What exactly this criterion covers
This criterion is discreet… until it blocks SEO performance.
**H7 — Image captions** (Chapter 8 - Images): contextual <figcaption>, often read by users
H7 — Chapter 8 - Images
Criterion H7 : Image captions — guide + checklist
This criterion is discreet… until it blocks SEO performance.
The **H7 — Image captions** criterion is part of our SEO checklist (335 criteria). Here, you have a **practical** method to check and fix it — with a concrete example.
Why it matters (SEO + UX)
Why it matters: it is a technical quality factor (crawl, rendering, indexing). When poorly applied, we often observe: ambiguity (wrong associated query), duplication between pages, or loss of ranking performance.
On volume-generated sites, this criterion also serves as a **safeguard**: a stable rule avoids 1,000 errors at once.
How to check (step by step)
Approach: quick audit (manual + 1 tool). Recommended tool: **DevTools (Network)**.
- Open the page in Chrome → DevTools → Performance/Network tab.
- Run WebPageTest and note the main weak point.
- Check if the problem repeats on mass-generated pages.
Tip: first isolate 10 “representative” URLs (top pages + generated pages) before scaling the fix.
How to fix properly
Strategy: repair, re-crawl, and monitor in Search Console.
- Convert to WebP/AVIF + compress (Squoosh/ImageOptim).
- Add width/height to avoid CLS.
- Write a contextual alt (useful, not keyword-stuffed).
Then: re-crawl 50–200 URLs, then monitor Search Console for 7–14 days (impressions/CTR/indexing).
Concrete example (illustrative)
Example (illustrative):
- **Context**: local page for a car garage in Rabat
- **Before**: PNG images 2–4 MB, no explicit dimensions.
- **After**: WebP/AVIF conversion + dimensions + descriptive alt (context: local page).
- **Note**: Goal: reduce weight and improve rendering (and sometimes image search).
Checklist to tick
- [ ] Optimized weight
- [ ] Respects: contextual <figcaption>
- [ ] Modern format
- [ ] Defined dimensions
- [ ] Useful and contextual alt
FAQ
Frequently asked questions — H7
What is the most common mistake on “Image captions”?
Applying an automatic pattern that is too generic (same logic on all pages) without adding a differentiating element.
Which tool is the fastest for large-scale checking?
For this type of criterion, a crawl (e.g. Screaming Frog) + targeted verification in DevTools (Network) is usually the fastest combo.
How to prevent this from recurring on 10K generated pages?
Freeze an auto-generation rule (title/structure/schema/URLs) + add automatic control (crawl or test) before production import.
Ready to go from theory to action?
Validate this criterion with an audit, then deepen the method in the Academy.