What Is Alt Text and Why It Matters for Your Website
You’ve probably spent hours (or dollars) making your website look just right—great photos, clean layout, stylish design. But there’s one tiny detail that often slips under the radar, even though it can seriously impact your site's accessibility, performance, and even your rankings on Google. That little thing? Alt text.
Let’s break it down.
What Exactly Is Alt Text?
Alt text—short for “alternative text”—is a short written description of an image that lives in the HTML code of a webpage. It sits inside the image tag and tells browsers and assistive technologies what the image is about.
Now, why is it there? Well, it serves a few roles:
- If an image doesn’t load, the alt text shows up instead.
- Screen readers (assistive tech for blind or visually impaired users) read it aloud so people can understand what the image is.
- Search engines use it to figure out what the image is about, since bots can’t “see” pictures.
It’s like giving your image a voice—it tells people and machines what’s going on visually, in plain language.
Why Should You Even Care?
You might be thinking, “Okay, sounds useful... but is this really that important?” Yes. Yes, it is. And here’s why:
Accessibility Isn’t Optional Anymore
Let’s start with what matters most: people. A lot of folks use screen readers to browse the web—blind users, visually impaired people, those with cognitive disabilities. If your images have no alt text, they get silence. Or worse: “image123.jpg.”
Alt text fills in the visual gaps. A simple description helps someone “see” what’s meant to be seen.
Google Actually Pays Attention
Search engines are smart, but they’re not psychic. Without alt text, your images might as well be invisible to Google. Adding thoughtful descriptions helps your content show up in image searches and boosts page relevance.
In other words, it’s SEO gold—without looking like you’re trying too hard.
Stuff Happens—Alt Text Has Your Back
Sometimes images fail to load—bad connection, file error, or maybe someone’s browsing with images turned off to save data. With alt text, your page still makes sense. It keeps the message alive even when the visuals don’t cooperate.
There Are Laws Involved
Depending on where your business is based, you might be legally required to have an accessible website. In the U.S., lawsuits over inaccessible sites are rising under the ADA. Europe has its own set of rules. Not having alt text might not just be sloppy—it could be a legal risk.
Good vs. Bad Alt Text (With Real Examples)
Let’s make this real. Say you have these images on your site:
Image 1: A photo of a chef plating pasta in a busy kitchen
- Bad Alt Text:
image1.jpg - Better:
Chef plating food - Best:
Chef plating a bowl of tagliatelle in a bustling restaurant kitchen
Why it works: The last one paints a picture. It tells a story. It’s descriptive but not too wordy—and it gives useful context.
Image 2: Screenshot of an analytics dashboard showing a spike in traffic
- Bad Alt Text:
screenshot - Better:
Analytics dashboard - Best:
Website analytics showing traffic spike in July after campaign launch
Why it works: The best version explains not just what the image is, but why it matters in context. That’s the sweet spot.
Image 3: Logo of your company
- Bad Alt Text:
logo - Better:
Our company logo - Best:
Citrus & Sage Marketing logo – stylized green leaf with company name
Why it works: Even logos should have useful alt text—especially if they’re linked to the homepage.
What Should Clients Ask Their Web Developer?
If you’re hiring someone to build or redesign your site, alt text should be on their checklist. But just in case, here’s what you can do:
- Ask directly: “Are all images on my site using meaningful alt text?”
- Check yourself: Right-click an image, inspect the code, and look for the
alt=""attribute. - Use free tools: Accessibility checkers like WAVE or Siteimprove can show you what’s missing.
You don’t have to become a web developer—but you should know what questions to ask.
Alt Text: A Small Detail That Speaks Volumes
Here’s the thing: alt text is one of those behind-the-scenes features that quietly does a ton of work. It supports real people, keeps your SEO strong, makes your site resilient, and helps you stay compliant with the law.
And the best part? It costs almost nothing to get it right.
So next time you're reviewing your website—or planning a new one—take a closer look at those images. Ask yourself: if I couldn’t see this, would I still know what it is?
Because everyone deserves to understand the full picture—even when they can’t see it.