Image SEO checklist: from upload to published page

Start with the image’s job

Write down why the image belongs on the page. A product detail photograph helps someone evaluate an item; a chart communicates a finding; a background texture may simply decorate the layout. That role determines what information you need to preserve.

Keep a clean master file outside your publishing folder. Work on a copy so you can make a different crop later without rebuilding the original. Record the destination page alongside the file, especially when similar images appear in several places.

Prepare a publishable copy

Choose a short descriptive filename and a crop that keeps the important subject visible. Draft alternative text for this placement, then check every detail against the actual image. Export at a size appropriate to the layout and inspect the compressed version at the size readers will see.

• Check the subject, crop, orientation, and color.
• Choose a filename that distinguishes this image from its neighbors.
• Review the alt text for accuracy and purpose.
• Compare the export with the original before replacing it.

Check the result on the website

Open the published page on a narrow screen. Check the crop, loading behavior, captions, links, and alternative text in the rendered markup. Downloading metadata from PixelRank does not apply it to a website automatically; the publishing step still matters.

For a larger audit, record the page address, old filename, new filename, alt text, and review status in a spreadsheet. That gives the next editor a clear handoff and prevents the same image from being optimized twice.