Think of alt tags like those audio descriptions in movies. They paint a picture with words, giving context to those who may not be able to see the image.  Plus, search engines can’t “see” your images either, and alt tags help them understand your content better.

What Are Alt Tags?

Let’s break down the basics. The term “alt tag” is short for alternative text.  It’s a snippet of HTML code added to an image within your website’s code.

HTML

<img src="puppy-photo.jpg" alt="Golden retriever puppy playing with a ball">

In this example:

  • src=”puppy-photo.jpg” is the location of the image file.
  • alt=”Golden retriever puppy playing with a ball” is the all-important alt text.

Two Main Purposes of Alt Tags:

  1. Accessibility: Screen readers (assistive technology for visually impaired users) read alt text aloud, giving context to images for those who can’t see them.
  2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Search engines like Google can’t interpret images directly. Alt text helps them understand the content of your image and how it relates to your overall page, improving your chances of ranking in relevant image searches.

Why Alt Tags Matter

1. Accessibility: The Inclusive Web

The internet should be for everyone!  Alt tags are a cornerstone of web accessibility. They ensure that visually impaired users can fully experience your website, bridging the gap and making your content more inclusive. Remember, people using screen readers depend on this information to navigate and understand your site.

2. SEO 

Search engines strive to provide users with the most relevant results. Well-written alt text acts as a signal to search engines like Google, helping them index your images correctly and understand the context of your page. This can boost your visibility in both regular search results and Google Images, driving more organic traffic to your site.

3. When Images Fail to Load

Broken links happen! If an image doesn’t load for any reason (slow connection, deleted file, etc.), the alt text will display instead.  This gives users a clue about what they’re missing and prevents a jarring gap in your page layout.

4. Better User Experience for Everyone

Alt tags benefit all users!  Even if someone can see your images, a thoughtfully written alt description can provide additional context or clarity. This becomes especially important for complex visuals like charts, diagrams, or infographics.

5. Future-Proofing Your Content

Imagine a future where AI can “see” and interpret images. Well-written alt text lays the groundwork! This descriptive data could help AI-powered image search tools better understand and categorize the content on your website.

How to Write Great Alt Text

Crafting effective alt text is a blend of art and science. Let’s break down the key guidelines:

1. Be Descriptive Yet Concise

Aim to give a clear idea of the image’s content and purpose. Keep it relatively short – think of a sentence or two. Screen readers read every alt tag out loud, so you don’t want to overwhelm listeners with overly wordy descriptions.

2. Focus on Context

How does the image relate to the surrounding content on your page? Your alt text should complement the text around it, providing additional information relevant to the user’s understanding of the topic.

3. Keywords – Use Strategically

It’s tempting to stuff keywords into alt text. Resist the urge!  If a keyword naturally fits the description, include it. However, prioritize accurately describing the image over using forced keywords.

4. Not Every Image Needs Alt Text

Purely decorative images (like background patterns or borders) don’t add meaningful content. Leave the alt tag empty for these:  <img src=”decorative-border.png” alt=””>.  This keeps screen readers from reading unnecessary information.

5. Examples Are Your Friend

Let’s see it in practice:

Bad Alt Text: <img src=”dog.jpg” alt=”picture”>

  • Why it’s bad: Too generic. What kind of dog? What’s it doing?

Better Alt Text: <img src=”dog.jpg” alt=”Brown Labrador retriever puppy chewing on a rope toy”>

  • Why it’s better: Provides specific details that are helpful for understanding the image.

Alt Text Optimization: Advanced Tips & Common Mistakes 

Optimizing for Different Image Types

  • Product Images (E-commerce): Be detailed! Include color, material, brand, and any unique features. Example: <img src=”red-running-shoes.jpg” alt=”Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39 running shoes, red with white soles and black swoosh logo”>
  • Infographics: Summarize the key takeaways for both human readers and search engines. To convey the data properly, a longer alt text might be required.
  • Charts & Diagrams: Describe the type of chart/diagram and its main point. For complex visuals, you might link to a longer description using the longdesc attribute.

Common Alt Text Mistakes

  1. Keyword Stuffing: Alt text is not a place to cram irrelevant keywords. Search engines will penalize this.
  2. Redundancy: If the surrounding text already describes the image, your alt text can be briefer. Avoid directly repeating what’s visible in the caption.
  3. Ignoring Important Images: If an image is crucial to understanding your content, don’t skip the alt text!

Tools to the Rescue

  • Web Accessibility Checkers: Tools like WAVE (https://wave.webaim.org/) or the W3C Validator (https://validator.w3.org/) can help identify missing alt text or other issues.
  • AI-powered Alt Text Generators: These are emerging but can provide a starting point, especially for image-heavy sites. Always review and edit the results for accuracy and context.

Elementor, a leading WordPress website builder, makes adding alt text a breeze! You can directly input alt text within the image settings when building your pages.  Elementor Hosting’s focus on speed and SEO also ensures your images (and their alt text) get delivered efficiently to both users and search engines.

When Images Aren’t Enough: Alt Text vs. Captions

It’s easy to confuse alt text and captions, but they serve different purposes:

  • Alt Text: Primarily serves screen readers and search engines. It’s the behind-the-scenes description.
  • Captions: Visible text displayed below an image intended for all users to see.

When to Use Which

  • Always Use Alt Text: Even if you have a caption, alt text is a must for accessibility and SEO.
  • Captions Are Optional: They add additional context or humor but aren’t essential for understanding the image.

Can They Work Together?

Definitely!  A well-written caption can complement the alt text.  Avoid complete duplication, instead focus on providing additional value in your caption:

Example:

  • Alt Text: <img src=”concert-stage.jpg” alt=”Rock band performing on a large stage with bright lights and a cheering crowd”>
  • Caption: “The energy was electric at last night’s The Lumineers concert! 🎸”

Important Note: While captions are helpful for accessibility, they aren’t a replacement for proper alt text.

Mastering Alt Tags with Elementor

Alt tags shouldn’t be an afterthought. Elementor, a leading WordPress website builder, recognizes their importance and makes integrating them into your website creation process a breeze.

Intuitive Interface

Elementor’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface lets you manage your website’s visuals. When adding or editing an image widget, the alt text field is prominently displayed right within the image settings. This ensures you take advantage of every opportunity to provide a helpful description.

Bulk Editing

Image-heavy websites need efficient tools.  If you need to update alt text for multiple images, Elementor’s Media Library provides options for bulk editing.

Image Optimization

A fast website relies on optimized images. Elementor Image Optimizer helps compress image file sizes without sacrificing quality. This not only improves page load times but makes it even more critical to have proper alt text – search engines and screen readers will be the first things to encounter your images!

Ben Pines – Growth Lead at Elementor

When it comes to optimizing your images, a plugin can make the whole job a lot easier.  Image Optimizer by Elementor is a plugin that reduces image file sizes without losing quality. This optimization is crucial not just for faster page loading times but also for improving your website’s SEO.

With lighter images, your site loads quicker, enhancing the user experience and boosting your search rankings. By pairing Elementor Image Optimizer with thoughtful alt text, you ensure your images are both fast-loading and accessible.

Elementor Pro Widgets

Elementor Pro expands your toolkit with widgets like:

  • Image Gallery: Showcase a collection of images beautifully. Remember, every image in that gallery deserves thoughtful alt text.
  • Image Carousel: These dynamic elements are eye-catching but don’t forget to describe each slide’s image for accessibility and SEO.
  • Image Accordion: Similarly, ensure each expanding image panel has alt text.

Alt Text for Social Media

Social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are image-driven.  While each platform has made progress in accessibility, understanding their unique alt text handling is key.

  • Automatic Alt Text vs. Manual Control: Some platforms generate automatic alt text (not always reliable), but ideally, you should have the option to provide your own.
  • Character Limits: Some platforms may restrict alt text length. Be aware of these limitations for concise descriptions.
  • Sharing to Multiple Platforms: If you re-share website images on social media, ideally, your website’s alt text should carry over.

Complex Visuals

How do you describe complex data visualizations within the constraints of alt text? It’s a challenge!

  • Summarize the Key Message: What’s the main takeaway from the chart, graph, or infographic? Focus on that in your alt text.
  • The longdesc Attribute: Explore this older HTML attribute. It allows you to link to a separate page with a full, text-based description of the visual.
  • Tools that help: Research tools specifically designed to help write alt text for data-heavy visuals.

Internationalization and Translation

Does your website cater to a multilingual audience? Alt text shouldn’t be left behind!

  • Translation Tools: Some WordPress plugins or website builders may help translate alt text alongside your other content.
  • Cultural Relevance: Remember, a direct translation might not convey the image’s full meaning in different cultures. Take the time to localize your alt text descriptions.

Conclusion

We’ve uncovered the importance of alt tags – a seemingly minor detail that holds major power for your website. By taking the time to write clear and descriptive alt text, you create a web experience that welcomes all users,  enhances your search visibility, and contributes to a more inclusive online world.