You must have surely heard of alt text which is also known as alt tag or alt text. The “alt tag” is actually an “attribute” of the image tag and not a tag in itself. But the term “alt tag” has imposed itself on the misuse of language. These are of great importance for Natural Context (SEO).
Alt text can do more for your image’s SEO than you think, and leaving the alt attribute blank can negatively impact your search engine rankings.
Adding alternative text to images is a common practice among SEO professionals to optimize the positioning of your site on the web.
What does the alternate text represent?
Alternate text is a word that is also found within shorter alternative text. It describes the content of an image as well as its context. Alt texts are visible to Internet users when the image cannot be displayed. The same is the case with search engines. This is what allows them to define the subject of the image as they do not have the software to view the images. It also allows its description to be verbalized for the visually impaired.
Importance of Alt Attribute
Alt text is an integral part of a web page and it takes thought and time to strategize about its content.
For various reasons, it may happen that the titles of the images or the images may not be displayed on the screen. This is the optional text that will transmit the information to the search engines.
If for us the image is often speaking, it is not for the search engines that don’t visualize it like us. They don’t have software for this. So they use alt text to know the meaning of the image. That’s why it’s important that it represents what’s visible on them.
Similarly, search engines take into account the compatibility between images and content in order to rank websites. If they can’t see the image, they’ll have to look for information elsewhere. This is then the optional text that will give them the information they need for the site’s status.
If technology, and in particular artificial intelligence, has advanced search engines in this area and allows them to understand images, then alternative text remains the simplest and allows for faster processing of information.
Because good alternative text provides meaningful content to an image, it is used by search engines to return search results. In other words, good alt text gives search engines more – and better – information to rank your website, leading to higher rankings.
The more thoughtful and helpful you describe your content to users, the easier it is for search engine crawlers to understand.
But alternative lessons are also important for adaptation to the Internet for people with disabilities. Thanks to this feature, the visually impaired will verbally describe the image they cannot see.
IMPORTANT: Alternate text or alternative text is also a feature of social networks. It provides the ability to describe an image with text to help visually impaired people understand the material. the text is then read aloud
difference between alt tag and image caption
This is a mistake that is often made. Confuse alternate text and image titles. They do not have the same purpose, but they can complement each other. Alt text replaces the image when it cannot be seen by search engines for SEO natural context, among other things. The title of the image gives additional information to better understand the subject.
One alt tag for all image types
Whatever the format of your image, an alternative text can be added to it. Alt tags are compatible with various existing formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF…
write effective alternative text
Your image alt text gives us the opportunity to include keywords in a relevant way. It should describe the image in a few words. When writing alternative text for images on a web page, keep the following in mind:
Use keywords sparingly in your alt tags
If, when describing an image, you can wisely include one or two key keywords, that’s great. This will contribute effectively to your SEO. But only if you do it honestly and sparingly.
Search engines may not recognize “bad” or “useless” alternative text as contextual, but you run the risk of being downgraded for keyword stuffing. So your goal should be to specifically and succinctly describe any image that requires alternate text.
Include text that is part of an image
When text is included in an image, be sure to include it in your description.
Unless you have to repeat yourself: If the title of your page is for example an announcement of a show, then don’t put the show back in the image presenting the poster of the show, because too much of the show kills the show, you can’t follow We do?
Don’t Add Alternative Text to “Decorative” Images
“Ornamental” images include items like page dividers or some icons… they make things look good or visually break up the content of the page. But they have no contextual significance or meaning, and so if they are offered alternative text, it will not help people understand the page better.
Ideally, decorator images should be managed in your code rather than being added as “content”. However, if they are to be uploaded as images, alternative text may not be added. Screen readers will simply ignore them, which is the intention of this scenario.
don’t forget the logo alt tag
The logo of a company or association is an image and is present on most Internet media.
Avoid “company logo” type descriptions
Of course, this text describes what your image is about, but it can be too general and won’t give the relevant details that search engine robots need. Prefer the version: “Add the company logo… and the name of your structure. This way, you will allow relevant and effective identification of robots to refer to on search engines.
Think about alternative text for your CTA button
Even if it doesn’t interest you, it’s important to complete the alternative text of your “call to action” button. You might think it’s meaningless if the element is just a simple graphic with text showing the action you want. Well it is not so!
In this case, it would allow a better understanding of the information by those who cannot see the button.
Example:
Text for a CTA button requesting information about a service your company provides: We can think of an optional tag like this: “request for information”
Text for the caller CTA button to contact the company: We can imagine an alt tag type: “contact request”
Never start your alt tag with “image of…” or “photo of…”.
It would be obvious for a person or machine to know that what they are accessing is alt text, instead of a picture…
Imagine how frustrating it is to use a screen reader on a page with lots of images and have to read: “cinema storefront image”, “box office image”, “room door image” “armchair image”…
On the other hand, it can be useful to explain the type of image (picture, illustration, graphic, screenshot). ,
Some examples of contextual alt tags
Your image represents a couple kissing under the Eiffel Tower on a winter morning
Good reflex Alternative text: Couple kissing under the Eiffel Tower in winter
Correct Choice: A Couple Kiss
Not valid: one pair
Your image represents a pink flower in an enigmatic garden illuminated by the sun.
Good reflex Alternative text: Pink flowers in an enigmatic garden in the sun
The right choice: pink flowers in the garden
Not valid: Flowers
Your image represents the Pont des Arts in Paris during the rainy season
Good reflex alt text: Pont des Arts in Paris in Rennes
The Right Choice: Pont des Arts in Paris
Not valid: Pont des Arts
Your image is the face of an elderly woman on a white background
Good reflex Alternative text: The face of an elderly woman on a white background
Correct option: face of an elderly woman
Not valid: face of a woman
Our tips for working with your alt tags
Prevent Misconceptions… An alternative text could possibly be left blank without penalizing your SEO rankings in a decisive way. If the image is just to decorate a page, it doesn’t need to be present in the eyes of search engines.
When you can, and if the image is important in the context of your site, avoid those that include text, as the text included in the visual is not taken into account by search engines.
Don’t do keyword stuffing. Describe your image with 4 or 5 well chosen words.
A blank alt attribute is a missed opportunity to improve image ranking in search engines. Also, it does not provide a good experience for visually impaired users.
SEO experts can help you improve the SEO of your images and your site. Post your project on Codeur.com to get their quotes. It is easy and free !