What does alt text mean? Alt text, which stands for “alternative text,” is a written description of an image on a website. It shows up if an image doesn’t load. It lets screen-reading software read an image for people who can’t see it. It can also be used as part of an SEO strategy.
Why Use Alternative Text?
The functions of alternative text are as follows:
- It can be read by text-based screen readers, which lets visually blind people see images.
- Anyone can use it if an image file doesn’t download or if they prefer not to view the image.
- When used with the right term, it can help a website move up in the search engine results.
Why Should You Start Adding Alt Text To Your Social Media Images
There are numerous reasons why you should start adding alternative text to your social media postings, but the following three are the most important:
- Alt text makes it easy for everyone in the community to see your social media images. Additionally, strive to be inclusive in your social media strategy.
- Making your content available to everyone will make it easier for people to find and raise awareness of your brand.
- More people can enjoy your content if it’s easier for them to access. This has a direct effect on your engagement rate and, eventually, your business goals.
How to Write Meaningful Alt Text
There’s no doubt that alt text makes it more likely that everyone in your social media community will find and enjoy your content.
But if you write it right, it can also help you reach a lot more people and get new followers.
Here are some things to keep in mind before we look at the good alt text example:
- Keep it short (between 100 – 200 characters).
- Indicate the image’s type (illustration, photograph, etc.).
- Don’t talk about the topic; instead, describe the image.
- Make sure to include the image’s background text in its alt text if it has one.
- When you describe your image, use a relevant term.
- Avoid using emoticons since screen-reading programs interpret them literally.
Alt Text Best Practices
The main rules for creating alternative text are as follows: Short and clear
- Alternative text contents that work must be very descriptive. Also, it has to be short, like less than 125 characters.
- If you write good alternative text and use keywords wisely, it can also help your SERP score. Try not to use too many keywords, though. You don’t want to set off spam alarms.
Alt Text Examples
Last but not least, you can add alternate text in a few different ways. Some back-end website functions show you an “alt text” square or box that you can fill in with two or three words.
If that doesn’t work, you can use this HTML code instead:
This image is called “VISUAL.FILE EXTENSION” and has the description “VISUAL.”
Example: This could be the substitute text for an image of a black cat yawning:
Get SEO-friendly content written for your brand by talking to a content expert at TechDella right now.
Common Mistakes
Many individuals make the following common mistakes when writing alt text for images:
- The text is too short and does not adequately represent the image’s content.
- The text is too long and talks about things that aren’t important.
- They write text about the image that talks about how it looks, but not about the part of the image that explains why it was included in the content.
- The text includes information from the main text.
- The alt text does not explain; it simply contains the image’s file name or directory.
- The alt text is a computer-generated description of the image’s look. It doesn’t talk about the image’s content, though.
- The alt text is written in a language other than the text that you see on the screen. In this case, the page’s text is in Spanish, but the alt text for the images is in English.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does alt mean in text?
Alternative text
Alternative text, or “alt text,” is a way to describe visual information for people who can’t see an image (either because of vision impairment or because the image isn’t shown).
What is alt text for SEO?
A short description that is added to images on a website is called alt text. It makes the web easier for people with disabilities to use and better for search engines. Alt attributes are very important for improving both SEO and usability.
How long can alt text be?
Alt text best practices
If you can help it, try to keep your alt text to less than 125 characters. Many screen readers will stop reading after that.
Who uses alt text?
people with visual disabilities
Alt text tells people who might not be able to see the picture what it’s about and how it fits into the page. This includes people who can’t see, people who use text-based web browsers, and times when the picture doesn’t load or show up right.
Conclusion
Alt text might seem like a small detail, but it plays a big role in making your content more accessible, engaging, and SEO-friendly. Whether you’re looking to reach a wider audience, improve your search visibility, or build a more inclusive brand, writing effective alt text is a smart move.
Need help creating SEO-optimized content that’s accessible and drives results? Let Techdella guide you—our content experts are just a click away.