Alt Attribute & SEO Optimization

SEO Optimization images has become increasingly more essential in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This is often a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of alternative text for that images in your web site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. In addition, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text round the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is easy, really; search engines like google have a similar problem as blind users. They can't see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse using this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, looking to achieve a particular keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now since it once was.

On the other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which may result in a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't take advantage of this tactic.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers in a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what's shown on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt features of images are read aloud too.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is followed by repetitions of many keywords. The page would be not even close to accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used as a description or a label to have an image, though lots of people utilize it in that fashion. Though it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

What used within an image's alt attribute should be its text equivalent and convey the same information or serve the same purpose the image would.

The goal would be to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" in the event that the image is not available. Think about this: Should you replace the image with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it generate the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is a magnifying glass or binoculars its alt text ought to be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If the image is meant to convey the literal items in the look, a description is suitable.

If it is meant to convey data, then that data is what's appropriate.

If it's meant to convey the use of a function, then your function itself is what ought to be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.

For images that play merely a decorative role within the page, use an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image so that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

Remember that it is the function from the image we are trying to convey. For instance; any button images should not include the word "button" within the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text ought to be based on context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the remainder of the text because that's how it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please keep in mind that utilizing an alt attribute for each image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the remainder of Europe. Also, they are required to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is useful to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are stuff that serve no purpose other than to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (in many cases) satisfy the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there may be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there that will boost the usability of the site for someone using a non-visual user agent. Make use of a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is the middle layer of graphics which might actually set the atmosphere or set the stage so to speak. These graphics are not direct content and could not be considered essential, but they are important in that they help frame what is going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the second group as is sensible and is relevant. There may be times when doing this might be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then avoid it.

For example; Alt text that is identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such cases. But sometimes, it's important to understand this content in there for all users.

Usually it depends on context. The same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. How you use this case is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the image is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes can also be so as.
The main reason many authors can't understand why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the images exist. You have to determined precisely what function a picture serves. Consider what it's concerning the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason behind being on that page: because it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what are the page is trying to describe. Understanding what the look is for makes alt text simpler to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A way to look into the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. What would you say when encountering a specific image to make the page understandable to the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you have a couple more tools at your disposal for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they're invisible and never shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So make use of the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a full description of an image. If the information found in an image is essential towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

It should be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of the image...The aim is by using any length of description necessary to impart the details from the graphic.

It would not be remiss to hope that a long description conjures a picture - the image - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for that totally blind."

Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

Oftentimes, you are best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to include it, and if you don't possess a strong urge to get it done, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's essential for the entire page to work, then you have to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a lot on the function of the image and its context about the page.

The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, although not in another. If the image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to use. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and maybe even a long description would be so as. In many cases this kind of thing is really a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed below are key stages in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores like a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For example, when the image search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's likely to assume that the file is a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's going to assume that it is a graphic;

Ensure that the text nearby the image that's highly relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent chance to help your site with your images searching engines. Begin using these steps to rank better on all the engines and drive more traffic to your site TODAY.