Image link-building is a powerful technique to boost your SEO and link-building strategy. It involves creating and using visual content, such as infographics, charts, diagrams, screenshots, memes, gifs, etc., to attract and earn backlinks from other websites.

Why is image link-building important?

Image link building has many benefits for your website, such as:

It helps you rank higher on Google Image Search, which can drive more traffic to your site.

It enhances your content quality and value, improving user engagement and retention.

It increases your brand awareness and authority, building trust and credibility with your audience.

It diversifies your link profile, which can reduce the risk of being penalized by Google for having too many low-quality or spammy links.

How do you do image link building right?

Image link building is more complex than just adding images to your content and hoping for the best. You must follow some best practices and use tools to make it effective and efficient. Here are some tips, tools, and examples of image link building right.

Tip 1: Create original and relevant visual content

The first step of image link building is to create original and relevant visual content that adds value to your topic and audience. You can use various types of visual content, such as:

Infographics: These are graphical representations of data or information that are easy to understand and share. You can use tools like [Canva], [Piktochart], or [Infogram] to create stunning infographics in minutes.

Charts: These are visual displays of numerical data that show trends, patterns, or comparisons. You can use tools like [Google Charts], [Chart.js] or [Highcharts] to create interactive charts for your website.

Diagrams: These are visual illustrations of concepts, processes, or systems that explain how something works or functions. You can use tools like [Draw.io], [Lucidchart], or [Gliffy] to create professional diagrams for your website.

Screenshots: These are images of your computer screen that show how a software, app, or website looks or works. You can use tools like [Snagit], [Lightshot], or [Awesome Screenshot] to capture and edit screenshots for your website.

Memes: These are humorous images that have a caption or text overlay that expresses an idea or opinion. You can use tools like [Imgflip], [Meme Generator], or [Kapwing] to create and customize memes for your website.

Gifs: These are short animations that loop continuously and convey a message or emotion. You can use tools like [Giphy], [Ezgif], or [Make a Gif] to create and optimize gifs for your website.

When creating visual content, make sure that it is:

Original: Avoid using stock images or copying images from other sources. Create your photos or use royalty-free images from sites like [Unsplash], [Pixabay] or [Pexels].

Relevant: Make sure that your images match your topic and audience. Use images that support your main points, provide additional information, or illustrate examples.

High-quality: Ensure your pictures are clear, crisp, and attractive. Use high-resolution images, choose appropriate colors and fonts, and apply proper formatting and alignment.

Tip 2: Optimize your visual content for SEO

The second step of image link building is to optimize your visual content for SEO. This means ensuring that your images are easy to find, crawl, and indexed by search engines. You can do this by:

Using descriptive file names: Use keywords and hyphens in your file names to describe what your images are about. For example, instead of “image1.jpg”, use “image-link-building-infographic.jpg.”

Adding alt text: Use alt text to provide a brief description of what your images show or mean. This helps search engines understand your ideas better and also improves accessibility for users who have visual impairments or use screen readers.

Compressing image size: Reduce the file size of your ideas without compromising their quality. This helps improve your page load speed, an important ranking factor for SEO. You can use tools like [TinyPNG], [Compress JPEG], or [Optimizilla] to compress your images online.

Using responsive images: Use responsive images that adapt to different screen sizes and devices. This helps improve your user experience and also avoids duplicate content issues. You can use tools like [Responsive Breakpoints], [Cloudinary], or [Srcset Generator] to generate responsive images for your website.

Tip 3: Promote your visual content to get more exposure and links

The third step of image link building is to promote your visual content to get more exposure and links. This means contacting relevant websites, influencers, and platforms that can share your images and link back to your site. You can do this by:

Using social media: Share your pictures on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc. Use hashtags, captions, and tags to increase your visibility and engagement. You can also join groups, communities, and forums related to your niche and share your images there.

Using image-sharing sites: Submit your images to images like Flickr, Imgur, Photobucket, etc. Use keywords, titles, and descriptions to optimize your images for SEO and include a link to your site.

Using infographic directories: Submit your infographics to infographic directories like Visual.ly, Infographic Journal, Daily Infographic, etc. These sites can help you showcase your infographics to a larger audience and provide a backlink.

Using email outreach: Contact relevant websites, bloggers, journalists, influencers, etc., who might be interested in your visual content. Send them a personalized email that introduces yourself, compliments their work, explains the value of your visual content, and asks for a link or a share.

Using guest posting: Offer to write a guest post for a relevant website that includes your visual content. Provide valuable and original content that matches their style and audience. Include a bio with a link back to your site.

Examples of image link building done right

To inspire you and show you how image link-building works in practice, here are some examples of websites that have used visual content to earn more links:

[Backlinko]: This is a popular SEO blog that uses infographics, charts, and screenshots to illustrate their data-driven and actionable SEO tips. Their visual content has helped them rank on Google and attract thousands of backlinks from authoritative sites.

[HubSpot]: This is a leading marketing software company that uses infographics, diagrams, and gifs to explain their marketing concepts and strategies. Their visual content has helped them establish themselves as an industry leader and generate millions of social shares and backlinks.

[Neil Patel]: This is a well-known digital marketing expert who uses infographics, charts, and screenshots to teach his audience how to grow their online businesses. His visual content has helped him build a loyal fan base and earn hundreds of thousands of backlinks from various sites.

Conclusion

Image link-building is a great way to boost your SEO and link-building strategy. By creating and using visual content, you can enhance your content quality and value, increase your brand awareness and authority, diversify your link profile, and rank higher on Google Image Search.

To do image link building right, you need to follow these three steps:

Create original and relevant visual content

Optimize your visual content for SEO

Promote your visual content to get more exposure and links

You can also use various tools and platforms to help you create, optimize, and promote your visual content. And you can also learn from the examples of websites that have used image link-building successfully.

This blog post has helped you understand how image link building works and how you can use it for your website. If you have any queries, feel free to contact us.