Hi everyone, and welcome back to another Schools & Agents Bulletin. In our continuing series on search engine optimisation (SEO) for international education providers, our latest video highlights the critical role multimedia plays in improving your website’s performance. 

The vital role of multimedia for SEO

Including videos and images in your web content serves a number of purposes:

• Breaking up text-heavy pages, creating a more visually appealing experience.
• Increasing user engagement, which is a positive signal to search engines.
• Making complex information about your courses and campus more accessible.

However, simply adding images and videos isn’t enough—how you implement these elements significantly impacts your SEO results.

Optimising images and videos for search engines

Here are three things to consider when optimising your multimedia content.

1. Implement ALT text properly

ALT text (alternative text) is a crucial but often overlooked element for images and videos. This text:

• Provides a brief description of what appears in the visual content.
• Helps search engines understand what your multimedia shows.
• Serves as a fallback if images or videos fail to load.
• Improves accessibility for visitors using screen readers.

When writing ALT text, be concise yet descriptive, focusing on accurately representing the visual content.

2. Balance quality with performance

High-quality images showcase your school or agency professionally, but they can slow down your website if not properly optimised. Make sure to:

• Choose clear, professional images that represent your institution well.
• Compress all images before uploading to reduce file size without sacrificing quality.
• Consider lazy loading for media-heavy pages to improve page speed.

3. Use descriptive file names

Before uploading any multimedia content, rename your files with descriptive names:

• Avoid generic names like ‘image1’ or ‘video2’.
• Use brief descriptions that include relevant information, such as ‘london-campus-international-students’.
• Incorporate location or programme information where appropriate.

These multimedia optimisation techniques will allow you to significantly improve both user experience and search engine performance. Need help with your SEO? Drop us a line today and we’ll guide you in effectively showcasing your institution’s offerings while ranking higher in relevant searches. 

Written by Stephanie Clark