Image Alt Text
Alt text (alternative text) is a written description of an image added to the HTML img tag. It helps search engines understand what an image shows, helps visually impaired users who use screen readers, and displays as fallback text if the image fails to load.
What Is Alt Text?
The alt attribute is added to the <img> HTML tag to describe an image in words:
<img src="lavender-candle.jpg" alt="Handmade lavender soy candle in a glass jar" />If the image fails to load, this text is displayed in its place. Screen readers used by visually impaired users read the alt text aloud. Search engine crawlers use it to understand the image's content since they cannot truly "see" images.
Why Alt Text Matters for SEO
- Image Search — descriptive alt text helps your images appear in Google Image Search, which can drive additional traffic
- Page context — alt text reinforces the relevance of your page to its target keywords
- Accessibility compliance — missing alt text can expose UK businesses to legal risk under the Equality Act 2010
- Core Web Vitals — properly sized images with descriptive alt text contribute to a better user experience score
How to Write Good Alt Text
- Be specific and descriptive — "Red leather handbag with gold clasp" is better than "handbag" or "product"
- Include relevant keywords naturally — do not force them; describe what is genuinely in the image
- Keep it concise — aim for under 125 characters
- Do not start with "image of" or "picture of" — screen readers already announce it as an image
- Decorative images — icons, dividers, and purely decorative images should use an empty alt attribute:
alt=""
How to Fix Missing Alt Text
Find all images without alt text by running our audit tool or searching your HTML for <img tags without an alt attribute. In WordPress, you can add alt text via the Media Library — click any image and fill in the "Alternative Text" field. For custom HTML, update the img tags directly.