What is ALT Text?
Alt text (alternative text) is a brief written description added to images on websites and digital content. It appears in place of an image if it fails to load and is read aloud by screen readers for visually impaired users.
Format Example:<img src="product-photo.jpg" alt="Red running shoes on white background">
Primary Purposes:
- Accessibility: Enables visually impaired users using screen readers to understand image content
- SEO: Helps search engines index and understand images, improving search rankings
- User Experience: Displays when images don’t load due to slow connections or technical issues
- Context: Provides meaning when images are blocked by email clients or browsers
Best Practices for Business:
- Keep descriptions concise but descriptive (125 characters or less)
- Describe the image’s content and purpose, not just “image” or “photo”
- Include relevant keywords naturally for SEO benefits
- Skip alt text for purely decorative images
Business Impact:
Proper alt text makes your website more inclusive, improves Google Image Search visibility, ensures compliance with accessibility standards (ADA, WCAG), and enhances overall user experience—all contributing to better customer reach and legal compliance.