Google Makes Images VERY Important

Sometimes Google provides updates that can force companies to make big changes to their digital marketing content and strategy.  It looks like 2021 is one of the years that Google is making some big changes to how it ranks your digital content.  

The biggest change from Google is how is the addition of 3 new metrics:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) this metric measures how fast your pages load. Any content that takes longer than 2.5 seconds to load will move you down the SEO ranking list. Understanding Google Page Experience This metric applies mostly to loading:
  • Images
  • Image Tab
  • Video Thumbnails
  • Background Images
  • Text like headings, lists and paragraphs
• CLS (Cumulative Layer Shift) this metric will penalize you if your site shifts during uploading.  Understanding Google Page Experience Shifts are usually caused by:
  • Font Changes
  • Image
  • Ads
  • Imbedded Content
• FID (First Input Delay) this metric measures lags in the time between when a user clicks on a part of your page and the time it takes to load that content. If it takes more than a few seconds then your site will be penalized.Understanding Google Page Experience Delays are usually caused by:
  • Images
  • Scripts with Multiple Fonts

Are you seeing a theme?  As images become an increasingly important part of ranking high in SEO, Google and other search engines are beginning to reward or penalize your digital content based on images. 

It’s not good enough to put any and all images online anymore.  Images attract audiences and are an integral part of maintaining a high SEO ranking, however, using the right images in the best format are key to maintaining high rankings. Some basic rules are to use images that are relevant to your content, make sure the images load quickly and use common formats like .png and .jpeg. Review the properties of any image before you post it and take the time to tag it with relevant, high ranking keywords.

If your website and landing pages are more than a year old, this is an excellent time to have them updated!  

If you need help creating a successful marketing strategy and improving your results, please feel free to schedule a phone appointment with me.

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