If you’re a business owner or digital marketer, you know that SEO is important for driving traffic to your website. But did you know that image alt text is also an important factor in SEO?
In this blog post, we’ll explain what image alt text is and give you five reasons why it’s important for SEO. By the end of this post, you’ll understand how image alt text can help you rank higher in search engine results and attract more visitors to your website.
What Is Image Alt Text?
Image alt text (alternative text), also known as “alt tags” or “alt descriptions,” is the text that appears in place of an image on a web page if the image fails to load. It’s also the text that is read aloud by screen readers to people who are blind or have low vision.
The purpose of image alt text is to provide a brief description of an image. When writing alt text, be sure to accurately describe the content of the image and focus on keywords that you want to rank for.
Why Is Image Alt Text Important for SEO?
1. Helps Search Engines Understand Your Images
When search engines crawl a website, they index the words on the page. But they can’t index images. That’s where image alt text comes in. Myrtle Beach SEO shared that by adding image alt text, you’re providing search engines with more information about your images, which can help them appear in image search results.
2. Helps Improve Your Page Rank
In addition to helping search engines understand your images, image alt text can also help improve your page rank. Marketing Firms Denver added that when you add relevant keywords to your alt text, you’re giving search engines another reason to rank your page higher in the search results.
3. Makes Your Site More Accessible
As we mentioned earlier, image alt text is read aloud by screen readers to people who are blind or have low vision. This makes your website more accessible and user-friendly for people with disabilities.
4. Helps You Avoid penalization
If you don’t provide image alt text, Google may penalize your website. In fact, Google’s Webmaster Guidelines state that “Google may lower your site if you use images without proper alt text.”
5. Increases Your Click-Through Rate
Last but not least, image alt text can help increase your click-through rate. SEO Agency Texas added that when users see relevant images in the search results, they’re more likely to click on your listing. And the more clicks you get, the higher your ranking will be.
How to Optimize Your Image Alt Text for SEO
Now that you know why image alt text is important for SEO, let’s take a look at how you can optimize your alt text to get the most out of it.
1. Keep It Short and Sweet
When writing image alt text, keep it short and sweet. Aim for around 125 characters or less. Any longer and you risk getting cut off in the search results.
2. Use Relevant Keywords
As we mentioned earlier, be sure to use relevant keywords in your alt text. However, Thrive SEO Services Company advised to don’t stuff your alt text with keywords. That will only hurt your SEO. Instead, focus on using a few high-quality keywords that accurately describe the content of your image.
3. Make It Descriptive
In addition to being relevant, your image alt text should be descriptive. That way, users will know what to expect when they click on your image.
4. Avoid Using Generic Terms
When it comes to image alt text, generic terms like “image” or “photo” are a no-no. Not only are they uninformative, but they can also hurt your SEO. So instead of using generic terms, take the time to describe what’s actually in the image.
5. Use Different Alt Text for Each Image
Finally, don’t use the same alt text for every image on your website. Each image should have its own unique alt text that accurately describes the content of that specific image.
By following these tips, you can optimize your image alt text for SEO and make sure that your images are working hard for you. So don’t wait any longer. Start adding image alt text to your website today!
