Alt text
The text describing an image for screen readers and search engines, which helps accessibility and image search.
In depth
What it really means
Alt text is a written description of an image, read aloud by screen readers and used by search engines to understand the image. It serves accessibility first, and helps your images appear in image search.
Good alt text describes the image plainly and specifically. It is not a place to stuff keywords.
Best practices
- Describe the image clearly and specifically.
- Keep it concise and natural.
- Include a keyword only if it genuinely fits.
- Leave decorative images with empty alt text.
- Don’t keyword-stuff or repeat the file name.
FAQs
What is alt text?
A written description of an image, used by screen readers and search engines to understand it.
Does alt text help SEO?
Yes, mainly by helping images appear in image search and by adding context. Accessibility is its primary purpose.
How long should alt text be?
Concise, usually a short, specific sentence that describes the image plainly.
Should I keyword-stuff alt text?
No. Describe the image naturally. Stuffing keywords hurts accessibility and can look spammy.
What about decorative images?
Give purely decorative images empty alt text so screen readers can skip them.
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