Best format to name pictures?

[wkilis]

I am working on a fan website (blog) that will have many pictures / wallpapers of a particular actress. I would appreciate some feedback / guidance on the SEO structure.

How should I name my pictures? actress-name-sexy-pic or actress_name_sexy_pic ?

[beu]

url.com/images/actressname/sexypic.jpg

[Marcia]

Watch what words you put into text or alt attributes or even image names. You *could* trigger the adult content filter, getting the site filtered out, and there's no point to taking that chance if it isn't that kind of site.

If it's that kind of site, it doesn't make a difference.

[beu]

Originally Posted by Marcia

Watch what words you put into text or alt attributes or even image names. You *could* trigger the adult content filter, getting the site filtered out, and there's no point to taking that chance if it isn't that kind of site.

If it's that kind of site, it doesn't make a difference.

So true Marcia, either way you might consider creating a label for your site for "kid friendly browsers" http://www.icra.org/sitelabel/ and for more information about P.I.C.S. check out http://www.w3.org/PICS/ . Good luck!

[Marcia]

LOL. sexy pictures aren't what I'd exactly call "kid friendly." Fan sites can be kind of iffy, depending on what type of public image the celebrity has.

If I had a child young enough to have a kid safe browser, I wouldn't allow any fan sites at all - unless it was something like Sesame Street or Nick types or some educational sites.

[beu]

Originally Posted by Marcia

LOL. sexy pictures aren't what I'd exactly call "kid friendly." Fan sites can be kind of iffy, depending on what type of public image the celebrity has.

If I had a child young enough to have a kid safe browser, I wouldn't allow any fan sites at all - unless it was something like Sesame Street or Nick types or some educational sites.

True but, porn sites also use these labels to make it clear that they have "adult" content and that their site is not "kid friendly".

[Marcia]

Originally Posted by beu

True but, porn sites also use these labels to make it clear that they have "adult" content and that their site is not "kid friendly".

beu, it isn't so that adult sites always use labels, and the filter will block sites that trip it - without labels. So if the site's content doesn't warrant being filtered out, then don't ask for unnecessary trouble.

But I was responding to your previous post:

either way you might consider creating a label for your site for "kid friendly browsers" http://www.icra.org/sitelabel/ and for more information about P.I.C.S. check out http://www.w3.org/PICS/ . Good luck!

No, you do NOT put kid friendly on a site that has "sexy" in either text or images. Why would a fan site have sexy in a filename? And how would that make it kid friendly?

But the point is, getting back to the original question of what to name the file, the best answer is that it depends. It can depend on what kind of site and audience it is whether to even use the word "sexy" but the kind of word it is is a different matter from the SEO issue at hand.

If the issue being asked about is how to format the filename for SEO, that's a different issue and I think that's what's probably being asked about.

[Marcia]

The title of this thread clearly indicates what the topic is, what's being asked about:

Best format to name pictures?

Underscores or hyphens both work. I use hyphens for filenames and underscores for images just out of habit, I've done it for so long.

But wkilis, head over to Google image search and run through a number of searches, checking the filenames, alt attribute and also what else is on the page. Like this one:

tennis shoes

That way you see first hand what's turning up at the engines.

[beu]

Sorry for getting off topic! I use a "keyword" / "category" folder name to specify "images", "photos" or something similar. Also, try to stick with files like jpg or gif. Use words to describe your photos and words that users might search for to find your photos.

[wkilis]

Thank you for the help! I appreciate everyone's comments.

I will be using underscores. Suggesting I look at my competitors is a great idea, I am definitely doing that.

Thank you!

[must]

i think search engines consider - and _ the same...

but it's not the same. dashes separate words, underscore is a connector of the two words making them one word.

cheers

[Marcia]

Right - they don't treat them the same.