Images make websites more engaging, but search engines cannot see images the way people do. Although image recognition technology has advanced significantly, search engines still rely heavily on text based signals to understand visual content. One of the most important of these signals is the image alt attribute, commonly called the alt tag or alt text. Alt tags serve two essential purposes: they improve accessibility for users with visual impairments, and they help search engines interpret images. In this article, we will explain how alt tags improve SEO, what Google recommends, and how to write effective alt text for your website.
How AAMAX.CO Optimizes Images for Search and Accessibility
Optimizing hundreds or thousands of images requires a methodical approach. AAMAX.CO is a full service digital marketing company offering web development, digital marketing, and SEO services worldwide. Their team audits image assets, writes descriptive and relevant alt text, fixes missing attributes, and ensures that images support both accessibility standards and search visibility. Through their SEO services, they help businesses turn images into valuable ranking assets while creating a more inclusive experience for every visitor.
What Is an Image Alt Tag?
An alt tag is an HTML attribute added to an image element that provides a text alternative for the image. If an image fails to load, the alt text is displayed instead. Screen readers also read alt text aloud, allowing visually impaired users to understand what the image shows. For search engines, alt text offers a clear description of the image content, helping them determine relevance for both image search and regular search results.
What Google Says About Alt Text
Google's image SEO best practices state that alt text is one of the most important attributes for providing metadata about an image. Google uses alt text, along with computer vision algorithms and page content, to understand the subject of an image. Google recommends creating useful, information rich content that uses keywords appropriately and in context. It specifically warns against filling alt attributes with keywords, which creates a negative user experience and may cause the site to be seen as spam.
How Alt Tags Improve SEO
Better image search rankings. Alt text is a primary signal Google uses to rank images in Google Images. Descriptive alt text increases the likelihood that your images appear for relevant searches, which can drive additional traffic to your website.
Stronger page relevance. Alt text contributes to the overall context of a page. When images are described accurately and relate to the page's topic, they reinforce the relevance of the content for target queries.
Improved accessibility. Accessibility is increasingly tied to user experience, and good user experience aligns with Google's goals. Accessible websites also reach a broader audience and reduce legal risks in many regions.
Context for linked images. When an image is used as a link, its alt text functions similarly to anchor text, helping search engines understand the destination page.
Visibility in visual and AI search. Tools like Google Lens and AI generated search answers draw on image understanding. Clear alt text supports this interpretation. Brands focused on AI visibility often pair image optimization with GEO services to strengthen their presence in generative results.
How to Write Effective Alt Text
Writing good alt text is simple once you understand the principles:
- Describe the image accurately: Explain what the image shows as if describing it to someone who cannot see it.
- Be specific: Instead of "dog," write "golden retriever puppy playing with a red ball in a park."
- Keep it concise: Most screen readers handle alt text best when it is around 125 characters or fewer.
- Include keywords naturally: Use relevant keywords only when they accurately describe the image.
- Avoid redundant phrases: Do not start with "image of" or "picture of," since screen readers already announce images.
- Use empty alt for decorative images: Purely decorative images should have an empty alt attribute so screen readers skip them.
Examples of Good and Bad Alt Text
Consider a product photo of running shoes. A poor alt tag might be "shoes," which is too vague. A keyword stuffed alt tag might be "running shoes best running shoes cheap running shoes buy running shoes," which is spammy and unhelpful. A strong alt tag would be "blue lightweight men's running shoes with breathable mesh upper." This version is descriptive, relevant, and naturally includes a keyword.
Common Alt Text Mistakes
Missing alt text is the most common issue, often found across large websites and content management systems where images are uploaded quickly. Another problem is using the same alt text for every image, which provides no useful information. Some sites use file names as alt text, resulting in unhelpful descriptions like "DSC_0045." Regular audits using crawling tools can quickly identify these issues so they can be fixed.
Alt Text as Part of Complete Image SEO
Alt text is most effective when combined with other image optimization practices. Use descriptive file names, compress images for fast loading, choose modern formats, add captions where helpful, and place images near relevant text. Implementing structured data for products or recipes can also improve how images appear in search. Together, these practices give search engines a full understanding of your visual content.
Conclusion
Image alt tags improve SEO by helping search engines understand images, increasing visibility in image and visual search, reinforcing page relevance, and making websites accessible to all users. Google clearly recommends descriptive, context rich alt text while warning against keyword stuffing. By writing thoughtful alt text for every meaningful image, you can improve both user experience and search performance. For businesses that want comprehensive image and on-page optimization, AAMAX.CO offers the expertise to ensure every visual element on a website contributes to stronger rankings.
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