I was looking back through my Instagram posts a few days ago and saw one that just said “Visit the Panda.” I thought this would make a really good podcast episode because it perfectly captures something most business owners don’t realize about their websites.
Today I’m talking about website images and how they can either help your SEO and conversions, or completely sabotage them. A lot of business owners have no idea which category they’re in.
If you’ve ever wondered why your website feels slow, why you’re not showing up in Google image searches, or if those beautiful professional brand photos you invested in are actually helping or hurting your business, this episode will give you everything you need to fix these problems.
The Hidden Cost of Beautiful Photography
Here’s something that might surprise you. Those gorgeous professional brand photos you invested in could be sabotaging your website’s performance. It’s not the quality of the photography that’s the problem – it’s how they’re being used online.
I see this constantly with clients who have stunning brand photography but don’t understand how to optimize it for the web. They’re losing potential clients before visitors even see those beautiful images.
Let me walk you through the three image mistakes that could be killing your website’s performance and exactly how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Massive File Sizes That Chase Visitors Away
The first mistake is using professional photos straight from a DSLR camera without compression. These files can be five plus megabytes in size – absolutely massive for web use.
The ideal size for web images is around 100 kilobytes per image. When your images are 50 times larger than they should be, visitors leave before they even see your beautiful photography.
Think about it this way. Someone lands on your homepage excited to learn about your services, but the page takes 10-15 seconds to load because of enormous image files. They’re gone before your hero section even appears.
The Solution: Image Compression
Before uploading any image to your website, compress it using tools like TinyPNG.com (that’s where my “Visit the Panda” post came from – the panda is their mascot!).
Simply drag your images to their website and it compresses them while keeping them as sharp as possible. You can also convert images to WebP format, which is even more compressed while maintaining quality.
Another option is BulkResizePhotos.com for processing multiple images at once. If you’re using Canva, control the file size when downloading by choosing web-optimized settings.
My philosophy is that slightly lower quality with faster loading times beats perfect quality that takes forever to load. Visitors won’t stick around for slow websites, but they’ll forgive minor quality differences if your site loads quickly.
Mistake #2: Terrible File Names That Google Can’t Understand
The second mistake is keeping the default file names that come from your camera. You know those names – IMG_1234.jpg or DSC_5773.jpg.
Google can’t understand what your images show when they have generic file names like this. You’re missing out on image search traffic entirely, which can be a significant source of new visitors.
The Solution: Descriptive File Names
Before uploading images, rename them with words that describe your business and what potential clients might search for.
For example, if you have a spa, instead of “IMG_1234.jpg,” use “relaxing-spa-massage-boston.jpg” (replacing “boston” with your actual location).
Use dashes between words, not spaces or underscores. This helps Google identify that these are different words. Include your location if you’re a local business, and keep descriptions concise but descriptive.
This simple step can help your images appear in Google image searches, driving additional traffic to your website.
Mistake #3: Empty Alt Text That Fails Everyone
The third mistake is skipping alt text when uploading images. Many people ignore that little description box in their media library, but this creates two serious problems.
First, screen readers for visually impaired visitors can’t describe your images. When someone uses assistive technology to navigate your website, blank alt text means they have no idea what your images show.
Second, Google uses alt text to understand your website content, which affects your search engine optimization.
The Solution: Thoughtful Alt Text
Alt text serves two purposes, with accessibility being the priority. Describe what someone would see if they couldn’t view the image, then naturally include keywords when possible.
Instead of writing “woman in white robe,” try “client enjoying relaxing massage at luxury day spa.” The second version helps screen readers paint a clearer picture while including searchable keywords.
The description should sound natural and be genuinely helpful for both people using screen readers and search engines trying to understand your content.
If you’re stuck, AI tools can help generate alt text ideas. Just tell the AI what the picture shows and ask for descriptions that are both accessible and include relevant keywords.
How These Mistakes Show Up in Your Business
These image problems manifest in several ways that directly impact your bottom line.
Slow Website Performance – Your pages feel sluggish and take forever to load. Visitors get impatient and leave before seeing your content.
Missing Google Image Traffic – Your images don’t appear when people search Google Images for services like yours, cutting off a potential traffic source.
High Bounce Rates – People visit your website but leave immediately because slow loading creates a poor first impression.
Missed SEO Opportunities – Search engines can’t properly index and rank your visual content, limiting your overall search visibility.
Your Weekend Website Image Audit
Here’s a quick audit you can do this weekend that shouldn’t take long but will make a significant impact.
Step 1: Test Your Site Speed
Go to Google PageSpeed Insights and enter your website URL. Look specifically for “properly size images” in the recommendations. This tells you if images are slowing down your site.
Step 2: Check Your Most Important Images
Focus on your homepage hero banner, about page photos, and services page images first. Right-click on these images and inspect the element to see file sizes.
If you see anything over 500 kilobytes, those images need compression and re-uploading.
Step 3: Audit Your Alt Text
While checking image sizes, review the alt text for your most important images. Is it helpful for screen readers? Does it include relevant keywords? Can you improve it to serve both accessibility and SEO?
Start with your homepage images since this page has the biggest impact. It’s where most people enter your site, and it’s what Google uses to understand your entire website.
From there, work through your services page and about page. Save blog images for later unless you have specific posts driving significant traffic.
The Investment Protection Strategy
Many small business owners invest in beautiful brand photography – and they absolutely should! Professional photos make an enormous difference in how potential clients perceive your business.
But then they accidentally sabotage this investment by not optimizing images properly. Your beautiful professional photos should be an asset, not a liability to your website performance.
This isn’t about becoming a technical expert. It’s about making sure your investments in photography and website design actually pay off by working together effectively.
The Compound Effect of Proper Image Optimization
When you fix these image issues, the benefits compound over time.
Your website loads faster, creating better first impressions and keeping visitors engaged longer. Google recognizes the improved user experience and may rank your pages higher.
Your images start appearing in Google Image searches, bringing in new visitors who discover you through visual content. Screen readers can properly describe your images, making your site accessible to more potential clients.
Most importantly, you’re no longer losing potential clients to slow loading times or poor user experience.
Ready to Optimize Your Website Images?
Spend a few minutes this weekend getting your images right, and your website will work better for months to come. The time investment is minimal, but the impact on your website’s performance can be substantial.
If you don’t have time to audit your images or want professional guidance, consider a website coaching call where I can review your site’s image optimization and create a strategic plan for improvements.
Your beautiful brand photography deserves to work as hard as you do. With proper optimization, those images become powerful tools for attracting ideal clients and growing your business.
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Remember, your website should work around the clock to bring in clients and make you money. Proper image optimization is one of those behind-the-scenes elements that makes a huge difference in whether your website actually delivers results.
