AltText Pro
Advanced Image Alt Text Analysis & Optimization Tool
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Image Alt Text Analysis Results
Accessibility Score
WCAG compliance rating
SEO Score
Search optimization rating
Images with Alt Text
Percentage of images with alt attributes
Quality Score
Alt text relevance and quality
Detailed Alt Text Analysis
Images Without Alt Text
Number of images missing alt attributes
Empty Alt Attributes
Images with empty alt attributes (alt="")
Descriptive Alt Text
Images with meaningful, descriptive alt text
Keyword Stuffing
Images with over-optimized alt text
Alt Text Optimization Suggestions
Add Missing Alt Text
Several images on your website are missing alt attributes. Add descriptive alt text to improve accessibility and SEO.
<!-- Before: Image without alt text --> <img src="product.jpg"> <!-- After: Image with descriptive alt text --> <img src="product.jpg" alt="Red leather wallet with multiple card slots and cash compartment">
Improve Existing Alt Text
Some images have alt text that could be more descriptive. Make alt text specific, concise, and meaningful.
<!-- Before: Generic alt text --> <img src="team.jpg" alt="Team photo"> <!-- After: Descriptive alt text --> <img src="team.jpg" alt="Our marketing team celebrating project success in office conference room">
Use Empty Alt Attributes for Decorative Images
For purely decorative images that don't convey content, use empty alt attributes (alt="") to help screen readers skip them.
<!-- Decorative divider image --> <img src="divider.png" alt=""> <!-- Decorative background pattern --> <img src="pattern.jpg" alt="">
Alt Text Examples for Different Image Types
Product Images
Good: "Blue hiking backpack with waterproof coating and multiple compartments"
Bad: "Backpack" or "Image 123"
Infographics
Good: "Infographic showing 2023 website traffic growth statistics: 40% increase in mobile users"
Bad: "Chart" or "Statistics"
Decorative Images
Good: alt="" (empty for screen readers)
Bad: "Decorative star shape" or missing alt
Accessibility Compliance Report
WCAG 2.1 Compliance
Success Criteria 1.1.1: Non-text Content
Screen Reader Compatibility
Compatibility with assistive technologies
Accessibility Guidelines
Informative Images
Alt text should convey the same purpose as the image
Decorative Images
Should have empty alt attributes (alt="")
Functional Images
Alt text should describe the function (e.g., "Search button")
Complex Images
Charts and graphs need detailed descriptions
WCAG Compliance Requirements
Ensure your website meets WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.1.1: All non-text content must have a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.
Legal Compliance
Many countries have laws requiring digital accessibility. Proper alt text helps comply with ADA, Section 508, and other accessibility regulations.
Why Alt Text Matters
Accessibility
Alt text enables screen readers to describe images to visually impaired users, making your website accessible to everyone.
SEO Benefits
Search engines use alt text to understand image content, improving your visibility in image search results and overall SEO.
User Experience
Alt text displays when images fail to load, providing context and maintaining user experience despite technical issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Alt text (alternative text) is a written description of an image that appears in place of the image if it fails to load and is read aloud by screen readers for visually impaired users.
Why alt text is important:
- Accessibility: Makes images accessible to visually impaired users through screen readers
- SEO: Helps search engines understand image content, improving visibility in image search results
- User Experience: Provides context when images don't load due to slow connections or technical issues
- Legal Compliance: Required by web accessibility laws and standards like WCAG 2.1
- Indexing: Helps images appear in relevant search results, driving additional traffic to your website
Well-written alt text should be concise, descriptive, and convey the same purpose and information as the image itself.
Alt text should typically be between 5-15 words, but the optimal length depends on the image complexity:
- Simple images: 5-7 words (e.g., "Red apple on wooden table")
- Detailed images: 10-15 words (e.g., "Close-up of a ripe red apple with green leaf on rustic wooden kitchen table")
- Complex images: May require longer descriptions or additional methods like longdesc attributes
- Decorative images: Use empty alt text (alt="") with 0 words
Screen readers typically cut off alt text after 125 characters, so it's best to keep descriptions within this limit when possible. For complex images like charts or infographics that require longer descriptions, consider:
- Providing a short alt text summary
- Linking to a more detailed description on the same page
- Using a longdesc attribute for very complex images
- Providing the data in an accessible table format
The key is to be as concise as possible while still conveying the essential information and purpose of the image.
While most images should have alt text, there are specific cases where different approaches are appropriate:
- Informative images: Always need descriptive alt text that conveys the same content
- Functional images: Need alt text that describes the function (e.g., "Search button" for a magnifying glass icon)
- Decorative images: Should have empty alt text (alt="") so screen readers skip them
- Complex images: Need both a short alt text and a longer description elsewhere
- Images with adjacent text: May need less descriptive alt text if the text already describes the image
When to use empty alt text (alt=""):
- Purely decorative images that don't convey content
- Visual styling elements like borders and spacers
- Redundant images where adjacent text already provides the same information
- Images that are invisible or used for tracking purposes
Remember that missing alt text (no alt attribute) is worse than empty alt text because screen readers may read the filename instead, creating a poor experience for users.
Alt text significantly impacts SEO in several ways:
- Image Search Rankings: Well-optimized alt text helps images rank higher in Google Images and other image search engines
- Contextual Relevance: Helps search engines understand the content and context of your pages
- Keyword Relevance: Provides additional opportunities to include relevant keywords naturally
- User Engagement: Images with proper alt text can improve dwell time and reduce bounce rates
- Accessibility Signals: Google may use accessibility as a ranking factor, though this isn't confirmed
Best practices for SEO-friendly alt text:
- Be descriptive and accurate
- Include relevant keywords naturally
- Keep it concise (under 125 characters)
- Avoid keyword stuffing
- Don't start with "Image of..." or "Picture of..."
- Consider the context of the surrounding content
- Use synonyms and variations of keywords
While alt text is important for SEO, its primary purpose should always be accessibility. Write for humans first, and search engines second. Well-written alt text that serves visually impaired users will naturally also benefit your SEO efforts.
