Alt tags (alternative text) are descriptions added to images in HTML. They tell search engines and screen readers what an image depicts, making your website more accessible and SEO-friendly.
Why Alt Tags Matter
- SEO Benefits: Google can't "see" images but reads alt text to understand and index them
- Accessibility: Screen readers use alt text to describe images to visually impaired users
- User Experience: Alt text appears when images fail to load
- Image Search: Properly tagged images appear in Google Image Search results
- Context: Helps search engines understand the context and relevance of your content
Alt Tag Best Practices
- Be Descriptive: Clearly describe what's in the image
- Keep it Concise: Aim for 125 characters or less
- Include Keywords: Use relevant keywords naturally, don't stuff
- Avoid "Image of" or "Picture of": Screen readers already announce it's an image
- Context Matters: Describe the image in the context of your content
- Decorative Images: Use empty alt="" for purely decorative images
Good vs Bad Alt Text Examples
❌ Bad: alt="IMG_1234.jpg"
✅ Good: alt="Golden retriever playing fetch in park"
❌ Bad: alt="Image of laptop"
✅ Good: alt="MacBook Pro with code editor on screen"
❌ Bad: alt="Click here"
✅ Good: alt="Download free SEO checklist button"