Optimizing images for search engine optimization (SEO) is important for the overall SEO of a website because it can help improve the visibility and ranking of the website in search results. When search engines crawl and index a website, they can use the information provided in the images to understand the content and context of the website.

Here are a few ways that optimizing images for SEO can benefit a website:

1. Increased visibility: Optimizing images with relevant and descriptive file names and alt text can help search engines understand the content of the images and may improve the ranking of the webpage in search results.

2. Improved user experience: Optimized images that load quickly can improve the user experience and make it easier for users to engage with the website. This can improve the ranking of the webpage in search results.

3. Increased traffic: Optimizing images for SEO can make it more likely that users will discover the website through image search results, which can drive additional traffic to the website.

4. Better crawl efficiency: Optimizing images can make it easier for search engines to crawl and index the website, which can improve the overall SEO of the website.

In general, optimizing images for SEO is an important part of overall website SEO because it can help improve the visibility, user experience, and crawl efficiency of the website.