Ever wondered how search engines like Google figure out what’s in an image on your website? Unlike humans, search engines can’t “see” pictures; they rely on a small but powerful tool called “alt text.” In this post, we’ll explain what alt text is, why it matters for SEO, and how to use it effectively to improve your website’s performance.
Alt text, short for “alternative text,” is a brief description of an image on a web page. While it’s invisible to your average visitor, it plays a crucial role for screen readers used by visually impaired users and for search engines trying to understand the content of the image.
Search engines like Google strive to provide the most relevant results for users’ queries. To properly index images, they depend on alt text to interpret what the image represents. Well-crafted alt text can enhance your image’s relevance for specific search terms, improving its chances of appearing in search results and driving traffic to your site.
Beyond SEO, alt text is essential for accessibility. It allows visually impaired users to interpret your website’s images using screen readers. This not only broadens your audience but also aligns your site with accessibility standards, which can positively impact your overall SEO.
Alt text is crucial not only for image search but also for enhancing your overall SEO. While it is particularly crucial for ranking in Google Images, it also contributes to your page’s relevance in regular web searches. By providing search engines with accurate descriptions of your images, you’re signaling the content and context of your page, which can improve your rankings across search results.
You can write alt text yourself or use AI tools to generate it automatically. Manual writing allows for tailored descriptions that perfectly match the context of your content. However, AI tools can save time and provide a starting point, especially for large volumes of images. While AI-generated alt text is improving, it’s often best to review and refine these descriptions to ensure they accurately reflect the image and align with your SEO strategy.
How to Generate Alt Text for a Photo Using AI
1. Upload Your Photo: Follow the provided link and upload your image. You can also add a brief description and specify the number of caption options you’d like to generate.
2. Generate the Text: Once you’ve completed these steps, click the button to generate the alt text.
3. Review and Edit: Go through the generated options, select the most suitable one, and make any necessary adjustments to fit your needs.
- Be Clear and Descriptive: Keep your alt text simple and to the point. For example, if your image shows a black dog playing fetch, your alt text could be “black dog playing fetch.”
- Use Keywords Naturally: If relevant, incorporate target keywords into your alt text, but avoid keyword stuffing. The description should read naturally.
- Keep It Concise: Keep your alt text concise, ideally under 125 characters. Screen readers may cut off longer descriptions, so concise alt text ensures the entire message is conveyed.
- Avoid Redundancy: There’s no need to start with “Image of” or “Photo of.” Simply describe what the image shows.
- Consider Context: Your alt text should reflect the image’s role on the page. If the image complements the surrounding text, make sure your description aligns with that context.
If you’re using WordPress as your CMS, adding Alt Text is straightforward. After uploading an image, locate the “Alt Text” field and enter a simple, descriptive phrase following the tips above. For example, if you’re uploading a product image of a red leather wallet, your alt text could be “red leather wallet with brass buckle.”
Consider a case where an e-commerce site optimized its image alt text for product photos. By shifting from generic descriptions like “product image” to more descriptive alt text like “women’s blue running shoes with white laces,” they saw a 20% increase in traffic from image search, contributing to a 5% overall boost in sales.
Your alt text is a smart move for your SEO strategy. Phrases like “SEO alt tags” and “alt text for SEO” do more than serve as keywords—they act as signals that help search engines interpret and categorize your content. By writing relevant and accurate alt text, you’re improving your chances of ranking higher in search results, both in Google Images and in regular web searches.
Incorporating well-crafted alt text into your SEO strategy is a simple yet effective way to improve your website’s search visibility and accessibility. Not only does it help search engines understand and rank your content better, but it also enhances the user experience for all visitors, including those using screen readers.
Take the time to review the alt text on your website, optimize it following the tips outlined here, and consider how it fits into your broader SEO strategy. If you want to maximize your site’s potential, partnering with a data-driven SEO company could be a game-changer. Remember, SEO isn’t just about search engines—it’s about making your website the best it can be for all your visitors.
