Alternative text (alt text)

Alternative text serves as a textual substitute for non-text content on a webpage. Its primary purpose is to assist users who rely on screen readers, ensuring that the information conveyed by an image is accessible to everyone regardless of their visual ability. Beyond its role in accessibility, alt text is a powerful tool for search engines, which use these descriptions to determine the subject matter of images. This clarity allows search engines to serve the image in relevant search results, driving more organic traffic to the site.

Effective alt text is descriptive but concise, avoiding generic phrases like image of or graphic of. Instead, it focuses on the specific context and purpose of the visual element within the page content. As search engines become better at understanding visual data, providing high-quality, accurate alt text remains one of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve a site's overall accessibility score and visual search performance.