How To Create Alt Text

How to Create Alt Text: A Complete Guide

Alt text, or alternative text, is a piece of descriptive text that serves as an alternative to an image. It is used by screen readers to enable visually impaired users to understand the content of an image. Additionally, it is also used by search engines to understand the content of an image, and can help to improve the visibility of a website in search engine results. In this guide, we will discuss how to create alt text for images.

Using Alt Text to Provide Context

When creating alt text, it is important to consider the context of the image. Alt text should be descriptive and provide information about the content of the image. For example, if the image is a picture of a cat, the alt text could be “A brown and white cat sitting on a windowsill.” This description provides context that allows a visually impaired user to understand the content of the image.

Tips for Writing Effective Alt Text

There are a few tips to keep in mind when writing alt text. First, keep it brief. Alt text should be concise and to the point, so that it can be read quickly and easily by a screen reader. Second, use relevant keywords. Alt text is used by search engines to understand the content of an image, so it is important to use relevant keywords that help to describe the image. Finally, avoid using phrases like “image of” or “photo of.” These phrases are redundant and do not provide any additional information about the image.

In conclusion, creating alt text is an important part of creating accessible and search engine friendly content. By providing context and using relevant keywords, alt text can help visually impaired users to understand the content of an image, and can also improve the visibility of a website in search engine results. Remember to keep your alt text brief and descriptive, and to avoid using unnecessary phrases. With these tips in mind, you can create effective alt text for all of your images.