Graphics site what is the best way to optimize it for Google

Hey Yall!

Love the forum here, been reading some great posts and replys lately. Some people do know there stuff around here. I will probably do some links to the website from my site.

Anyhow, to get to the topic. I am currently doing some optimization for a website that is all graphics. Now as most of you may know, its like shoting yourself in the foot a couple of times, search engine wize. LOL. There are several ways around this such as alt tags, comment tags, really well done meta tags, and several other things. But I wanted to pose this question to the whole group here.
Graphics site - what is the best way to optimize it for Google.
Or basically put, how do you make google see content when its in graphic form.
Skeptics could look at it as, there is no content. But I disagree.
The site is: http://www.modiphy.com
They don't plan on making the site text based anytime soon, probably to there disadvantage, but if I had a good looking site like theirs I wouldn't change it either.

Look forward to yall response.

Ben Pfeiffer

Hi Phoenix and welcome to the forum..

Optimize and site with images is hard and it's a very good question, I can think of 2 new articles I can add to me Brand New Articles Section on My Website based on this post!!

Look out over the coming days as I will add a concise paper to the currently very short list of articles, but in the meantime, you've pretty much got it covered with the use of all of the tags, such as alt, comment tags, comment tags etc..

The only one I would use that you've missed out on is the "TITLE" tag, put it on the images, much like the alt tags! They produce the same effect and will add slightly more weight to the page in total.

That site is designed well, are you the designer?

Absolutely agree with Darrin - you should use the TITLE tag on all images. Other tips to get a good position in Google's image search (which will also help you in the normal search) ...

a) a quality appropriate filename for all images.
b) if possible, the title of the page should match the keyword.
c) if possible link text pointing at the page should match the keyword.
d) make sure that the image is not blocked by some referrer blocking scheme.
e) make sure bthat the image uses a standard <img src=> tag (js will not work)
f) the page has as high a pr as possible (yeah, right).
g) use a quality alt attribute with the keyword in the img tag.
h) use a quality TITLE attribute with the img tag.
i) text NEAR the image should be appropriate
j) use spaces or hyphens to name the image - spaces are better.

Gringo.

Check out this article on my personal website (fresh from the brain):

http://www.darrinward.com/articles/26jan2003-2.htm

I would appreciate feedback on any of the current articles in there, there are many more to come and suggestions for topics are welcomed to darrin@darrinward.com

Great article Darrin,

I found it very imformative, I could potentially forward some clients to that article to help them understand the importance of such tactics as well as teaching them how to do it on their sites. Would that be fine? Since I liked it so much I put a link to it from my website

Unforunately I am not the designer of www.modiphy.com. Those guys do stellar work, and designed my site for me.

The list that Gringo posted is also very good as well.
From the way that I see it, if you can get good rankings with an all graphic site on Google, then you have almost won half the battle.

Another question. Do yall think Google could penalize you for using the alt and title tags to much on a website.? If you have 50 graphics on you site and you use the alt, title, and comment tags if could imply keyword spamming. I have found that using those techniques more than about 15-20 times basically is wasted effort. They are effective algorithm wize, but doing it to much, is almost preaching to the choir.

Anybody had any experience with that?

Happy dance!

Ben

Ben - certainly be prudent and don't "stuff" keywords. A simple alt and title tag describing the pictuer and making sure your keywords are in there will suffice.

Gringo.

Hello!

Just to be sure that I understand well...

The alt tag describes the image. Ok.

But what we have to write in the title tag?
- The same thing than in the alt tag? (I don't think so)
- The keywords of the current page? (so what happen if we have 20 images?)
- The keywords that describe the image in relation whith the keywords of the page? (quite complicate, no?)

Thanks for your site Darrin! It's VERY useful and very well made...

Nicolas.
UrbaanJazz.com

Hi Phoenix & Nicholas

Glad you like the article, and of course I don't mind you post links or sending people to it, that's why it's there!!

As for the Title tag .. well this tag exists primarily for those with sight impairment, and although it's not weighted heavily, wth no text on a page, it might make that significant difference!!

I personally would put SIMILAR text, but NOT EXACTLY the same text as your likely to get banned from that, ne thing to note is that the title tag will overpower the alt tag on an image, so when the mouse hovers, the title tag will be displayed (at least from what I recall).. so use the title tg as you would your alt tag, then use the alt tag for keywords .. although this is open to debate and other SEO's will share other opinions, most os which will be valid also. As with most SEO work, you'll need to "play around" with things until you find it's at optimal performace..