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What is Image Alternative Text?
Image Alternative Text (often called alt text) is a short description of an image that can be read by screen readers, displayed when the image fails to load, and used by search engines to understand image content.
Why is Important?
- Ensures visually impaired users can understand the purpose of images.
- Provides important context when images fail to load or are blocked.
- Improves SEO by helping search engines understand the image content.
- Required for WCAG compliance (1.1.1 Non-text Content).
- Helps users relying on assistive technology navigate the web effectively.
Good Example – Descriptive Alt Text
<img src="/assets/images/principals/apple.jpg" alt="Fresh red apple on a wooden table" />Why this is correct (developer logic):
- Clearly describes the image for screen reader users.
- Provides meaningful context, not just keywords ("apple").
- Allows users who cannot see the image to understand its content.
Good Example – Descriptive Alt Text
<img src="/assets/images/principals/apple.jpg" alt="Fresh red apple on a wooden table" />Why this is correct (developer logic):
- Clearly describes the image for screen reader users.
- Provides meaningful context, not just keywords ("apple").
- Allows users who cannot see the image to understand its content.