by Ben Ehlers Design | MARCH 14, 2023
SEO Tips: Why You Need To Include Alternate Text With Images
Alternative text, also known as "alt text," is a textual description that can be added to an image, video, or other non-textual element on a website. The primary purpose of alt text is to provide a textual equivalent of the image or element for people who may not be able to see it. This includes people with visual impairments, who may use assistive technologies such as screen readers to navigate the web.
Alt text is important for several reasons:
- Accessibility: By providing alt text, you make your website more accessible to people with disabilities, including those who are blind or have low vision. Alt text allows them to understand what the image represents and its context within the content.
- SEO: Alt text also plays a role in search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines like Google use alt text to understand what an image is about, which can help to improve your website's ranking in search results.
- User experience: Alt text can enhance the user experience by providing context and additional information about an image. This is especially important for complex images, such as infographics or diagrams, which may require further explanation.
- Legal requirements: In some countries, including the United States, websites are legally required to provide accessible content to people with disabilities. Failure to provide alt text could result in a violation of accessibility laws and potential legal action.
Overall, alt text is a critical component of web design and should be included on all images and other non-textual elements on your website. By doing so, you can ensure that your website is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, while also improving SEO and enhancing the user experience.
That's it for this week's SEO tips. Do you have a website issue you'd like some help with? Just drop Ben Ehlers Design a line.
Take care, have a great rest of the week!
-bed