With approximately 16% of the global population requiring accessible features online due to some form of disability, it’s crucial to use ALT text to help people understand the context and function of your images.
ALT text is primarily used on websites and social media to help audiences understand the context of the image. Find out more about ALT text best practice along with other examples of how you can improve accessibility across your content marketing efforts.
What is ALT text and why is it important?
ALT text (alternative text) is the written description of images on a webpage. The primary function of ALT text is to improve accessibility, as it is an alternative to the visual element of your chosen image for those with visual impairments.
For example, an infographic containing additional insight into a study or survey would have an ALT text describing the key findings and information.
While ALT text also helps search engines like Google understand our content, using ALT text for your target keywords should not be your primary thought. Only use keywords where appropriate to avoid confusion.
ALT text best practice for websites
John Muller recently shared an article which explained ALT text best practices. Importantly, ALT text, not a primary ranking factor or SEO decision and should be regarded as extremely important for accessibility.
We can use this ‘Decision Tree’ resource from the WSC Web Accessibility Initiative to help us draft ALT text for maximum impact.
The decision tree states some key ALT text best practices, including:
- If the image contributes important context (such as a product image), then you should use a brief description.
- Similarly, if the image contains text that isn’t elsewhere on the page (for example, an infographic), then it requires ALT text as this would not be readable by screen readers or Google crawlers without it.
- However, the decision tree suggests we should not include an ALT text attribute where the image shows content that is the same as standard text nearby, as this could be confusing.
Nevertheless, this may not cover every case of using ALT text on your images. Its important to consult with a content marketing specialist like our team at Wild PR who will guide you on the most appropriate images to use.
How to create an accessible website
Website accessibility is more important than ever, as around 50 million people in the UK shop online in the UK each year. Businesses can remain competitive and gain customer loyalty by ensuring as many people as possible can access their content.
Besides ALT text, there are many ways to create an accessible website, including:
- Use clear heading structures to help screen readers understand the layout and hierarchy of your content,
- Avoid keyword stuffing and write for humans, NOT search engines
- Ensure your website has a responsible and mobile-friendly web design
- Provide captions and transcripts for video content to assist those with hearing impairments
- Use sufficient colour contrast between the background and text to improve clarity
If you’re unsure if your website is accessible, we can help. Get in touch for personalised support on optimising your content for accessibility while also considering SEO best practices to support keyword rankings.
Using alt text on social media
It’s also crucial to use alt text on social media to ensure your content is accessible to everyone. Alt text on social media can often be seen as unnecessary as people confuse it with the caption. However, there are two clear distinctions:
First, captions are visible, whereas alt text is hidden. A caption is a text-based copy which appears alongside the post. However, alt text is available to the user through an accessibility tool.
Second, a caption focuses on the topic, whereas alt text focuses on the image. An effective caption has an attention-grabbing hook, is informative and contains a strong call to action. On the other hand, alt text explains the image.
Here are some DOs and DON’Ts when it comes to using alt text on social media.
DO:
- Ensure the copy is clear, concise and descriptive.
- Consider the context and purpose of the image.
- Keep the text between 100-200 characters.
- Remember this is being read aloud to users. Does it make sense?
- State the type of content (e.g. is it an illustration or a graphic?)
- Include any text overlay from the visual content in the alt text.
DON’T:
- Use emojis in your alt text.
- Duplicate the caption.
- Use this as an opportunity for keyword stuffing. Excessively repeating the same keywords or phrases results in poorly written content that can confuse users.
- Start the description with “image of.”
Get in touch for content marketing support
If you want to create social media content or SEO-friendly website content that’s accessible, engaging, and drives results, contact us today. Our integrated SEO and PR strategy can support website accessibility and overall user experience.