Hi Imagesofhistory ~
Just so you know, many of your images *are* listed in Google images,
although they may not always show up under the search terms you feel
they should.
Example
=======
In a random check, I clicked on your listing for Clarence URMY. The
link from that name is a graphic entitled "literaryworkers.JPG".
When searching Google images for "Clarency URMY", nothing showed;
however, when searching Google Images for the phrase "literary
workers", the first image that showed was an image from your site,
although it was an image entitled "indianchiefs.JPG". After expanding
the search, I also got the following images from your site as a
result:
* 1915gatherton.JPG
* wferris.JPG
* literaryworkers.JPG.
One would wonder why your images aren't appearing as you might expect
them to appear.
Increasing Visibility
=====================
Please remember that Google Answers Researchers are independent
contractors, and we do not have any inside information on how Google's
search engines works. Google carefully guards its search engine
algorithms, but does offer this information:
"Google analyzes the text on the page adjacent to the image, the image
caption and dozens of other factors to determine the image content.
Google also uses sophisticated algorithms to remove duplicates and
ensure that the highest quality images are presented first in your
results." (See "About Google's Image Search, How Does Image Search
Work?")
- ://www.google.com/help/faq_images.html
When looking at your website, (as in the example of Clarency URMY
above), the text surrounding the listing for Clarence URMY reads
"(1896 Literary Workers of the Pacific Coast - Munsey Magazine Feature
Story)", and the image is entitled "literary workers". It is pretty
obvious that Google indexed the image under "literary workers",
although it did not present it first under that search term.
Displaying Your Images
======================
I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the way you are
exhibiting your images doesn't help in finding the images as you may
intend.
If you do any search on Google's images, you most often find the image
in the top frame, and in the bottom frame it is presented in context
on the page on which it is found.
As a rule, the pages on which any given image is found contains
headers, title tags, keyword metatags, and text within the page to add
in finding the image, which then can be indexed and found under
several relevant words or terms. In very few cases are the images
presented alone.
By including your image on a properly designed page, adding relevant
text about the image, it is entirely possible one would be able to
find your images a lot easier.
Let's use Clarence URMY again. If you include that image on a page,
with the text about URMY, about the literary workers,etc., it is
entirely possibly that we'd find the image in a search under URMY,
1896 Literary Workers, Pacific Coast Literary Workers, etc. As they
are now, they aren't easy to find under what one would think the
'obvious' search term.
I am not alone in my recommendation, either. There is a discussion in
Webmasters World about just this subject:
"Double check that your images are linked to with:
a) a quality appropriate filename.
b) if possible, the title of the page should match the kw [key words].
c) if possible link text pointing at the page should match the kw [key
words].
d) that the image is not blocked by some referrer blocking scheme.
e) that the image uses a standard <img src=> tag (js will not work)
f) the page has as high a pr as possible ...
g) use a quality alt attribute with the kw in the img tag.
h) use a quality TITLE attribute with the img tag."
(From Webmasters World discussion, "Google Images, How DO I Submit?)
- http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/8434.htm?highlight=google+images
Employing the above basics of good web design can only increase your
chances of getting your images indexed under the appropriate terms.
If you decide to employ the above recommendations, you should also pay
attention to Google Information for Webmasters:
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/
and Google's Webmaster Guidelines:
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html
Google says, "You can search more than 425 million images on the Web
with Google's Image Search. However, there are many more images on the
Internet that Google has not yet added to its index. Google is working
to crawl more images to increase the quality and quantity of images
returned when you search, so it's likely we will add the image you're
looking for in the near future." (See Google's Image Search Help, An
image I know is online wasn't found when I did my search. Why?")
- ://www.google.com/help/faq_images.html
With some redesign and careful attention, you should be able to get
your images indexed as you feel they should be.
Search terms used:
- Google images
- image indexing suggestions
- image guidelines
I hope this helps get your images indexed as you feel appropriate; you
have a very interesting site.
Regards,
Serenata |
