Create and optimize your images

Traffic Tips: How to create and optimize your images

Today I’m going to show you a smart workflow that will have you creating images in no time flat!

1.  Use the right tools:

Having the right tools in your arsenal and feel comfortable using them.  Doing this cuts your workflow down considerably.  And remember to pick one and stick with it because the more you use it the better and more proficient you will become.

Here are 3 great image editing tools to choose from:

  • Canva – easy & free
  • Pic Monkey – easy & free
  • Photo shop – more complicated, produces professional results and a steep learning curve

Pick one and get comfortable with it!

Here’s a short video
showcasing my fav…Canva!

Know what you are designing, the message and tone you want to convey. Is it a blog graphic, a quote or a social media image?

2.  Find the right images:

I like to use Bigstock Photos or Unsplash as my go-to places for great images.

 3 things to keep in mind when picking images:

  • Your image should match the tone and message
  • Its legal – don’t use an image you found on the internet, you could end up owing $$
  • Bigger is better – the image should be bigger than you think you need. It’s easy to make them smaller but going larger can be a problem.
Give yourself a limit on how long you will source your images and stick to it so you don’t end up going down the proverbial “rabbit hole” looking for the one perfect image.
 
10- 15 minutes is a good rule of thumb to stick to when looking for an image, otherwise you could spend all day!

3.  Images – Putting it all together:

You’ll want to create more than one image, especially if it is for a blog post.  Yes, more than one image sounds daunting but it really is simple if you are using the right tools!

 I end up creating these 3 image sizes:

  • Square – for the featured image, Facebook and Instagram
  • Landscape – for Twitter
  • Portrait – for Pinterest 
You can embed all of these images on your blog post by wrapping the image with a little bit of code and they will be there when you go to share your post.

Here’s the code:

image URL

 

This is why I love Canva and upgraded to the paid version because I can make the image once and then use the magic resize button and make it into any size I want.

Create a template – or 3 then use them for your posts. I have a set template I use for my blog post images that is branded so that when people see it on social media they know it is me.

4.  Optimize your images for your site

I know… you’re probably thinking, what does this mean?

You want your images to not slow your site down especially when you have multiple images embedded into a post.

Multiply 3 images by a couple of posts a week for a year and you’ve got over 312 images!

That’s a heck of a lot of images.

I will make it really simple for you and suggest that you just install a simple plugin for WordPress called WP Smush it https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-smushit/

No messy additional steps, upload your image and the plugin does the rest of the work for you.

Check out how easy is WP Smush It is…

5.  Optimize your images for SEO

No need to make this overly complicated…here’s the simple step by step

Step 1.  Name your file before you upload – it should contain a descriptive keyword or phrase that summarizes the image.how to optiize

Step 2.  Alt tag – add your keyword or long tail keyword just like this.

how-to-optimize-your-alt-text
Here’s my parting thoughts….

Take this simple workflow I’ve created and use it next time and every time you create images for your blog post and social media

Use the right tools and system for creating your images…you’ll end up having fun and creating some pretty darn good looking stuff!

Do it a few times and you’ll have it down!

I want to know if you have a favorite tool you like to use when creating images?

Is there anything new that I’ve written about that you’re going to try out?

Keep Reading….

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