Alt Text
Text description added to images so search engines (and screen readers) understand what the image shows. Not a place to stuff keywords - describe the image accurately.
Why It Matters
Search engines can't see images the way humans do. Alt text is how you tell Google what an image contains. Without it, your images are invisible to search - and to the millions of people using screen readers.
Alt text also serves as a fallback when images fail to load. It's an accessibility requirement under WCAG guidelines. And it's a ranking factor for Google Image Search, which drives more traffic than most people realise.
In Practice
Write alt text that describes what the image actually shows. "Team meeting in a modern office" is good. "Best SEO agency Melbourne digital marketing services" is spam.
Be specific. "A golden retriever catching a frisbee on a beach" beats "dog photo." Include relevant context when it naturally fits, but the primary job is accurate description.
For decorative images (backgrounds, spacers, design elements), use an empty alt attribute (alt="") so screen readers skip them. Not every image needs alt text - but every meaningful image does.
Common Mistakes
Keyword stuffing alt text with target phrases. Leaving alt text blank on product images. Using the same generic alt text across dozens of images. Writing alt text that describes what you wish the image showed rather than what it actually shows.
Related Terms
Glossary
Header Tags (H1-H6)
HTML heading elements that structure content hierarchically for users and search engines.
Glossary
Schema Markup
Structured data that helps search engines understand your content and enables rich results.
Glossary
Technical SEO
Optimising your site's infrastructure so search engines can crawl, render, and index it.
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