Ranking in image packs: alt text vs filename

Ranking in image packs: alt text vs filename

Today's lesson: an image pack — that strip of photos that appears inside normal search results — pulls from pages Google can 'read' even though images are just pixels.

Imagine labeling a box two ways: a sticker on the outside, and the box's own name.

1. The filename is the box's name. 'blue-running-shoe.jpg' beats 'IMG_4821.jpg'. Set it before uploading.
2. The alt text — the written description screen readers and Google use — is the sticker. Describe what's truly in the photo, plainly.
3. Surrounding text wins ties. The caption and nearby paragraph tell Google the image's topic more than either label alone.

The tradeoff: don't lean only on alt text and ignore filenames, or only rename files and skip alt. They're partners, not substitutes.

Try this: open one blog image and fix its filename AND its alt text today. 🎓