Alt Text

Alt text, short for alternative text, is an HTML attribute that describes the content and function of an image. If an image fails to load, the alt text displays in its place, and screen readers announce it to users who cannot see the image.

Its primary purpose is accessibility, ensuring everyone can understand the page. Search engines also read alt text to interpret what an image depicts, which is how images become eligible to rank in image search and contributes to a page's overall relevance.

Alt text serves accessibility first: it is essential for users who rely on screen readers and is a requirement under accessibility standards. Writing it well makes your content usable by a wider audience.

For SEO, alt text gives search engines context about images, supporting image search rankings and reinforcing page relevance. Because images are often a significant part of content, describing them accurately adds meaningful signals that text alone does not provide.

Describe the image accurately and concisely, focusing on what it shows and its purpose in context. Include a relevant keyword only where it fits naturally, never stuffing keywords at the expense of an honest description.

Keep alt text reasonably short, avoid redundant phrases like image of, and leave purely decorative images with empty alt attributes so screen readers skip them. Accurate, descriptive alt text serves users and search engines better than text written solely for keywords.