Alt text (short for alternative text) is an essential component of web accessibility and SEO. It’s a concise description added to images on a web page to ensure they are accessible to everyone, including people using screen readers. But what exactly does it do, and why is it important? Let’s break it down.
Why is Alt Text Important?
At the end of the day, alt text serves two main purposes:
Web Accessibility: For people using screen readers, alt text provides a spoken description of an image, ensuring they don’t miss vital information. This is especially crucial for individuals with visual impairments.
SEO Benefits: Search engines rely on alt attributes to understand visual content, improving your site’s search visibility and rankings on the search engine results page (SERP).
What Makes a Good Alt Text Example?
Writing great alt text isn’t just about describing the image—it’s about making it meaningful. For instance, let’s look at an alt text example:
Image: A steaming cup of coffee on a desk.
Good Alt Text: “A steaming cup of coffee on a wooden desk, next to an open notebook.”
Poor Alt Text: “Coffee.”
The first example provides context, enhancing both the user experience and web accessibility.
Key Principles to Write Alt Text
If you’re serious about making your website accessible and optimized for search engines, follow these best practices:
Be Descriptive but ConciseKeep your descriptions relevant. For example, “A red sports car parked in front of a modern building” is more effective than simply “car.”
Avoid Using 'Image of' or 'Picture of'Screen readers already announce that it’s an image. Jump straight to the description.
Don’t Skip Decorative ImagesFor purely decorative images that don’t add meaningful content, use a blank alt attribute (alt=""). This tells screen readers to ignore them, reducing unnecessary distractions.
Incorporate Keywords NaturallySearch engines use alt tags to understand your content. For example, if your website focuses on digital marketing, include keywords like “SEO strategy” or “content management systems” where relevant.
Examples of Alt Text for Different Scenarios
Here are some practical alt text examples for common scenarios:
Product Image on an E-commerce Page
Alt Text: “A pair of white running shoes with blue accents, available in sizes 5-10.”
Social Media Post
Alt Text: “A group of friends hiking in the Lake District, smiling under a clear blue sky.”
Infographic
Alt Text: “Infographic showing the five steps of an effective SEO strategy.”
Notice how each text example adds value and context for screen reader users and enhances the user experience.
How to Add Alt Text in Different Platforms
Adding alt text is easier than you think. Here’s a quick tutorial for popular platforms:
HTML: Use the alt attribute within the <img> tag. For example:
<img src="coffee.jpg" alt="A steaming cup of coffee on a wooden desk">
Content Management Systems (CMS): Most platforms like WordPress and Squarespace have built-in fields for alt text when uploading images.
Social Media: Platforms like Twitter and Facebook allow you to add alt text to images when creating a post.
Tools to Help You Write Alt Text
If you’re just starting out, don’t worry—there are plenty of free tools to help. For example, Microsoft Word offers accessibility checkers to ensure your visual content is described effectively. Google’s Lighthouse tool also audits web accessibility on your website.
Final Thoughts: The Importance of Alt Text
Whether it’s enhancing search visibility or making your content accessible to screen reader users, alt text is a small step that makes a big difference. Think of it as giving your images a voice. So, next time you’re adding visual content to a web page, don’t overlook the text important for both accessibility and SEO.
Still unsure how to get started? Learn through trial and error, explore examples, and keep refining. Your users—and search engines—will thank you!
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