Why does Google separate web indexing and image indexing?

What does this mean for your image SEO?<\/h3>

Google has explicitly stated that it has separate indexes for web and images. This means that your optimization efforts for image SEO should be distinct from those for other digital content.<\/p>

In practice, this can lead to situations where an image is visible in image search but absent from the indexing report in Search Console.<\/p>

• Images and textual content are treated differently.<\/li>
• Don't assume that an indexed image is properly accounted for by standard tools.<\/li><\/ul>

  Why does this create confusion?<\/h3>

  It's easy to think that an image appearing in a search is necessarily well indexed overall. However, with these separate indexes, an image can be found in image results while being absent from standard reports.<\/p>

  This prompts a reevaluation of how you check the performance of your visuals in terms of online presence.<\/p>

  • Standard tools are not sufficient for a comprehensive view.<\/li>
  • Focus on specific analyses for images.<\/li><\/ul>

Is this statement consistent with observed practices?<\/h3>

Yes, many SEO professionals have observed disparities between the indexing of images and web pages. Google is finally clarifying this point, confirming that the approach must be differentiated.<\/p>

Are there implications for crawl budget?<\/h3>

Managing your crawl budget must take this separation into account. The crawlers for images and web do not operate in the same way. Target your robots.txt guidelines and sitemaps accordingly.<\/p>

Beware of hasty conclusions based solely on Search Console reports for images.<\/div>