performance.

Q5: Can optimised media impact voice search results?

Clear alt text, captions, and structured metadata make it easier for virtual assistants to convey information accurately to users.