It is extremely common to use images on your website. However, just as it is essential to choose the right images, it is important to choose the right text for their ALT attribute.
Indeed, the alternative text (ALT attribute) is what allows an image to be described to people who cannot see it (robots, visually impaired people, or users of a browser that does not display certain images), even though it also contributes to image SEO.
To help you have quality ALT tags for your images, here are 6 rules to follow.
1. Provide a precise description of the image
In the tag In your image's ALT, do not be content with writing a single word to define what it represents. You should put a precise description of the image in this tag.
The objective is that someone who cannot view the image can imagine it.
Thus, an ALT tag “chocolate cake with crème anglaise” will be better than an ALT tag “cake.”
2. Be concise when describing the image
There is certainly no question of writing a novel to fill an ALT tag. The user expects an alternative text for the image that should consist at most 100 characters. Some will say that this is little, but it is perfectly sufficient to describe an image.
Take our tag "chocolate cake with custard" — it's evocative and yet it contains only 39 characters!
Also read: E-commerce: boost your sales with Pinterest
3. Include your keyword in the ALT tag
It is well known that the ALT tag plays a role in the SEO of your images, but also the content in which they are placed.
So never miss the opportunity toinsert the keyword on which you want to be positioned in this tag. If you don't, search engines may try to interpret your images and risk ranking you for the wrong keywords. It's better to take care of it yourself…
4. Avoid keyword stuffing in the ALT tag
As we have just seen, it is relevant to place a keyword in the ALT tag, but you should not overdo it.
There was a time when the trend was to stuff keywords into the ALT tag. In other words, it could look like this: "chocolate cake cake brownie custard gooey pastry". Know that such a practice is now to be avoided.
5. Avoid the common mistake with the logo ALT tag
Among the most used images are, of course, company logos, association logos, etc.
The ALT tag for this type of image is often surprising when websites are analyzed. Very often, the logo is accompanied by an ALT tag reading "company logo".
True, that describes what is on the image, but it would be better to tell the viewer which company's logo it is by choosing alternative text like "company logo + company name".
6. Remember the ALT tag even for your CTA buttons
Just because an image represents "only" a CTA button — sometimes a simple graphic element with text on a solid background — doesn't mean you should skip the ALT tag.
Indeed, users who cannot see the visual element need to understand that this is the button to click to perform an action. The alternative text should provide them with that information.
In other words, for a button inviting users to request a free quote, you should, for example, imagine an ALT tag "request free quote". Simple, concise and evocative…
Also read: SEO: how to use the canonical tag?
Few bloggers or webmasters take full advantage of the ALT tag on their images. Yet, beyond its SEO contribution, this tag is primarily about improving the user experience for visitors browsing your website.
That's why you'd be well advised to apply now the rules we presented for writing ALT tags for the visual elements on your website.
Also read: 25+ resources and tips to boost your organic search rankings
The article SEO: 6 rules to follow for the Alt tag of your images first appeared on Redacteur.com.
