Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images has become increasingly more essential in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is sometimes forgotten. This can be a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for that images on your site:

Images:. Use the alt attribute to supply descriptive text. In addition, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

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

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a certain keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now since it was previously.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might result in a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't take advantage of this plan.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the contents of what is shown on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt features of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is followed by repetitions of numerous keywords. The page will be far from 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 for an image, though lots of people utilize it for the reason that fashion. Though it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is a label or perhaps a description, it's not!

The words used inside an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve the same purpose that the image would.

The goal is to supply the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" when the look itself is not available. Think about this question: Should you replace the image using the text, would most users get the same basic information, and would it create the same response?
Some 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 supposed to convey the literal items in the look, then a description is suitable.

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

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

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

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

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

Keep in mind that it is the function of the image we are trying to convey. For example; any button images shouldn't range from the word "button" within the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text ought to be determined by context. Exactly the same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the remainder of the text because that's how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly remember that a graphic image is there.
Please keep in mind that using an alt attribute for every image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the rest of Europe. They are also necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in the US.

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 apart from to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (in many cases) fulfill the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there might be value to some sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there's something there which will boost the usability of the site for somebody utilizing a non-visual user agent. Use a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is the middle layer of graphics which might serve to set the atmosphere or set the stage so to speak. These graphics are not direct content and may 't be considered essential, but they're essential in they help frame what is going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the 2nd group as is sensible and is relevant. There might be instances when doing this might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then avoid it.

For instance; Alt text that is identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, as well as an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's vital that you get this content in there for those users.

Usually it depends on context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. How you use this example is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the look may be the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be in order.
The main reason many authors can't understand why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the images exist. You have to figured out precisely what function an image serves. Think about what it is about the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic has a reason for standing on that page: since it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what are the page is attempting to explain. Knowing what the image is for makes alt text simpler to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A way to check the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a specific image to make the page understandable towards the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (A lot for device independence). So make use of the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the URL of a complete description of the image. When the information found in a picture is essential to the concept of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost when the image was removed), a longer description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It may offer rich, expressive documentation of the visual image.

It ought to 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 period of description necessary to impart the facts of the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that the long description conjures a picture - the look - within the mind's eye, an analogy that is true even for the totally blind."

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

In many cases, you are better off just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to incorporate it, and when you don't have a strong urge to get it done, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary 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 about the function of the image and its context on the page.

Exactly the same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, although not in another. If an image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to use. However, if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and perhaps a long description would be in order. In many cases this kind of thing is really a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed here are key steps in optimizing images:

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

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

Make sure that the text nearby the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose a great opportunity to help your website with your images searching engines. Begin using these steps to rank better on all of the engines and drive increased traffic for your site TODAY.