Optimizing Your Site's Thumbnail Image in Google Search Results

A thumbnail image is the image that sometimes appears beside your site's name in Google search results.

When a user enters a search query, Google finds sites that best match the search phrase and automatically creates a thumbnail image from the site's images. Google uses its own criteria to choose the best image that explains a site's purpose and how the site relates to the search query.

Here is an example:

Important:

It's not guaranteed that Google will add a thumbnail image to your site's search result.

Tips to get Google to use the thumbnail you want:

It's not possible to manually change the thumbnail image that Google uses. However, there are some steps you can take to improve your chances of getting the thumbnail you want used.

• Use high-quality images on your site. Small or low-resolution images may not be used in search results.

• Add alt text to your images. Search engine bots can't read images and use alt text to get a description of the image. Learn more about adding alt text.

• Pair your thumbnail with a matching favicon and site name. Together, they help AI tools show a consistent, recognizable version of your brand.