Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more essential in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This can be a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for the images in your web site:

Images:. Use the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. In addition, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is simple, really; search engines have a similar problem as blind users. They cannot begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a particular keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now since it once was.

On the other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which might result in a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings will not take advantage of this tactic.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers in a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what is displayed on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt attributes of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine hearing a paragraph of text which is then repetitions of many keywords. The page would be far from accessible, and, to put it bluntly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

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

What used inside an image's alt attribute should be its text equivalent and convey the same information or serve exactly the same purpose that the image would.

The thing would be to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" when the image itself is not available. Think about this: Should you replace the image with the text, would most users get the same basic information, and wouldn't it generate the same response?
Some examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

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

If the image is meant to convey the literal contents of the look, a description is appropriate.

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

If it's meant to convey the use of a function, then the function itself 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 only a decorative role in the page, use an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image so that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it's the function of the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images should not include the word "button" in the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text ought to be based on context. Exactly the same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest from the text because that is how it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly remember that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for each image is required to meet the minimum WAI requirements, which are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the rest 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 stuff that serve no purpose apart from 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 a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will boost the usability from the site for somebody utilizing a non-visual user agent. Make use of 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 actually set the mood or set happens so to speak. These graphics are not direct content and could not be considered essential, but they're important in that they help frame what's going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the second group as makes sense and is relevant. There may be instances when doing this may be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then try to avoid it.

For example; Alt text that's just like adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's important to get this content inside for those users.

Most times it depends on context. The same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. How you use this case is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

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

Every graphic has a reason for standing on that page: because it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what the page is trying to describe. Knowing what the image is perfect for makes alt text simpler to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A method to look into 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 at your disposal for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the Link to a full description of the image. When the information contained in a picture is important towards the concept of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It can provide for rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

It ought to be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is really a long description of an image...The goal is to use any period of description necessary to impart the details of the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that a long description conjures an image - the image - in the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for that totally blind."

Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you're best just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to incorporate it, and if you don't possess a strong urge to get it done, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's essential for the entire page to work, then you have to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

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

Exactly the same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, but not in another. If an image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to make use of. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and maybe a long description would be so as. In many cases this type of thing is really a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed here are key stages in optimizing images:

Select a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores like a word separator, like for example "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

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

Ensure that the written text nearby the image that is relevant to that image.
Again, don't lose a great chance to help your site with your images in search engines. Use these steps to position better on all the engines and drive increased traffic to your site TODAY.