Alt Text
Alt text is a text description attached to an image in the HTML code. It makes the image accessible to screen readers and is shown if the image fails to load. Alt text also helps search engines understand the image's content, which can improve visibility in image search.
A product photo might get the alt text "blue women's running shoe seen from the side", describing the subject precisely.
In-depth guide
How to write good alt text
Write for the two audiences alt text actually has: a user on a screen reader, and Google’s image search. Both need a precise, short description of what the image actually shows.
<img src="running-shoes.jpg" alt="Blue women's running shoe, side view, Nova model">- Be specific, not generic. “Image” or “product photo” says nothing. Describe color, subject, and context the way you would to a friend on the phone.
- Avoid keyword stuffing. “Running shoes cheap running shoes buy running shoes” helps neither the user nor the ranking, and can damage trust in the site.
- Skip “image of” at the start. Screen readers already announce that it is an image, so it is redundant.
- Decorative images can have empty alt text (
alt=""), so screen readers skip them entirely instead of reading out an unnecessary filename.
What alt text should not be used for
Alt text is not the place for sales copy or a call to action. It should describe what is actually in the image, not persuade anyone to buy it. Google sees through attempts to stuff in keywords that do not match the image’s actual content, and a screen reader user who hears a sales pitch instead of a description loses trust in the site.
Read on
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