What Is ALT Text & Why Is It Important for SEO?

       What Is Alt Text?

Alt text, or the alt attribute, is a brief text description inserted into an image in HTML. It has two primary functions:

1. Assists search engines in comprehending images: Because search engines can't "see" images the way humans do, they use alt text to determine what an image is a picture of.

2. Makes content accessible: screen readers utilize alt text to vocalize the description of images to visually impaired individuals, thereby making websites accessible.

In short, alt text converts images into words, which makes them handy for accessibility and SEO a like.

Why Is Alt Text Important?

1. Increases Image SEO & Rankings

Alt text makes your images show up in Google Image Search, which can translate to a lot of traffic for your site. This is particularly important if your site is e-commerce-oriented—most shoppers search for a product on Google Images first before clicking over to a product page.

2. Increases Website Accessibility

Millions of individuals utilize screen readers to surf the internet. If you don't have alt text, they miss out on vital information. By having good descriptions, you make the experience more pleasant for all users.

3. Enhances User Experience

If an image fails to load due to a slow connection, the alt text is shown in its place. This enables users to understand what was meant to be there.

                                  

How to Write SEO-Friendly Alt Text

Want to optimize your alt text? Apply the following best practices:

✅ Make the image description concise: Be relevant and specific. Rather than "dog," use "Golden Retriever running in the park."

✅ Incorporate natural keywords: If an image is content-relevant, include a keyword naturally.

✅ Keep it short & concise: alt text should not exceed 125 characters ideally.

✅ Skip irrelevant words: Never begin with "image of" or "picture of." Search engines and screen readers are already aware that it is an image.

✅ Include distinctive descriptions: All images require distinctive alt text; never use the identical description.

  Alt Text Errors to Evade

❌ Empty alt text: Renders the image useless for SEO and accessibility.

❌ Keyword stuffing: Adding "best watches, luxury watches, buy watches online" as alt text won't do anything—you're spamming.

❌ Being too general: "Car" isn't useful, but "Red Tesla Model 3 parked at the side of the beach" provides more meaning.

❌ Filename as alt text: "IMG_1234.jpg" doesn't tell us anything helpful.

How to Check & Fix Alt Text on Your Website

Not sure if your images are using good alt text? Here are some easy methods to check:

Inspect Element (Chrome/Firefox) – Right-click on an image, click "Inspect," and search for the alt attribute in the code.

Web Developer Chrome Extension – This extension will highlight all of the alt text on a page.

SEO Crawlers (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb) – These crawlers will crawl your website and highlight duplicate or missing alt text.

Once you've identified missing or bad alt text, update it with best practice alt text as described above.

Final Thoughts: Small Detail, Big Impact

Alt text can appear to be a small thing, but it's a big deal in terms of accessibility and SEO. By optimizing your images with proper alt text, you'll notice that you're enhancing your search rankings, user experience, and website accessibility.

Want help optimizing your site for SEO? Let's chat!

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