In the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), image optimisation is often overlooked. However, it plays a significant role in improving both the accessibility and searchability of your website. One crucial element of image optimisation is the Alt Tag, also known as “alt text” or “alternative text.”
This small but mighty text attribute not only enhances the user experience but also helps search engines understand and index your content. In this blog post, we will explore what alt tags are, why they matter for SEO, and how you can easily add them to your WordPress or WooCommerce website.
What Are Alt Tags?
Alt tags are short pieces of descriptive text added to the HTML code of an image that serve multiple purposes. Primarily, they describe the content or function of an image on a webpage. Here’s an example of an alt tag in HTML:
<img src=”example.jpg” alt=”A smiling woman holding a cup of coffee”>
In this example, the alt tag describes what the image depicts. But why does this matter? Let’s look at the main reasons.
Why Alt Tags Matter for SEO
1. Enhances Accessibility
One of the most important reasons for using alt tags is accessibility. Alt text allows screen readers to describe images to visually impaired users. If an image lacks an alt tag, screen readers will ignore it, which can create a less inclusive experience for users who rely on these tools to navigate the web. Alt tags are essential for making websites more accessible and compliant with web accessibility guidelines, such as the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
2. Improves SEO Rankings
Alt tags provide search engines with additional context about the content of your website. Google and other search engines cannot “see” images the way humans do, so they rely on alt tags to understand what an image represents. This data helps search engines index and rank your images in their image search results, leading to potential traffic from image searches.
Incorporating relevant keywords into alt tags also boosts your overall SEO strategy. If the alt text includes appropriate keywords related to your content, it helps search engines make more sense of your page’s topic, contributing to higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs).
3. Increases Image Visibility
If you optimise your alt tags correctly, your images can show up in Google Image Search, which can lead to more traffic. Especially in industries where visuals are crucial, such as e-commerce, real estate, and photography, having your images appear in Google Image Search can bring in a significant number of visitors.
4. Serves as a Backup if Images Fail to Load
Sometimes, due to slow internet connections or technical issues, images might not load on a webpage. In these cases, the alt tag serves as a backup, displaying descriptive text in place of the image. This ensures that users still understand what the image is supposed to convey, even if they can’t see it.
5. Helps with Content Relevancy
Search engines aim to deliver the most relevant results to users. By adding descriptive alt text to images, you’re reinforcing the theme of your content. If the alt text is relevant to your target keywords, search engines may consider your page to be more authoritative and relevant, helping improve your overall rankings.
Best Practices for Writing Alt Tags
Be Descriptive and Concise: Alt text should describe the image accurately but succinctly. Avoid writing long sentences or irrelevant details.
Incorporate Keywords (But Don’t Overstuff): Including relevant keywords in your alt tags can help with SEO, but don’t overdo it. Keyword stuffing can harm your SEO efforts rather than improve them.
Focus on the Image’s Function: If the image serves a specific function, like a button, describe its function instead of its appearance (e.g., “Search button” rather than “Magnifying glass icon”).
Avoid Using “Image of…” or “Picture of…”: These phrases are redundant and do not add value to the description. Instead, jump straight to describing the image.
Keep Alt Text Unique: Each image should have its own unique alt tag. Duplicating alt text across multiple images can confuse search engines.
How to Add Alt Tags in WordPress
Adding alt tags in WordPress is simple, even if you’re not tech-savvy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure your images are optimised with alt text.
1. Adding Alt Tags via the Media Library
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Media > Library.
- Click on the image you want to edit. A details window will pop up on the right.
- In the “Alternative Text” field, enter a descriptive alt tag for the image.
- Click Save to update the image.
2. Adding Alt Tags via the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg)
- In the post or page editor, click on the image block you want to edit.
- On the right-hand side, you’ll see a panel called “Image Settings.”
- In the “Alt Text (Alternative Text)” box, write your descriptive alt tag.
- Make sure to update or publish the post once you’ve added the alt text.
3. Adding Alt Tags via Classic Editor
- Open the post or page where the image is located.
- Click on the image, then click the pencil icon to edit the image.
- In the “Image Details” window, you’ll find an “Alternative Text” field.
- Enter your alt text and click Update.
WordPress Plugins for Automatic Alt Tag Generation
For larger websites with a vast number of images, manually adding alt tags can be time-consuming. Luckily, WordPress offers plugins to automate this task. Plugins like SEO Optimized Images or Auto Image Alt Text can help auto-generate alt tags based on image names or post titles.
Conclusion
Alt tags are an integral part of your website’s SEO strategy and accessibility standards. They help search engines understand your content, improve user experience, and can even increase traffic through image search.
By ensuring that each image on your WordPress site is equipped with descriptive and keyword-optimised alt tags, you’ll be providing value to both users and search engines alike.
Adding alt tags to your WordPress website is straightforward, and there are plugins available to streamline the process for larger websites. Take the time to optimise your images, and you’ll likely see positive results in your SEO efforts.
