Writing alt text, also known as alternative text, should be an essential component of any content strategy. It is used to provide additional information and context for images, graphics, and videos, and is especially important for those with visual impairments or those who are using search engines to navigate the web. It is also a way to help search engine algorithms understand the content of a webpage, as well as a way to provide a better user experience.
What is alt text?
Let’s break it down further and look at what exactly alt text is and why it is important. Alt text is displayed on your web page when an image cannot be displayed or is not available, such as when the image is blocked by a firewall or is behind a paywall. It is also displayed as caption text when an image is turned off or its display is impaired. This text is used by screen readers or other assistive technologies to make sure that viewers with visual impairments can still experience a webpage.
Writing Principles
When writing alt text, it is important to keep these principles in mind:
- Keep it short and sweet: It should only be one or two sentences at most describing what is in the image.
- Don’t use identical descriptions for different images: Each image should have its own unique text.
- Think of the user first: Alt text is not just about making a web page accessible to screen readers; it’s also about making the web page more user-friendly.
- Don’t describe decorative images: Leave it blank if an image is purely decorative.
- Describe the image: don’t include “image of,” but do include descriptors of what kind of image is displayed.
Why is it important?
Writing alt text is an important part of content strategy because it helps ensure that all viewers can access the information on your website. It can also improve the overall user experience and help search engine algorithms understand a webpage better.
SEO Optimization
If you’re not sure how to write alt text, it’s best to reach out to an experienced web developer or SEO specialist like Create180 Design who can help you create alt text that is both informative and user-friendly. We can also ensure that it is implemented correctly and optimized to boost search engine rankings.
At the end of the day, writing effective alt text is a critical part of content strategy and web design, regardless of whether you’re targeting viewers with visual impairments or not. Writing alt text can help make sure that your website is accessible to all users and can provide a better experience for everyone.
