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Search Engine Optimization Series: How To Write Alt Tags For Images On Websites

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In our Search Engine Optimization Blog Series, we’ve covered many aspects of SEO. In this expert article, we’re covering How To Write Alt Tags for images on your website. Alt tags for images on websites are an important piece of the puzzle when applying search engine optimization to pages on your website.

What Is An Alt Tag?

An Alt Tag is short, descriptive text that describes a specific image on a page on a web site. “Alt Tag” is an industry nickname that stands for “alternative text for an image.” Each image on every page throughout the website should have an Alt Tag that’s written for that photo, image, or graphic, except for simple graphic icons that might be contained in a button.

Why Are Alt Tags Needed For Website Images?

There are three main reasons why Alt Tags are needed:
1) For Accessibility: A written Alt Tag that describes an image provides information for visually impaired people who are using a screen reader tool to be able to access website content. Screen readers literally read the Alt Tag out loud to the visually impaired person.;
2) For Search Engine Optimization: Alt tags in general help search engines understand and index image content for when internet users are doing an image search. Alt tags that have the website page’s targeted keyword phrase embedded in it also help your page be indexed and rank for the targeted keyword phrase that is set for that page;
3) For A Better User Experience: If an image isn’t loading because of a slow internet connection or a broken link to the image, the text of the Alt Tag will be displayed for the user that provides a written description of the image, when the user can’t see the actual image.

Where Do Alt Tags “Live” On A Website?

Alt Tag information is plugged into specific information fields that will be associated with the specific image. When you load images onto your website, they will end up in the image library section on the back end of the website. As part of the image library, each photo will have a series of information field where you can insert the Alt Tag, captions & more. To write an Alt Tag for an image:

  • Step 1: Select the image in your website’s editor from the image library.
  • Step 2: Click on a specific image in the website image library to select the image. When you do this, the image “properties” will appear, typically on the right side of the screen.
  • Step 3: Enter the description into the Alt Text field & then hit the save or update button.

Tips on How To Write Alt Tags

Start by looking at the image & write a simple description of what you see.

  • Be descriptive & specific: If it’s a picture of a Golden retriever chasing a ball, describe that.
  • Keep it short: An Alt Tag should be 125 characters or less, including spaces.
  • Ditch unnecessary words: For example, don’t use the words “Image of” or “picture of.” Those words are not necessary, and website visitors will already know it’s an image.
  • Proof & check for spelling or grammatical errors: If you want credit for SEO, you must insert the exact targeted keyword phrase that’s set for a specific page, along with the description.
  • Avoid keyword stuffing: Include the targeted keyword phrase ONCE. Don’t repeat the keyword phrase multiples of times in the Alt Tag.

An Example of How To Write Alt Tags For Images On Websites

We’ll use this photo to show how an Alt Tag is written:

Boy Hugging Dog | How To Write Alt Tags | DeWinter Marketing & PR USA

If you look at the gist of this photo, it’s a boy hugging a Labrador retriever. So, a well-written Alt Tag would read like this:

Boy Hugging Labrador Retriever | insert keyword phrase assigned to the website page | insert your company name

Bottom line: Alt Tags are an important part of Search Engine Optimization, Accessibility, and the User Experience for your website. When you learn how to write Alt Tags for websites, it’s part of the process of developing a website that complies with accessibility laws, and which helps your website pages be properly ranked in keyword searches.

Need help with optimizing your website and website images. Contact DeWinter Marketing & PR USA to help with Search Engine Optimization services.

Courtney DeWinter is the president & founder of Denver-based DeWinter Marketing & PR in Denver, Colorado. She is a marketing & PR consultant with 30+ years of experience in branding, marketing, public relations, websites & journalism. She serves as the agency's strategic & creative director, lead writer & SEO guru.

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