Introduction
Alt text serves two clear purposes: it makes your site accessible to all users and gives search engines context about your images. Good alt text helps your pages rank in image search results and strengthens your overall SEO strategy. This guide shows you how to write alt text that works and provides real examples you can follow.
How Alt Text Helps SEO
Alt text tells search engines what your images show. This becomes crucial when images don’t load or when users depend on screen readers to navigate your site. Proper alt text delivers these benefits:
- Boosts your image search rankings
- Makes your pages more relevant to search queries
- Meets accessibility standards
If you want to see how image optimization fits into the bigger picture, check out our guide on how to optimize images for faster loading and better SEO.
Writing Alt Text: Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Describe what you actually see in the image
- Include relevant keywords where they fit naturally (read more about keyword research for SEO)
- Keep descriptions brief and clear
Don’t:
- Cram multiple keywords into one description
- Start with phrases like “image of” or “picture of”
- Skip alt text entirely (unless the image is purely decorative)
How Long Should Alt Text Be?
Aim for under 125 characters. Your description should be short enough to read quickly but detailed enough to paint a clear picture of what the image contains. You can learn more about writing concise yet compelling metadata in our guide to meta descriptions that get clicks.
Examples of Good vs Bad Alt Text
- Good: “Mason jar filled with loose green tea leaves on bamboo cutting board”
- Bad: “tea, green tea, organic tea, loose leaf, herbal tea, tea leaves”
- Good: “Woman scanning QR code on product package with iPhone camera”
- Bad: “image”
For more structured examples, our breakdown of structured data in SEO shows how detailed descriptions can improve visibility.
How Screen Readers Use Alt Text
Screen readers convert your alt text into spoken words, helping users who can’t see images understand your content. When you write clear, descriptive alt text, you create a better experience for visitors who rely on these tools.
Alt Text for Decorative Images
Some images exist only for visual appeal and don’t add meaningful content. For these decorative elements, use an empty alt attribute (alt=””). This signals screen readers to skip over them completely.
How to Add Alt Text in CMS Platforms
Adding alt text is straightforward in most content management systems:
- WordPress: Enter alt text in the media library when you upload images, or add it directly in the image block editor
- Shopify: Find the alt text field in your image settings panel
- Squarespace: Access alt text options through the design tab in image blocks
If you manage an online store, you may also want to review our ecommerce technical SEO audit guide to catch other optimization opportunities.
Conclusion
Well-written alt text improves both user experience and search performance. Focus on accurate, relevant descriptions that help your content rank higher while staying accessible to everyone. Pick a few pages from your site and update their alt text today.
Want to see how alt text fits into your broader SEO strategy? Schedule a consultation with me to uncover what might be limiting your site’s performance. You can also explore our complete library of SEO guides for more tactics you can put to work right away.
