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SEO Attribution with Smush CDN

When using Smush CDN, how does the unique domain that image src uses attributes to SEO score when it comes to its original source domain?

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 6:47:08
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  • Ash
    • Code Norris

    Hello Greg

    To put it simply, a CDN can help you index your images faster in the SERPs. Google image search is a topic we rarely see discussed in the world of SEO and CDNs, and yet it is a very important feature of the SERPs that has been known to generate a lot of traffic. According to a case study by Brafton Marketing, 63% of Google image search clicks turn into site traffic. Obviously, similar success will vary from niche to niche.

    By hosting your images on a CDN, you can ensure they will index as fast as possible and Google will crawl them more often. This means you should see a direct correlation with the positions that your images rank for in Google image search.

    [Src: https://moz.com/ugc/how-to-get-cdns-to-play-nice-with-seo%5D

    I have also sent a note to the Smush developer if he wants to add more. Have a nice day!

    Cheers,

    Ash

  • Greg
    • Smushie Pies

    Ash

    Ash, I understand what a CDN and have used it on many sites. I typically use https://www.keycdn.com/ because they actually understand the important of either CNAME on the original domain attribution OR using any 3rd party domain name (in your case a wpmudev domain for CDN) but allow search engines to clears see all SEO credit to be passed to the original domain (i.e. cross domain attribution for the originating canonical URL).

    So, I think you should follow what KeyCDN is doing (allow for obvious canonical credit back to the originaing domain/webiste in the case and ability to add a cname like cdn.mydomain and cdn2.mydomain.com ).

    At the very least and easiest would to be sure all your CDN assets attribute canonical url credit to the originating domain name/website). Otherwise your domain name you use for our CDN when enable will take SEO juice away from our sites we have your CDN enabled on).

    Let me know?

    Do this further help the concern we have?

    I would not want to enable on any sites I control or client sites unless there has been assurance in this area that your team provides for.

    I have seen horrible drops in SEO by not doing the above. KeyCDN does it perfectly with little to now rankings drop. So, I would follow them (most CDNs don’t consider it as much as KeyCDN does). I have tried many FYI.

    Let me know?

    :slight_smile:

    See here https://www.keycdn.com/blog/best-seo-cdn and https://www.keycdn.com/blog/cdn-seo-indexing-images

    KeyCDN is one of the few CDNs that make it easy and see the importance of this subject.

    Not doing it has, actually, had devastating effects on rankings on all search engines across the board. When adjusting per the above rankings do recover though FYI from my direct experience.

  • Nithin Ramdas
    • Support Wizard

    Hi Greg,

    I do understand your concern, however, with the latest trends in terms of SEO, it shouldn’t be bringing any significant changes in terms of rankings. Please check this link for more info:

    https://www.seroundtable.com/google-images-domain-name-seo-27213.html

    We could still see there is the scope of improvements regarding this in the CDN that could be implemented, like canonical headers etc Which our team is looking forward to implement down the plugin’s roadmap.

    I’m passing your observation, and concerns regarding this to our developer so that they could check further about the possibilities of improving the plugin’s workflow.

    Kind Regards,

    Nithin