About Me 0111: Alt Attribute & Seo

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

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

Images:. Use 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 achieve that? The answer is simple, really; search engines have a similar problem as blind users. They can't begin to 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, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings will not benefit from this tactic.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that actually read aloud the contents of what's shown on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt attributes of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is followed by repetitions of numerous keywords. The page would be far from accessible, and, to put it bluntly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used like a description or perhaps a label for an image, though lots of people use it in that fashion. Although it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

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

The thing would be to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" when the image is unavailable. Ask yourself this question: If you were to replace the image with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and would 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 supposed to convey the literal contents of the look, a description is appropriate.

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

If it's meant to convey the use of a function, then the function is what ought to 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 only a decorative role in the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it's the function from the image we are trying to convey. For example; any button images should not include the word "button" within the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed through the button.

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

Try to flow alt text with the remainder from the text because that's the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image can there be.
Please remember that using an alt attribute for each image is required to meet the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. They are also necessary 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 make a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) satisfy 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 is something there which 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 actually the middle layer of graphics which might serve to set the mood or set happens so to speak. These graphics aren't direct content and could 't be considered essential, but they're essential in they help frame what is going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the 2nd group as makes sense and is relevant. There may be times when doing this may be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then try to avoid it.

For example; Alt text that is just like adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's vital that you understand this content inside for all users.

Most times this will depend on context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. The way you go in this example is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the image may be 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 figure out why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the pictures exist. You have to determined precisely what function a picture serves. Think about what it is about the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason behind standing on that page: because it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what the page is trying to explain. Knowing what the image is for makes alt text simpler to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A method to check the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a particular image to make the page understandable towards the listener?

Aside from 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 by the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the URL of a complete description of an image. If the information found in a picture is essential to the concept of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost if the image was removed), a longer description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of the visual image.

It should be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of an image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is really a long description of the image...The goal is to use any period of description essential to impart the facts from the graphic.

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

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

Oftentimes, you're best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to incorporate it, and when you don't possess a strong urge to do it, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's essential for the entire page to operate, 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 your image and its context on 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 make use of. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and perhaps even a long description will be in order. Oftentimes this type of thing is really a judgement call.