Image search optimization means working to make sure your images work hard for your pages, and are able to be found by image search engines, like Google image search. The concepts are totally distinct from design considerations with image optimisation. Image search optimisation is useful for portfolio or template sites where most users will search in the image search first. In these industries, and also in these keywords, Google will also put a small image search feed at the top of the organic search listing.

There are a few things that search engines look at with image search optimisation

• Meta Tags – This includes alt and title tags.
• File name
• Caption
• Page content – there is some debate around this, but it seems that Google will look at the page content, and the domain, to see what an image would be about.