Alt text, short for “alternative text,” is a brief description of an image that helps screen reader users describe visuals to users who may not be able to see them. It also appears when an image fails to load, providing context even when the visual element isn't present.

Writing alt text is critical to making your site accessible and optimized for SEO. By giving detailed, descriptive text to complex images, you make sure that everybody, including folks employing assistive technologies, has a full understanding of your content.

Why alt attribute matters 

Including appropriate alt text on your website is not merely a nice-to-have. It’s vital for both accessibility and performance:

• Accessibility: Concise alt text makes your site more accessible, enabling people with visual impairments to comprehend visual content via screen readers.
• SEO advantages: Search engines interpret and index images with alt text, helping your site's ranking and visibility.
• Better user experience: When images don’t load due to slow connections or technical issues, image alt text gives users context, so your message still comes across.

How to write effective alternative text

Want to have an impact with your alt text? Here’s how:

• Be clear but brief. Describe the picture in plain, clear language.
• Focus on context. Think about why the image is there and how it supports your content.
• Avoid starting with “image of” or “picture of.” Screen readers already know it’s an image, so jump straight to the description.
• Include keywords naturally. If relevant, work in terms like “alt text” or other SEO keywords (but only if they fit organically).

Good alt text examples

Here’s what effective alt text looks like in practice:

• Too vague: “Dog”
• Too detailed: “A golden retriever wearing a red collar with a silver tag, sitting on a green lawn in the afternoon sun.”
• Just right: “Golden retriever sitting on a lawn.”

FAQs about alt text

Why is alt text important?

Alt text enables your website to be accessible to all, particularly for those using screen readers. Alt text also optimizes your SEO so that the search engines can better comprehend your images and rank your pages more precisely.

Where do I put alt text on my site?

You must include and edit alt text on all images that present valuable information. For instance, product images, infographics, and decorative images that enhance your content. Background images that are used only for design purposes don't typically require alt text.

How long should alt text be?

Descriptive alt text must be concise and straightforward. It's usually no more than one or two sentences. Simply attempt to describe the image clearly and accurately.

Can alt text enhance my website’s SEO?

Yes! Alt text allows search engines to comprehend the content of your images, which can boost your site's ranking in image search results and overall SEO performance.

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