Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more important in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is really a critical step that is often overlooked. This is often a lost chance of 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 supply descriptive text. Additionally, we recommend using a human-readable caption and descriptive text round the image.

Why would they ask us to achieve that? The answer is easy, really; search engines like google have the same problem as blind users. They can't 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 certain keyword density, which is not as relevant for rankings now since it once was.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from this plan.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the contents of what is displayed on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt features of images are read aloud too.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is then repetitions of numerous keywords. The page would be not even close to accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used like a description or perhaps a label to have an image, though lots of people use it for the reason that fashion. Though it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or a description, it is not!

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

The thing would be to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" when the image itself is not available. Think about this question: If you were to replace the image with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it create the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

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

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

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

If it is designed to convey the use of a function, then your function is what should be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility and for valid XHTML.

For images that play only a decorative role within the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image so that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

Remember that it's the function of the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images shouldn't include the word "button" in the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text should be based on context. The same image inside a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the remainder of the text because that's how it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly remember that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for each image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, which are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. Also, they are necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is useful 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 (oftentimes) fulfill the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there might be value to some sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there's something there that will boost the usability of the site for somebody utilizing a non-visual user agent. Use a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is actually the middle layer of graphics which may actually set the atmosphere or set happens as it were. These graphics are not direct content and could 't be considered essential, but they're important in they help frame what's going on.

Try to alt-ify the second group as makes sense and it is relevant. There might be times when doing so may be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then avoid it.

For instance; Alt text that's identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's important to understand this content in there for all users.

Most times this will depend on context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. How you use this example is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where 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 reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the images are there. You need to figured out exactly what function an image serves. Consider what it's concerning the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic has a reason behind being on that page: since it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what are the page is attempting to describe. Knowing what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A method to look into the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a particular image to create the page understandable towards the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is within 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 via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the URL of a complete description of an image. If the information contained in an image is important towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost if the image was removed), a longer description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It may offer rich, expressive documentation of the 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 a long description of an image...The aim is by using any length of description essential to impart the facts from the graphic.

It would not be remiss to hope that the long description conjures a picture - the image - within the mind's eye, an analogy that is true even for that totally blind."

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

Oftentimes, you are best just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to incorporate it, and when you don't possess a strong urge to do it, don't include that longdesc.

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

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

The same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, but not in another. If an image provides absolutely 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 perhaps even a long description will be in order. In many cases this type of thing is a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed here are key stages in optimizing images:

Choose 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 as a word separator, like for example "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For example, when 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 likely to assume that it is a graphic;

Ensure that the written text at the image that is highly relevant to that image.
Again, don't lose a great chance to help your site with your images searching engines. Begin using these steps to rank better on all the engines and drive increased traffic to your site TODAY.