Opting in for Enhanced Image Search

[Dubbya]

Want to improve your placement in Google's Enhanced Search Engine Results? Be sure to check out the Enhanced Image Search functionality now available in Webmaster Tools!

(You'll need a Google Account to be able to opt in to the program.)

The Google Image Labeler is a hoot! You can participate as a guest or choose your own nickname. Give it a shot!

Google Image Labeler

How does it work?
You'll be randomly paired with a partner who's online and using the feature. Over a two-minute period, you and your partner will:

• View the same set of images.
• Provide as many labels as possible to describe each image you see.
• Receive points when your label matches your partner's label. The number of points will depend on how specific your label is.
• See more images until time runs out.

After time expires, you can explore the images you've seen and the websites where those images were found. And we'll show you the points you've earned throughout the session.

Tips:

• You may click the "pass" button if you can't think of any more labels for an image. If you and your partner both click "pass," you'll see the next image but receive no points for the passed image
• You'll receive more points for matches with more descriptive labels. For example, this image can be described by the labels: sky (50 points), bird (60 points), soaring (120 points), or frigate bird (150 points).

What do you need to participate?
Just an interest in helping Google improve the relevance of image search for users like yourself. If you log in to your Google account, we will keep track of your points for you. You may also enter a nickname, but we do not require either a nickname or a login to use Google Image Labeler.

[Webnauts]

I use that labeler since it exists, when I have time. I assume the purpose of labeling images is, because many webmasters do not use the alt attribute for their images.

I wrote an article how to efficiently implement that "Alt" attributes here: Alt Attribute & Search Engine Optimization - SEO Workers

[Dubbya]

I'm not sure it has anything at all to do with missing alt attributes.

Since most filenames are nondescript and because alt attributes are often stuffed with keywords (relevant or not), one might assume the searching public would benefit from an (hopefully) unbiased evaluation of the image's subject matter.

The problem here is that the person viewing the images may or may not have any familiarity with their subject matter and thus label them inappropriately.

For example, I've got a blue coloured widget made by a specific manufacturer and it's got a part number in the file name. It would be assumed that anyone looking for "Makername #0012345 blue widget" should find my image if it's been labeled properly.

If however, the person reviewing the image tags it with "blue box", "metal part" or "useless junk", it's not likely to come up in the results at all.

Does this sound reasonable to you, or am I missing something entirely?

[Webnauts]

Dubbya I assume you are right. Good points.

If people would follow the instructions I wrote in my previously mentioned article, Google would not have needed our support.

[Dubbya]

Originally Posted by Webnauts

Dubbya I assume you are right. Good points.

If people would follow the instructions I wrote in my previously mentioned article, Google would not have needed our support.

Yeah, it's a huge burden for the two of us to carry!

[Webnauts]

We have to disagree to agree. Or the way around?

[incrediblehelp]

Originally Posted by Dubbya

...unbiased evaluation of the image's subject matter.

Well it is biased, but yes that is the point of this product for others to describe what images are about, rather than the webmaster.