Shopify Image SEO: 4 Steps to Drive More Traffic and Conversions

Want more organic traffic and faster conversions on your Shopify store? 

In this episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell breaks down the visual side of SEO with a focus on image optimization.

From renaming image files and writing strategic alt text to compressing files and picking the best formats, Crystal walks you through four essential steps to get your images SEO-ready. 

You’ll also learn how to use ChatGPT to quickly generate descriptive alt text and how to leverage Pinterest to amplify your visual content strategy.

✅ What You’ll Learn:

• Why image SEO drives traffic from Google and Pinterest
• How to rename image files using SEO-friendly keywords
• The dos and don'ts of writing alt text (and how ChatGPT helps)
• Image compression tools that boost load speed (TinyPNG & WebP)
• Best image formats for product photos, logos, and backgrounds
• Bonus: Pinterest optimization tips and helpful Shopify apps

🎯 Action Steps:

• Rename one product image with keywords before uploading
• Use alt text that’s clear, accurate, and avoids keyword stuffing
• Compress images under 300KB (or even 100KB with WebP)
• Download Crystal’s $7 Image SEO Checklist for a full walkthrough
• Try the free Pinterest Save Button Shopify app

🛠️ Helpful Links:

• Image SEO Checklist: simpleandsmartseo.com/images
• Free Alt Text Generator
• TinyPNG: https://tinypng.com

📌 Next Episode Tease:
 Coming up in Episode 4: Templates that elevate your Shopify SEO—homepage, product pages, and collection pages.

📲 Let’s Connect:
 Update one image today and tag @simpleandsmartseo2. 

You’ve got this!

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Chapters

• 0:00 Untitled
• 0:37 ‌
• 1:19 Importance of Image SEO
• 2:02 Four Key Steps to Optimize Shopify Images
• 2:06 Step 1: Renaming Image Files
• 2:14 Step 2: Writing Strategic Alt Text
• 2:50 Step 3: Compressing Images
• 3:46 Step 4: Choosing the Right Format
• 3:57 Using Chat GPT for Alt Text
• 5:14 Recap and Additional Resources

Transcript

Crystal Waddell: [00:00:00] Images can show up in Google or any other search engine's image search results. And then also Pinterest. Hello, free traffic! 

Welcome to the Simple and Smart SEO show podcast, where we talk all things brand building SEO.

Helping you connect with your audience, elevate your visibility and grow your business. 

I'm your host, Crystal Waddell, here to bridge the gap between SEO strategy and real world business success.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or SEO enthusiast, this is your place to learn, share, and build a brand that stands out. 

So grab a coffee or your favorite tea. And let's dive into Smarter 

‌

Crystal Waddell: SEO for your business.​​​

Welcome back to a simple and smart SEO show podcast and welcome back to the Shopify SEO from Strategy to Action series.

So far, we've tackled the mindset side of SEO and built your foundational tech stack. [00:01:00] Now we're gonna get visual.

Today's episode is all about something. You already spend time on: your images, and you already know how to take beautiful product photos.

So now let's make sure that those images are doing more than just sitting pretty.

They should be bringing in traffic too, boosting conversions, and helping your store get found.

Importance of Image SEO

Crystal Waddell: So let's talk about why image, SEO matters.

Images can show up in Google or any other search engine's image search results. And then also Pinterest. Hello, free traffic!

Images affect site speed, which can impact your rankings.

And good alt text improves accessibility and keyword relevance.

If your image file is called IMG_ 8 2 3 4, and there's no alt text.

It's basically invisible to search engines.

And now that Google has started ranking Instagram as well, good image sEO matters more than ever.

Good image. SEO gives context, which is as important or even [00:02:00] more important than actual content. 

Four Key Steps to Optimize Shopify Images

Crystal Waddell: So let's talk about four key steps to optimize your Shopify images.

Step 1: Renaming Image Files

Crystal Waddell: First, you need to rename your files.

Before uploading to Shopify, rename your images using keywords, for example. 

Step 2: Writing Strategic Alt Text

Crystal Waddell: Custom Mothers Day mug jpeg.

Number two, write strategic alt text.

Use simple, clear descriptions. Think " Pink Ceramic Mug with best mom ever." in Gold Script.

Now that we're in the era of chat, GPT, you can do way better than that in 255 characters or less.

And we'll talk a little bit more about that later.

And when you're writing strategic alt text, you don't wanna write things like mug comma, mother's day mug, comma pink mug, that's keyword stuffing.

So we want to avoid stuffing keywords. 

Step 3: Compressing Images

Crystal Waddell: And then number three, compress your images.

I use TinyPNG. Which can be free, or cost something like $39 per year.

But the [00:03:00] point is we want to keep our images small.

Many sources say that under 300 kilobytes is ideal, and this improves load time and conversion rate.

But I want to share with you that you can actually get those images to a hundred kilobytes or less without sacrificing image quality.

And the queen of image compression? The web P format.

It gets your images oftentimes under a hundred kilobytes without losing that image quality.

Which means that your Shopify site is going to load lightning fast, and your images are still gonna look great.

I have noticed there's a couple places it doesn't work as well.

I believe it's the collection image holder. And maybe like the blog featured image in Shopify.

And if you use a basic WordPress blog, sometimes Web P doesn't play nice there either.

Step 4: Choosing the Right Format

Crystal Waddell: number four, you wanna choose the right format.

You could use JPEGs for product shots. PNGs for transparent elements like your logo.

And WebP, if your theme supports it.

Using Chat GPT for Alt Text

Crystal Waddell: Okay, so I promise we'd revisit using [00:04:00] chat GPT for alt text help.

Sometimes it's hard to describe your own product without sounding repetitive. So you could try a prompt like this, with any LLM of your choice.

"Write alt text for ceramic mug that says Mama Fuel. And includes the keyword: coffee gifts for moms, as well as my business website."

It doesn't have to be fancy, just accurate, clear, and helpful.

And speaking of chat, GPT and alt text.

I actually have a free tool that I'll link below. That my SEO squad absolutely loves.

It's an image title generator, as well as an alt text generator.

And it's absolutely free. So definitely check it out if you need a little help getting started writing more descriptive alt text.

Additionally, if you want a quick reference to make sure that your images are SEO Ready.

I made a printable image SEO checklist for Shopify Sellers, and it's only $7.

Inside, you'll get my full step-by-step image [00:05:00] SEO Process.

Chat GPT prompts to help you write your alt text.

And as a bonus, Pinterest optimization tips.

Grab it at simple and smart seo.com/images and get those visuals working for you.

Recap and Additional Resources

Crystal Waddell: Okay, so let's recap. We wanna rename your image files before you upload them to your Shopify store.

We wanna add meaningful alt texts. We wanna compress those images to speed up our stores.

And. We wanna make image SEO part of our standard upload process. Not an afterthought.

But if you go into your Shopify store and you realize that you have hundreds of pictures without alt text.

That would be a great time to utilize my free GPT to knock out a bunch of alt text at once.

And if Pinterest is part of your strategy, make sure that you're using vertical image and the Pinterest save button.

That's a free Shopify app from the Shopify app store. It's an easy win.

And coming up in [00:06:00] episode four, we're getting into templates.

How to tweak your homepage, product, and collection pages so that your SEO efforts aren't wasted.

Until then, update one image today. And tag me when you do. You've got this. See you next time.