What to Know:
– Alt text is a description added to an image in HTML code that helps search engines understand what the image is about.
– Alt text is important for accessibility purposes, as it helps visually impaired users understand the content of an image.
– Alt text is not a direct ranking factor for Google Image Search, but it can indirectly impact rankings by improving user experience and accessibility.
– Google uses various signals to determine the relevance and quality of images, including the surrounding text, page content, and user behavior.
– Alt text should be descriptive and relevant to the image, but it should also be concise and not keyword-stuffed.
– Alt text should be written for users, not search engines, and should accurately describe the content of the image.
– Alt text can also be used to provide additional context or information about the image, such as the location or the people in the photo.
The Full Story:
Alt text, or alternative text, is a description added to an image in HTML code that helps search engines understand what the image is about. It is an important element of on-page SEO and plays a crucial role in improving the accessibility of a website. But does alt text have any impact on rankings in Google Image Search?
According to a recent article on Search Engine Journal, alt text is not a direct ranking factor for Google Image Search. However, it can indirectly impact rankings by improving user experience and accessibility. When search engines crawl a webpage, they rely on alt text to understand the content of images and determine their relevance to a particular search query.
Google uses various signals to determine the relevance and quality of images. These signals include the surrounding text, page content, and user behavior. While alt text is not the sole factor that determines the ranking of an image, it can contribute to the overall relevance and quality of the page.
When writing alt text, it is important to keep in mind that it should be descriptive and relevant to the image. However, it should also be concise and not keyword-stuffed. Alt text should be written for users, not search engines, and should accurately describe the content of the image. It should provide a clear and concise description of what the image is about, without being overly promotional or spammy.
In addition to describing the content of the image, alt text can also be used to provide additional context or information. For example, if the image is a photograph of a specific location, the alt text can include the name of the location. If the image is a group photo, the alt text can include the names of the people in the photo. This additional information can help users understand the image better and provide a more comprehensive user experience.
While alt text is not a direct ranking factor for Google Image Search, it is still an important element of on-page SEO. It helps search engines understand the content of images and improves the accessibility of a website. Alt text is particularly important for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers to navigate the web. By providing accurate and descriptive alt text, website owners can ensure that visually impaired users can understand the content of images and have a better user experience.
In conclusion, alt text is not a direct ranking factor for Google Image Search, but it can indirectly impact rankings by improving user experience and accessibility. When writing alt text, it is important to be descriptive and relevant to the image, but also concise and not keyword-stuffed. Alt text should be written for users, accurately describing the content of the image, and can also provide additional context or information. By optimizing alt text, website owners can enhance their SEO practices and provide a better user experience for all users, including visually impaired individuals.
Original article: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ranking-factors/alt-text/