When it comes to SEO, it is most important for users to find what they are looking for quickly and accurately. That’s pretty much a no-brainer if you’ve been using the internet for a while. But who really thinks about labeling their images for SEO? With all major browsers having a capability to search for images, it is now very important to name your images in a way that will be easy to index and find via any search.

If I was searching for a Dog Jumping, it wouldn’t be wise to name an image something like: img_4484427.jpg.  On the other hand, if the file name was Dog_Jumping.jpg, then I would be much more likely to find it through a search.

Alt tags are another way to add extra oomph to your images. Adding some simple code such as: alt=”Dog Jumping”, might be enough to differentiate you from your competition. It’s all about making relevant content and images more accessible to end users.

I once heard a great oil painter say, “Unity with variety makes great pictures.” My first thought was, “How on earth can you have unity with variety? It seems like a contradiction.” From then on, I started really looking at the world around me, I began to see what he was talking about.

For example, in nature, a row of trees look similar, but still have variety in the branches, leaves and sizes. Clouds on a beautiful day will be off-white against a blue sky, but will have variety in sizes, shapes and distances. Consider the human face, we are used to seeing 2 eyes, 1 nose and 1 mouth, but there are differences that make us distinctly unique.

Lets take a closer look at this concept in a graphic example. Below we have 3 content boxes which represent areas which could possibly link to sections of a website. First of all, notice the similarities of these simple and uninspired boxes. We don’t know what to look at first and may not even be compelled to read the text at all. The boxes have the same shape, fonts, colors, and format. Boring.

Below are the new graphics which have been spiced up a bit with variations in color, font sizes and distances, but still have unity of shape, fonts and effects. We clearly know what to look at first, starting with the orange box labeled “1”. This is the main emphasis of the group. Then, we proceed to look at “2” and “3”.

Another thing to keep in mind when using graphic elements is unity with your website. Notice how I didn’t randomly choose orange, teal, and gray as my new box colors, I picked them because they are specific to the MoreVisibility website and will therefore strengthen branding.

Until next time, look at the world around you and be inspired by the beauty and wonder nature has to offer.

When it comes to emphasis using photography, the same concept holds true from my last post regarding Emphasis in design: Part 1- Content. We want to have a main focal image and subordinate, enhancing images to strengthen our theme. We can accomplish this by utilizing subject, size and placement on the page.

In this blog post I’ll be referring to a landing page example MoreVisibility created for our Design and Usability Webinar. The challenge was to create a design for a fictitious beach town which could be used for an in-depth look at Search Engine Optimization design.

For our main image we chose a tropical photograph depicting the ocean, a clear blue sky, and a palm tree island. This image immediately evokes a calm and relaxing feeling and certainly strengthens our message of a tropical getaway.

The smaller thumbnail images in the left top corner support and enhance the viewer’s perception of a tropical getaway: Kids playing, a woman relaxing, a beautiful sunset, a vacation home, tropical palm trees, and a relaxing game of golf.

Questions to ask yourself when searching for photography.
What feelings do I want my users to experience when they see my images? For example: warm, fun, sunny, privacy, relaxing, cool breezes, etc.
How much emphasis should I give an image?
What will be the sizes, formats and placements for my images? The way you crop a photograph can make or break your design.
Will the colors in the photograph harmonize with my design?
Always keep in mind the cohesive feel of your design.

Lastly, don’t forget your “alt”tags

Check back soon for part 3:
Emphasis in Design: Graphics Elements

Contact us today to learn more about having your website designed by MoreVisibility.