CTR Skyrockets When You Do This With Images

Three Techniques to Increase Click-Through Rates by 15–25%

Images in articles play a crucial role not only in attracting attention but also in retaining the reader and increasing click-through rates (CTR). There are three key techniques that, when combined, can increase article clicks by 15–25%. These methods cover both the visual and technical aspects of working with graphics.

The combined application of these techniques helps create content that is more professional, faster, and easier for search engines to understand. As a result, users are more willing to click on links, and the pages themselves rank better in search results.

Key areas for working with images:

1. Creating a consistent visual style using AI.
2. Technical optimization of images into the WebP format.
3. Writing context-based alternative (alt) text.

Consistent AI Image Style: The Key to Recognizability

Consistency in visual design is the key to brand or blog recognition. When all the images in your materials are created in a single, well-thought-out style, it creates a sense of integrity and professionalism. Readers begin to associate this style specifically with your content.

Modern neural networks make it easy to achieve this result. Instead of picking disparate stock photos, you can generate unique illustrations from the same prompt, changing only the key details. This ensures that all images will share a common color palette, composition, and atmosphere.

This approach not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also increases audience trust. When users see a familiar visual language in search results or on social media, they are more likely to click on a resource they recognize. This directly impacts how to increase article CTR and attract a loyal audience.

WebP Optimization for Speed and SEO

Site loading speed is one of the most important ranking factors for search engines and directly affects the user experience. Heavy images in JPEG or PNG formats can significantly slow down page loading, leading to bounces and lower positions in search results.

The modern solution to this problem is the WebP format, developed by Google. It provides high image quality with a significantly smaller file size compared to traditional formats. Switching to WebP speeds up content loading, which positively impacts both SEO and the loyalty of users who dislike long waits.

Optimizing images into WebP is a technical step that yields tangible results by improving behavioral factors and, consequently, increasing click-through rates.

The Power of Contextual Alt Text

The alt attribute (alternative text) is often underestimated, filled with formal keywords for SEO. However, its true purpose is to describe the image's content for those who cannot see it: users with screen readers and search engine bots. A well-written alt text based on the article's context provides much more benefit.

Instead of just listing keywords, you should describe what is depicted in the picture and how it relates to the surrounding text. This approach helps search engines better understand the page's content, which improves its relevance for target queries. This, in turn, attracts higher-quality traffic.

Let's look at some examples of writing alt text:

• Bad example: alt="ctr, seo, images"
• Good example: alt="Infographic showing a 25% increase in CTR after optimizing images to WebP and adding alt texts."

High-quality and meaningful alt text not only improves content accessibility but also becomes an important factor for search engine optimization, indirectly contributing to an increase in clicks.