The impact of visual content on-site SEO

The secret to the impact of visual content on SEO lies… in human psychology and physiology

It sounds strange, but it is true.

The human brain is tuned to perceive and process visual images. It processes them 60,000 times faster than plain text. 90% of the received information from visual images is immediately transferred to the brain, and 80% is remembered. Some studies show that more than 65% of people tend to learn visually.

Here a logical question arises: "How does the work of the human brain relate to SEO?"

Let's figure it out!

From a technical point of view, Google's search and site ranking algorithms are not perfect. Google bots can crawl texts, images, videos, links, and other elements on a page. For more accurate and effective scanning, it is worth using micro marking correctly. At the same time, search bots are not able to objectively evaluate which image is better, which graph is more informative, and which screenshots better demonstrate what the page is about.

Therefore, site ranking tools rely on such an indicator as behavioral factors. Here we return to our brain's ability to process visual content.

Indicators of the behavior of site users allow search engines to conclude its quality. The better the content, the greater the interest and engagement of the audience, and accordingly the better the ranking. Behavioral factors include:

• time spent on the web resource. It will be better if the user stays longer on your site. Time is the most valuable resource for modern man. If users do not spare it to study your site, then it is useful for them.
• return to the search page. If a person returns to the search page for the same query after reading the article, it means that he did not find enough information.
• CTR is the clickability of a snippet in search. It is calculated as the link-click ratio multiplied by 100%. If a resource is not in the first place, but has many transitions without returning to the search, this indicates a high relevance of the page.
• commenting and voting. Such interaction with the site shows that users are interested in your content and want to evaluate it. Audience activity is always an advantage.
• re-return. If the user returns to your site sometime after the first visit, this indicates that he remembered your resource and finds it useful or interesting.

Thus, it can be concluded that visual content can significantly improve behavioral factors and positively influence the SEO indicators of the site. If your resource has fewer quality materials than competitors, the algorithm may consider it less useful and relevant. But "spamming" with images is also not worth it. However, it shouldn't be content for content's sake. It should be useful, relevant to the site visitor, and relevant to his search query used in Google.

Our observations confirm that the impact of visuals is much more significant than most people think. It performs several important tasks at once:

• attracts the audience. According to Buzzsumo, Facebook posts with images get 2-3 times more engagement than those without. Visual content stands out in the feed and compels people to view your post. The same rule applies to websites.
• simplifies perception. MIT researchers have found that the human brain can process an image in 13 milliseconds. The combination of pictures with text and sound simplifies the perception of information. Visual content explains complex concepts or phenomena using interactive elements. An example is scrolling or explainers.
• increases engagement. Visual content stimulates an emotional response in users and motivates them to action. People can like, comment, repost, or save your content. Not all sites provide the ability to interact with content, but its presence is a plus.
• forms an image. Visual content demonstrates your brand and its values. You can use visuals to create a recognizable style, emphasize your uniqueness, demonstrate your products or services, and tell your story or mission. Such materials will help create a strong impression of the brand and inspire trust in the audience.

However, that's not all. Visuals help rank for images, giving your site another channel of traffic that can bring in a new audience. To do this, you need to properly optimize your images: choose high-quality and unique images, specify appropriate file names and alt attributes, use structured data, and take into account loading speed and adaptability. A high-quality visual also increases the chances of getting into Google Discover. This service shows users personalized content based on their interests and search history. Visuals play an important role in landing on Google Discover. It attracts the attention of the audience and motivates them to click on your content.

How you can improve the visual content on your website today

Although working on such content is not a quick process, there are some tips to optimize it easily and quickly:

• use quality, relevant, and original images. Avoid blurring, low resolution, or graininess. If there is an opportunity, it is worth taking or buying professional photos or illustrations from photo stocks that correspond to your brand and the theme of the site.
• create a clean and visual design. Simplify the layout and design of the site to make it more user-friendly. Use simple color schemes, fonts that are easy to read, and spacing between elements. This will help visitors focus on important information.
• add infographics and other graphic elements. Use charts, graphs, or illustrations for visual representation of complex data or concepts. This will help visitors to absorb and remember information more easily.
• use video and animation. Consider adding these elements to your site. You can use a video presentation, an educational video, an animated banner, or other interactive details. Videos and animations can attract the attention of visitors and make the content more attractive.
• make sure the visual content matches the brand. Use a color palette, fonts, and style that represent your company. This will help create a single and recognizable brand image that will be remembered and associated with you.

All this will allow you to improve the SEO indicators of the site and strengthen its position in search results. Don't forget that text is very important, especially on YMYL-themed sites. For such, Google puts forward stricter requirements in terms of content quality and expertise.

So, modern SEO promotion is the ability to combine different tools, combine them, constantly optimize and improve. Take one piece out of this puzzle and the expected result just isn't there. Therefore, always work comprehensively.