What is Alt Text and Why Does It Matter?
Alt text (alternative text) is a written description of an image that serves both accessibility and SEO purposes.
Alt text, or alternative text, is an HTML attribute (alt="...") that provides a text description of an image. It serves two critical purposes:
Accessibility
Screen readers use alt text to describe images to visually impaired users. Without proper alt text, these users miss important visual content and context.
SEO Benefits
Search engines cannot "see" images - they rely on alt text to understand image content. Well-optimized alt text helps your images rank in Google Image Search and supports your page's overall SEO.
Best Practices for Alt Text
- Be specific and descriptive: Describe what's actually in the image
- Keep it concise: Aim for 125 characters or less
- Include keywords naturally: Don't force keywords - include them only when relevant
- Avoid "image of" or "picture of": Screen readers already announce it's an image
- Consider context: The alt text should make sense in the context of surrounding content
- Use empty alt for decorative images: Use
alt=""for purely decorative images
Accessibility Compliant
Generates alt text that meets WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines
SEO Optimized
Naturally incorporates target keywords for image search ranking
Optimal Length
Keeps descriptions under 125 characters for screen reader compatibility
Context-Aware
Creates descriptions that make sense within your page content