What is image alt text? This type of text helps visually impaired users and search engines understand the image. As you master the art of using alt text, you can boost search engine rankings and enhance user experience.
Today, this article will reveal the importance of image alt text and how to use it effectively. Let’s check it out to empower your content with greater accessibility!
What Is Image Alt Text?
Alt text (alternative text) is used to provide a description for an image on a webpage. The description appears when the image cannot load.
What are alt attributes and alt tags meaning? Similarly, alt attributes are HTML attributes used to specify alt texts. They can be read by screen readers.
You need to use the alt text flexibly because there are up to three types of images on a website:
- Informative images: You use the images to provide valuable information to readers. They require alt text in the alt attribute or next to them to convey the information.
- Decorative images: Since these images don’t add any content to the webpage, they can have empty alt attributes.
- Functional images: These images serve as links. Their alt text can be near the image, within the link, or in the alt attribute. The text must indicate the link’s destination and explain the image.
Why Is Alt Text Important?
What is the purpose of alt text? And how does it affect SEO? Let’s see some benefits you can gain from using the alt text properly.
User Experience
Alt text provides meaningful content to all users. When an image can’t load, the alt text allows users to understand its intended message, regardless of their ability to view it visually. Hence, alt meaning in text enhances usability by ensuring everyone can fully engage with the content.
Image Traffic
Alt text gives information that helps search engines understand and index the images effectively. Thus, the text will improve their opportunities to appear in search results, increasing image traffic to your website.
Accessibility
Alt text is a textual description of images on web pages. Based on alt text definition, it ensures that individuals and screen readers can access and understand the content that has images.
SEO
What is alt text in SEO? Search engines check the alt text to understand the image’s content. So, when used correctly with relevant keywords, alt text can contribute to overall website SEO.
How to Add Alt Text to Your Images?
You can optimize images for SEO by using alt text. Platforms like WordPress and HubSpot allow you to do it seamlessly.
In the WordPress CMS
If you want to improve accessibility and SEO on your WordPress website, check the steps below:
- Click the image to which you want to add alt text. The Block tab will open in the sidebar.
- Choose “Image Settings” within the tab.
- Find the empty field intended for alt text and enter the image description.
- Click “Update” to save the change.
In the HubSpot CMS
If you are using HubSpot CMS, try these steps to add alt text to your images:
- Click the image in which you want to insert alt text.
- Choose the edit icon to open the image optimization box.
- In the box, find the field to insert the alt text. The text you enter will turn into the HTML source code.
- Finally, save the change to ensure you have applied the alt text to your image.
Tips For Writing Alt Text
After exploring “what does alt text mean,” you must be excited about adding it to your content. Please check the following tips first to ensure its best performance.
Describe the image accurately
Why use alt text? The main goal is to replace an image when readers can’t see it. So, the alt text has to describe the image well. You need to explain it as you would to somebody over the phone.
Keep the alt text short
The idea of using the alt text is to represent an image. However, do not write the alt text as long as a paragraph. Instead, keep it concise. Screen readers often cut it to about 125 characters.
Use keywords
Keywords in the alt text can boost your Google ranking because they help the search engines acknowledge the context and relevance of the image. You can also improve user experience thanks to the informative descriptions included in the alt text.
However, avoid excessive and unhelpful keyword use. In marketing, this issue is called “keyword stuffing,” which may lower your ranking. So, focus on important images and keywords that enhance your webpage’s content.
Check spelling errors
Misspelled alt text can affect user experience and confuse search engines. Hence, review the alt text with the same attention to detail as other content on the page.
Don’t use alt text for every image
Many people confuse alt text with image caption. While captions aim to help users understand the context, alt texts provide information for users relying on screen readers. All images need captions to clarify themselves. But alt texts are unnecessary in some cases. For example, decorative images should have empty alt attributes.
Conclusion
Understanding “What is image alt text?” is important for enhancing web accessibility and SEO. Clear alt text for your images ensures you can strengthen your website’s overall presence. To maximize the numerous benefits of alt text, learn how to use it effectively. Your website will surely reach new heights!
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