is data inside a slideshow or carousel readable by Google?

[shags38]

v1.5.7b php7.1

Just wondering if there is any SEO advantage to showing products or text in a slideshow or carousel or is it just for visual effect for visitors? - can Google read the data inside the frame?

cheers,
Mike

[balihr]

If you're using a slideshow that shows images only (ie. ZX Slideshow), then google will only read the alt tags. If your slideshow supports actual text, then search engines will read the text as well.
Same goes for carousels and banners - if you're showing only images (with text embedded on images), consider it for visual effect only.

I'm *still* trying to find some time to finish the new version of ZX Slideshow which will allow readable text, but no ETA, crazy times at work...

[shags38]

many thanks for your reply Leonard. The text readable version would be a big boost for SEO - particularly if it could be placed on multiple pages aside from just home page, e.g. at the bottom of category pages or inserted into EZ pages - ideally each one having different content (e.g. version _1 for page x, _2 for page y, _3 for page z etc) - should be able to knock that up in a few minutes right?

Thanks again,
cheers, Mike

[schoolboy]

Over 10 years ago I did some research into how to "encourage" greater visibility of my product images on Google - particularly with the image search feature, and ended up doing three things (quite laborious in terms of time).

1. First step was to embed specific EXIF metadata into the product images. This EXIF metadata is "embedded" into an image and can contain lot of info about the image. Most (all) digital cameras embed EXIF info into an image, usually relating to the camera settings, etc. But it is possible to add a LOT more info to the EXIF metadata.
Here's how:-
Open your local folder of product images, and then RIGHT-CLICK on the desired image.
On the popup menu, select PROPERTIES (usually at the bottom of the list)
On the popup dialog box, select the DETAILS tab
You will see headings:
- Title
- Subject
- Rating
- Tags
- Comments
... (etc)
If you (for example) click "Title"... then move your cursor to the right, a white input box will appear. This allows you to insert text
The same is true for MOST of the other properties - but some are not editable. When you've done all the desired properties, click OK.
By ADDING/EDITING this EXIF data, a LOT of additional metadata is embedded in the image.
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2. Then, on my Google Business Listing, I uploaded all the images to Google
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3. I FTP'd all the EXIF-modified images to the folder(s) on the webserver to overwrite existing images - so same filename and file type - just that the new images contained all the exif data.


NOW... Does Google consider EXIF data in rating and ranking an image? Who really knows??? Google does not reveal its secret sauces, but back in 2012, then Head of Google Search MATT CUTTS said this:
https://youtu.be/GMf6FmRus2M
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