# SERP Analysis: Banner, Test, Placeholder Images
Date: 2026-01-09

---

## 1. "banner images" (27,100 vol, KD 21)

### TOP 10 SERP:
| # | Domain | Type | Notes |
|---|--------|------|-------|
| 1 | unsplash.com | Stock gallery | "550+ Banner Pictures" |
| 2 | stock.adobe.com | Stock gallery | "43M+ Stock Photos" |
| 3 | freepik.com | Stock gallery | Vectors focus |
| 4 | pexels.com | Stock gallery | "6000+ stock photos" |
| 5 | pinterest.com | Inspiration | Design ideas |
| 6 | canva.com | Tool | "Free Online Banner Maker" |
| 7 | pixabay.com | Stock gallery | "10000+ Free Banner" |
| 8 | vecteezy.com | Stock gallery | Vectors |
| 9 | dribbble.com | Inspiration | Design showcase |

### SERP FEATURES:
- Image pack at position 4
- All results have image thumbnails
- Related searches: "Free banner images", "Banner images png", "Banner images maker"

### VERDICT: ❌ SKIP
**Intent:** Find stock images, NOT generate images
**Competitors:** Giant stock photo platforms
**Difficulty:** Would require competing with Unsplash, Adobe, Freepik
**Action:** NOT worth targeting. Wrong intent for Banatie.

---

## 2. "test images" (6,600 vol, KD 9)

### TOP 10 SERP:
| # | Domain | Type | Notes |
|---|--------|------|-------|
| 1 | picsum.photos | Placeholder service | Lorem Picsum! |
| 2 | unsplash.com | Stock gallery | "500+ Test Pictures" |
| 3 | pexels.com | Stock gallery | "5000+ Best Test Photos" |
| 4 | gettyimages.com | Stock gallery | Premium stock |
| 5 | shutterstock.com | Stock gallery | Premium stock |
| 6 | pixabay.com | Stock gallery | "1000+ Free Testing" |
| 7 | stock.adobe.com | Stock gallery | "7.5M+ Testing Images" |
| 8 | create.vista.com | Stock gallery | VistaCreate |
| 9 | testimages.org | Test patterns | Display calibration |

### SERP FEATURES:
- Image pack at position 2
- Related searches: "Test images for image processing", "Test image 4k"

### VERDICT: ⚠️ MIXED INTENT
**Intent 1:** Developer placeholder images (Lorem Picsum #1 proves demand)
**Intent 2:** Stock photos of "test/testing" concept
**Intent 3:** Display calibration test patterns

**Key finding:** Lorem Picsum ranks #1 — confirms developer intent EXISTS
**Problem:** SERP is polluted with stock photo sites
**Action:** Target "placeholder images" instead — cleaner SERP

---

## 3. "placeholder images" (14,800 vol, KD 32)

### TOP 10 SERP:
| # | Domain | Type | Notes |
|---|--------|------|-------|
| 1 | placehold.co | Placeholder API | "Simple, fast and free" |
| 2 | picsum.photos | Placeholder API | Lorem Picsum |
| 3 | reddit.com/r/webdev | Discussion | static.photos (new competitor) |
| 4 | stock.adobe.com | Stock | Minor presence |
| 5 | loremipsum.io | Listicle | "15 Best Placeholder Generators" |
| 6 | unsplash.com | Stock | "750+ Placeholder Pictures" |
| 7 | placehold.net | Placeholder API | Another competitor |
| 8 | VS Code Marketplace | Extension | Placeholder Images extension |

### SERP FEATURES:
- Image pack at position 5
- Video results (YouTube tutorials)
- People Also Ask:
  - "What is a placeholder image?"
  - "Where can I get placeholder images?"
  - "How to make an image placeholder?"
- Related searches: **"AI placeholder images"** ← EXACTLY BANATIE!

### VERDICT: 🔥 PERFECT TARGET

**Intent:** 100% developer — find/use placeholder images
**Top 3 competitors to beat:**

#### 1. placehold.co
- Simple SVG/PNG placeholder generator
- URL-based: placehold.co/600x400
- Features: custom text, colors, formats
- Weakness: Static, no context, no AI

#### 2. picsum.photos (Lorem Picsum)
- Random photo placeholders
- URL-based: picsum.photos/600/400
- Features: blur, grayscale, specific photos
- Weakness: Random (not contextual), limited control

#### 3. Reddit thread (static.photos)
- New service with categories
- 46 categories (nature, food, tech)
- Weakness: Still stock photos, not generated

### BANATIE DIFFERENTIATION:
1. **AI-generated** — contextual, not random
2. **Live URLs** — placeholders that become production images
3. **Prompt-based** — describe what you need
4. **API-first** — built for developers

### CONTENT STRATEGY:
1. Create comparison: "Lorem Picsum vs Banatie"
2. Target "AI placeholder images" (in related searches!)
3. Answer PAA questions in content
4. Get listed in loremipsum.io listicle (outreach)

---

## 4. Long-tail Questions Research

### Claude Code + Images
| Keyword | Volume | Notes |
|---------|--------|-------|
| can claude code generate images | 20 | Only query with data! Spiked to 70 in Aug'25 |
| claude code image generation | 10 | Minimal but exists |
| how to generate images in claude code | null | No data |
| claude code create image | null | No data |
| how to add images to claude code project | null | No data |
| images in claude code artifacts | null | No data |

**Verdict:** Tiny volume but REAL demand. "can claude code generate images" = 20 vol proves people ask this question.

### Vibecoding + Images
| Keyword | Volume | Notes |
|---------|--------|-------|
| vibe coding with images | null | No data |
| how to add images when vibe coding | null | No data |
| vibe coding website images | null | No data |
| images for vibe coded website | null | No data |

**Verdict:** ZERO search volume. Gap exists but no one is searching YET.

### Generic AI + Images
| Keyword | Volume | Notes |
|---------|--------|-------|
| how to generate images for website with ai | null | No data |
| ai generated images for web development | null | No data |
| where to get images for ai generated website | null | No data |
| images for ai built website | null | No data |
| generate images with ai for website | null | No data |
| ai image generation for developers | null | No data |

**Verdict:** ZERO. People don't search these phrases.

### Component + Images
| Keyword | Volume | Notes |
|---------|--------|-------|
| how to create react component with image | null | No data |
| where to get images for components | null | No data |
| placeholder images for react components | null | No data |
| images for tailwind components | null | No data |

**Verdict:** ZERO. Component-specific image queries don't exist.

---

## KEY INSIGHT: The Gap Problem

**What we found:**
- Long-tail question keywords = mostly ZERO volume
- People DON'T search "how to get images for vibe coding"
- Only "can claude code generate images" (20 vol) has any data

**Why this matters:**
1. SEO for long-tail questions = low ROI (no volume)
2. BUT the NEED exists (validated by "placeholder images" 14.8k vol)
3. People search for SOLUTIONS ("placeholder images") not PROBLEMS ("images for vibe coded website")

**Strategic implication:**
- Don't create content targeting question keywords
- Target solution keywords: "placeholder images", "ai placeholder images"
- Position Banatie as answer to unasked questions
- Use question keywords in H2s within solution-focused content

---

## FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

### ❌ SKIP: "banner images"
- Wrong intent (stock photos, not generation)
- Dominated by giants (Unsplash, Adobe, Freepik)

### ⚠️ SECONDARY: "test images"
- Mixed intent, messy SERP
- Lorem Picsum #1 proves developer demand
- Can capture if we rank for "placeholder images" first

### ✅ PRIMARY: "placeholder images"
- Perfect developer intent
- Beatable competitors (simple placeholder services)
- "AI placeholder images" in related searches = validation
