[B]Google Images[/B]

[IceToEskimos]

Google Images

I started uploading content to my first WP site today. I decided to forego the theme selection process for now and just get my hands dirty by playing around with the UI to get familiar with things. I uploaded two 1k+ word posts, downloaded some images from Google, renamed them, and posted them as well. I have three questions:

1. How important is it to optimize my images from an SEO standpoint? (I'm using the "SEO friendly images" plugin right now)

2. Do I need to take any steps as far as manipulating the images to avoid them being seen as duplicate content?

3. Are there any other potential issues as far as using images ripped from Google?

I haven't seen any threads addressing this, so maybe it's not a big deal, but it occurred to me, and I though I'd see if anyone had any information about this.

 

[jeffm2009]

1. It is considered a best practice in SEO to properly name and tag your images. Although a fairly minor ranking factor, your image alt text will help establish keyword targeting for your pages. If you're planning on generating some traffic from image search, then definitely take care to do this.

2. From a duplicate content standpoint, I haven't seen any evidence that images get you into any kind of trouble.

3. From a copyright standpoint, there is potential for trouble if the image owners come after you and you don't have a license to use those images. This depends, of course, on the images themselves - are they the kind of images that the owners are likely to want to protect from being used elsewhere? Generally, though, this is alright. I've had DMCA notices for images I was using and it just resulted in me having to take them down. No one is going to send lawyers after you for it. Though if they're stock images, the stock image companies try to track down unlicensed use and may send you a fine. I've seen that happen as well. iStockPhoto, for example, sends a $150 fine for each instance of unlicensed use that it finds.

 

[IceToEskimos]

1. It is considered a best practice in SEO to properly name and tag your images. Although a fairly minor ranking factor, your image alt text will help establish keyword targeting for your pages. If you're planning on generating some traffic from image search, then definitely take care to do this.

2. From a duplicate content standpoint, I haven't seen any evidence that images get you into any kind of trouble.

3. From a copyright standpoint, there is potential for trouble if the image owners come after you and you don't have a license to use those images. This depends, of course, on the images themselves - are they the kind of images that the owners are likely to want to protect from being used elsewhere? Generally, though, this is alright. I've had DMCA notices for images I was using and it just resulted in me having to take them down. No one is going to send lawyers after you for it. Though if they're stock images, the stock image companies try to track down unlicensed use and may send you a fine. I've seen that happen as well. iStockPhoto, for example, sends a $150 fine for each instance of unlicensed use that it finds.

Thanks for the information, +1 rep. Hopefully someday I'll be able to give more back to this forum than rep, but until I learn some things, it's all I've got.

 

[Lynch]

1) there's not much to be done when it comes to picture optimization, an alt tag and kinda that's it.

2) if you want to be extremely safe then maybe modify the pictures a bit

3) I usually add to the disclaimer that if you feel that the picture belongs to you bla bla bla contact me and i will take it down. If you are building a micro niche site then you don't have to worry about it. If you are building a large site you might need a DMCA lawyer.

 

[IceToEskimos]

1) there's not much to be done when it comes to picture optimization, an alt tag and kinda that's it.

2) if you want to be extremely safe then maybe modify the pictures a bit

3) I usually add to the disclaimer that if you feel that the picture belongs to you bla bla bla contact me and i will take it down. If you are building a micro niche site then you don't have to worry about it. If you are building a large site you might need a DMCA lawyer.

It's a niche, and I don't think that it will be a problem, I was mostly concerned with G's mood as far as duplicate images is concerned. Apparently, they don't seem to care that much, since I haven't heard anyone talking about it. I was thinking I might need to add a border to these photos to defeat the CBIR.

 

[CarmenDA]

labeling pics with keywords is very important! I have a site that gets most of its traffic from google image search where strangely my images rank on the first row for many many keywords but are nowhere to be found in the serps. Many people, myself included, use image search often.

Also if there are a lot of pics label some with common misspellings.