Write It Right · SEO + Accessibility
Describe what a person would see. Be specific but concise (125 chars max).
| Bad | Good |
|---|---|
| alt="image" | alt="Golden retriever catching a frisbee on a beach at sunset" |
| alt="photo1.jpg" | alt="Team of nurses reviewing patient charts at nursing station" |
| alt="product" | alt="Black wireless noise-cancelling headphones, side view" |
| alt="" (on important image) | alt="Bar chart showing 40% increase in sales from Q1 to Q4 2025" |
| alt="Click here to buy" | alt="Buy now button for premium subscription plan" |
| Image Type | Alt Text? |
|---|---|
| Decorative borders/dividers | alt="" (empty) |
| Background textures | alt="" |
| Icons next to text labels | alt="" (text is sufficient) |
| Informational images | Descriptive alt text required |
| Charts and graphs | Describe the data |
| Product photos | Describe the product |
| Tip | Why |
|---|---|
| Include keywords naturally | Google Images uses alt text for ranking |
| Don't keyword stuff | "iPhone iPhone case iPhone cover" is spam |
| Be descriptive, not promotional | "Best iPhone case ever" ≠ good alt text |
| Unique alt per image | Don't copy-paste the same alt text |