Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more important in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. 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 web site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. Additionally, 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 like google have the same problem as blind users. They cannot begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse using this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a particular keyword density, which is not 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 result in a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings will not take advantage of this plan.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what's displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt attributes of images are read aloud too.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text which is then repetitions of many keywords. The page would be not even close to accessible, and, to put it bluntly, would be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute should not be used like a description or perhaps a label to have an image, though many people utilize it in that fashion. Though it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or perhaps a description, it's not!

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

The thing is to provide the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" in the event that the look itself is unavailable. Think about this question: If you were to replace the look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it create the same response?
Some examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If your search button is really a magnifying glass or binoculars its alt text ought to be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is supposed to convey the literal contents of the look, a description is suitable.

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

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

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

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

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

Keep in mind that it's the function from the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images should not range from the word "button" in 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.

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest from the text because that is the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly remember that a graphic image can there be.
Please keep in mind that using an alt attribute for each image is needed to meet the minimum WAI requirements, which are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the remainder of Europe. Also, they are necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is important to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things that serve no purpose other than to make 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 is something there which will enhance the usability of the site for someone utilizing a non-visual user agent. Use 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 atmosphere or set happens as it were. These graphics are not direct content and may 't be considered essential, but they are important in that they help frame what's going on.

Try to alt-ify the second group as is sensible and is relevant. There might be instances when doing so might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then try to avoid it.

For instance; 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 cases. But sometimes, it's vital that you understand this content inside for all users.

Most times this will depend on context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. How you go in this case is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the look is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes can also be so as.
The reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the images are there. You have to figured out precisely what function an image serves. Consider what it's about the image that's vital that you the page's intended audience.

Every graphic has a reason for standing on that page: since it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what are the page is trying to explain. Understanding what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A way to check the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. What would you say when encountering a particular image to make the page understandable to the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they're invisible and not shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (A lot for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a full description of the image. When the information found in an image is important to the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost when the image was removed), a longer description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

It ought to 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 aim is to use any period of description essential to impart the details of the graphic.

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

Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility and for valid (X)HTML, not all 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 get it done, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the entire page to operate, then you have to include the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal about the function of the image and it is context on the page.

The same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, but not in another. If an image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to use. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and maybe even a long description would be so as. Oftentimes this kind of thing is really a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed below are key steps in optimizing images:

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

Make sure that the written text nearby the image that is relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent opportunity to help your website with your images in search engines. Begin using these steps to rank better on all of the engines and drive more traffic for your site TODAY.