Image SEO, Alt tag, titles and Penalties

Not focusing on the question, but the result you are probably interested in: getting discovered when people search for photographer.

If you are trying to rank for the keyword "ABCDTown Event Photographer", you should be focusing on ranking your website. That's what people would be interested in when they search for the phrase. They want to see your portfolio website. It makes little sense to search for the phrase in images.

For images as such, my practice: keyword/phrase in the file name, alt, title.

If I were to maintain a photo portfolio or image-centric website, I would also add small writeup (50-100 words) on the pages. You can also start by maintaining proper EXIF image data in the files uploaded as the data (geo location, date, etc) can eventually become useful for search engines (not sure if they are doing it right now).

My say will be put exactly the right words in your alt text by which it will represent the images actual purpose.

Alt tag about your brand name will not cause any negative effect. Other alt tags, without sufficient description, can attract a penalty in long run. As others suggested, go for more descriptive alt tags. They are time-consuming and boring to do but are healthier for your website.

It may help to consider what ALT text is actually designed for. It is the text to be displayed if the image is unable to be shown. So that a page visitor can still understand the content of the image. It is not designed for SEO even if it does have an SEO impact.

So adding alt text that describes the image in some detail is exactly what you should be doing. Not just a a keyword or phrase but a proper description of the image. No reason why a good description would not include things like (as you mention) Location + Venue (not sure 'Event Photography' for every image is suitable or needed) also + content and description.

i.e. Manchester Wedding bride in front of church door with bouquet.

even more detailed description if the subject is suitable.

Google has moved way past only using Keywords for on-page SEO. Having useful, unique content (in any form) works wonders.

To answer your question directly. Yes I would say that (all else being equal) you would likely get better rankings with more detailed alt tags and image titles. Not just for your target keywords but for others that may rank because Google can better understand what your pages content.

Google does not rank images by the alt tag. Never has, never will. The alt tag was not for seo....

Perhaps I am the oldest here who actually knows what it was for....no matter.

Should you use an alt tag? Why not, does not hurt....won't help.

I would not even worry about it. I can't imagine, however, how a person uploads something....and then uses the same thing over and over....

Here is what you should be doing to get better ranking of images.

#1. Image file name. (Wow, really?)

Next best, not in any particular order...

Page title (Gee..whiz)
Url (no, say it aint so!)
Caption (Huh? wtf?)
Text surrounding the image. (Amazing, aint it?)

If you think you are going to get some magic out of an alt tag, you aint thinkin'.

Paul

Alt Tag helps. But its important not to over optimized your website for particular keywords.

If you are using same keyword in URL, in Heading Tags, In Alt tags, in Description, in Anchor Text, then that is probably going to hurt.

Remember not to over optimized anything.
If you are using ALT Tag, do not put exact keyword phrase . It will help

If you have lots of images to work with, you should give images unique names and alt tags. Like, if the images are about ABC Event, you can give a different name and alt tag like "ABC event start, ABC event launch, ABC event speaker" etc. This will help users to identify what the image is all about. And Google likes the things which are liked by real people.

You must update image xml sitemap for your photography site. Also update alt tags and share on image sharing sites.

Keep alt text fresh and use as many different keywords as possible.

alt tag nonsense. You people are clueless....

You people are probably not aware that many images should be empty alt=""

That's because you learned nothing. You have no history. No knowledge.

You know how to install wordpress....get a domain.

But you don't know how the internet works, nor care.

But you heard a guy who knew a guy who fooled a guy about something called alt...

Well, alt right, baby!

Paul

That doesn't affect in negative way but if you use formula "(example of an event photographer); Location and Venue + Event Photography", thats really good for your in long term.

Good luck.

Steve

Maybe you people are so completely clueless.....my correct answer flew right past you.

For fun, I did a search for caterpillar....then clicked on images.

I clicked on the first image, and visited the page.

Wikipedia....they don't even use alt tags on those caterpillar images on the page....

You people should actually read my reply above, in the middle of spammed replies.....

Then you would know why their images probably came up first.

Nobody would give a rat's behind if you used the same alt text.

Paul

Paul

You use alt text to tell people what the image is about... It can contain a keyword... For a wedding dress, it could be: strapless wedding dress by Designer X. Or strapless wedding dress.

But, did you read what Paul wrote in post 8? It's all true. Cross my little, puny heart.

OP, why are you repeating the keyword?

Wouldn't it be better if you wrote something like: wedding party photographed next to The Tallest Building, with X building/park/street i n the background?

Young bride in Manchester, photographed by XYZ Studio's supper-dooper bestest photographer?

The alt text loads up (is visible) when the image does not load up or when people hover over the image. You want THEM to know what the photo is about, to not think you're an idiot.

Yes, longtail keywords tends to rank better on Search engines, so you might want to use more details keywords on your image title.

If you will use the same keyword for alt tag then it will be considered as overstuffing of keywords and it may affect your seo. so it's better to use longtail keyword with slightly change in name.

Alt tag about your brand name will not cause any negative effect. Other alt tags, without sufficient description, can attract a penalty in long run. As others suggested, go for more descriptive alt tags.

Descriptive and relevant alt tags are best option. Do not just stuff your alt tags with keywords only.

It may help to consider what ALT text is actually designed for. It is the text to be displayed if the image is unable to be shown. So that a page visitor can still understand the content of the image. It is not designed for SEO even if it does have an SEO impact.

You should use only one and two time ALT tag to the images and doesn't repeat one ALT tag to multiples time otherwise; it shows the Critical SEO Errors or spamming.