The Internet is largely a visual medium. Aside from using the net to listen to music or connect with others using Skype or other VOIP systems we mainly go online to watch video and films, share photos, read blogs, email, shop and the rest.

The eyes have it.

You would be forgiven for thinking that just because the Internet is so visual that graphics and pictures should take absolute priority when it comes to content and successful SEO.

Well, yes. And no.

Many companies fall into the trap that great images are the be all and end all, not just a component of strategy. They make the mistake of building their websites on little more than graphics. Unfortunately, sites that might look great in the eyes of a visitor but don’t actually say anything using text will fail. Not aesthetically but from an SEO point of view.

SEO Fail

We’ve all seen beautiful photography sites, travel sites, design sites, web sites for interior decorations companies or home furnishing companies adorned with the most beautiful images.

It’s often images, through their raw power and their ability to elicit a strong emotional response, that can close a deal instantly – convince, compel or persuade. In both traditional print media and online an image can steal the show.  People LOVE images – there are 4 billion photos on Flickr alone with another 5,500 uploaded every minute.

Wouldn’t it be a shame though if, however amazing your images, only a handful of people ever got to enjoy them? Unfortunately for websites that are too image or graphic focused this is a very real danger.

The danger of images

Why? Because search engine spiders live to index, to manage and to sort information based on text. They use this indexed data to assess relevance and generate their search returns. Unfortunately spiders don’t appreciate the beauty of a sunset or the humour of a permed cat – it’s in their nature. Unless you feed them text-based data to sort, sift and assess you barely exist and all great images lose their value.

Talk to your SEO or web marketing team on combining style and substance to the very best SEO effect.