Google does take image names into account when it comes to search ranking, but it’s just one part of a larger set of signals that help Google understand and rank content. Here’s how image names can influence SEO:
1. Filename Relevance to Page Content
Google uses the image name (along with other factors like alt text, captions, and the context of the page) to understand what the image is about. When the name of the image is descriptive and relevant to the content of the page, it can help Google make the connection between the image and the topic of the webpage.
For example, if a page is about "best mountain bikes," and you have an image with the file name "best-mountain-bike-2025.jpg", Google can understand that this image is relevant to the content and topic of the page. This can help the page rank higher for related queries like "best mountain bikes" or "top mountain bikes 2025."
2. Use of Keywords in Image File Names
Including relevant keywords in your image file names can help improve your SEO, but it's important to approach this naturally. Overstuffing file names with keywords or using irrelevant keywords can harm SEO efforts, as Google may see this as an attempt to manipulate rankings. The key is to make sure the image file name accurately describes the image content in a way that matches the content of the page.
For example:
- Good: "affordable-running-shoes.png" (clear, descriptive, and relevant)
- Bad: "buy-cheap-shoes-affordable-running-shoes-sale.png" (keyword-stuffed and unnatural)
3. Image Search Rankings
When Google indexes images, it considers the file name as one of the signals to determine the relevance of the image for image search results. So if someone searches for an image-related query (e.g., “best mountain bike 2025”), having an image with a relevant name like “best-mountain-bike-2025.png” could help that image rank in Google Image Search results, which can drive additional organic traffic to your site.
4. Contextual Clues
The image name works alongside other factors like alt text, surrounding text, and captions to determine the context of the image. If you use an accurate, descriptive image name and ensure that the surrounding text on the page (including headings and body content) is also relevant to the image, Google can more effectively understand and index the image in relation to the page.
For example:
- Image file name: “vintage-leather-jacket.png”
- Alt text: “Vintage leather jacket on display in store”
- Surrounding text: "Explore our collection of classic leather jackets from top designers."
In this case, Google can connect the image, alt text, and content of the page, boosting your page's relevance for searches related to vintage leather jackets.
5. SEO Best Practices for Image Names
Here are a few best practices for optimizing image file names for SEO:
- Be descriptive: Use file names that clearly describe the image (e.g., "blue-winter-coat.png").
- Use hyphens, not underscores: Google treats hyphens as word separators but ignores underscores. For example, "blue-winter-coat.png" is better than "blue_winter_coat.png".
- Incorporate relevant keywords: If it makes sense, use keywords in the image file name that align with your page’s topic. Just don’t overdo it.
- Keep it readable and user-friendly: Avoid long, complex file names or ones that are hard to understand. Simple and clear works best.
Conclusion
In short, yes, Google considers the image file name in the context of search ranking, but it’s just one factor in a broader SEO strategy. While the image name can help with image search ranking and assist Google in understanding the context of your page, other elements like alt text, page content, and user experience (site speed, mobile-friendliness, etc.) also play crucial roles in determining how well your page ranks in search results.
So, while optimising image file names is important, it’s best to think of them as part of a comprehensive SEO strategy.
