IMAGES & MEDIA
File names and Alt Text for SEO:
File names matter for SEO — search engines can't see images but can read the file name attached to them
Good file naming format: descriptive keywords separated by dashes or underscores (e.g. ring-tourmaline-square-quartz-front-view.jpg)
Keep names concise — skip filler words like "and," "with," "the"; just the key descriptors
Alt text is equally important — write a natural description of what's actually in the image (e.g. "handmade ring with rough tourmaline"); improves both accessibility and SEO
Missing alt text can hurt your SEO — search engines now count it against you if it's absent
Alt text ≠ file name — file name identifies the subject; alt text describes the image more fully; they can and should differ
Use dashes between words in file names — spaces get converted to messy %20 characters in URLs