ALT Text

A alt text also known as alt tag; is text used to explain the nature or purpose of an image on a web page. Its importance consist of improving the accessibility for the purpose of its usage is voiced by screen readers for visually impaired persons. What's more, alternative text is used in instances where the image fails to load, allowing the user to comprehend the context. Besides, bots of search engines learn about the contents of a page in regard to the alt text that is provided with it. Some of them are also known as “alt attributes” or “alt descriptions” being usually placed within the HTML code or within the special field of the content management system.

Alt text or the textual description of an image placed in the html code of a web page to describe what is in an image or what the image is meant to do in a page. Its significance is in relation to the accessibility as it is spoken by screen readers for the sake of visually impaired persons. Besides, the inclusion of alt text allows users to understand the context in the event that an image does not load properly. Secondly, the bots of the search engines use alt text to get an additional clue about the content of the page. Also known as alt attributes, or alt descriptions, this feature is usually inserted into HTML code or into a special field of the content management system.

The proper configuration of alt text is important for both accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO). As for the aspect of efficiency, it enables a web page’s users – including those with impaired visibility – to understand the images on it. This is important in order to meet legal requirements concerning access to the internet and disabilities like the ADA or the WCAG from Great Britain. From the point of view of an SEO expert, alt text helps search engines in comprehension of what is presented on a particular web page, which, in turn, may contribute to the web page being shown at the top of the list of search results.