Google Image Search
Anyone who searches on Google constantly encounters image search: for numerous queries, Google shows images directly in the results or in its own “Images” tab. With Google Lens, the search also works the other way round: for a photographed or uploaded image, Google finds similar images, information and matching products. Lens translates text, recognises plants, places and objects – and is used more and more through features such as “Circle to Search” on Android smartphones.
Who is image search important for?
Search engine optimisation doesn't only concern text but all content on a page – including images and videos. Well-optimised images can be an important source of traffic, especially for online shops whose products sell largely on their looks: fashion, furniture, décor, jewellery or spare parts. For Google to understand what an image shows, it needs context: a meaningful alt text, a descriptive file name, relevant surrounding text and structured data. Good alt text doesn't just help rankings in image search; it also improves accessibility, as screen readers read it out to visually impaired users.
Images also appear directly in the normal search results, for example as a thumbnail next to a result, in image blocks or for products with price and availability. For online shops, structured product data and a well-maintained Merchant Center feed are crucial here: they ensure that product images are shown with price in Google Shopping, image search and Lens results. Optimising images is therefore of interest to almost every website and shop.
Basics for Google Image Search – how to optimise your images
For images to be found easily, they must be accessible to the web crawler, i.e. embedded as a normal image in the HTML and not blocked via robots.txt. The alt text is crucial: it describes in a few words what can be seen in the image – as specifically as possible, e.g. “women's white leather sneakers, side view” rather than just “shoe”. A descriptive file name (e.g. womens-sneakers-white-leather.webp), suitable captions and surrounding text that matches the image are also important. For loading time, modern formats such as WebP or AVIF, appropriate file sizes and lazy loading for images outside the visible area count. An image sitemap also helps Google find all images. And: your own high-quality product photos stand out more than the manufacturer images that many shops use alike.
Google Lens – AI image recognition
Artificial intelligence plays an ever greater role in image search. Google Lens recognises text, objects, plants or animals in photos and identifies them. An example: on a hike you discover an unknown flower, photograph it and immediately receive matching information via Lens. Multisearch lets you combine image and text: if you photograph a table and add “chairs”, you are shown matching chairs in the same style. If you photograph a dish and add “near me”, you find restaurants that serve it – making image search relevant for local SEO too. Product search is particularly important for online shops: anyone who spots a handbag while out and about photographs it and is shown shopping results with prices and retailers straight away. Shops that are represented here with clear product data and good images win customers at the very moment of purchase interest.