We have been talking about the sensitivity of Google Image Search for a while now and the topic has made it to the popular picks discussion in Google Groups.

Googler, Evan, posted a Google Groups thread discussing the various reasons why an image may not be found in Google Image Search.

The first step is to see if your images are indexed at all. So you basically need to go to images.google.com and do an image site search i.e. [site:seroundtable.com].

Then, if your images are in the index, great. If not, then change the SafeSearch Filtering from the current filter to “Do not filter my search results” in the image search preferences. Then do the search again and see if any or more images are found. If your images are now found, then you know your images are classified as not being Safe (or being adult in nature). Yes, Google has been known to be very sensitive in this area.

Evan also adds that Google indexes and ranks images on more than just your alt text and title tags. Google also looks at the “ranking of the parent or linking page,” the page linking to the image. Evan also recommends that you “consider how unique and compelling the content is beyond the image itself, with the context and information surrounding it.” Finally, he says you must be patient.

Forum discussion at Google Groups.