Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more essential in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is sometimes forgotten. This is often a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of alternative text for the images on your web site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to supply descriptive text. In addition, 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 have a similar problem as blind users. They cannot see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, looking to achieve a certain keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now as 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 this type of penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from this plan.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what's shown on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt features of images are read aloud too.

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

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used as a description or perhaps a label for an image, though many people utilize it in that fashion. Although it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

The words used within an image's alt attribute should be its text equivalent and convey exactly 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" in the event that the look itself is unavailable. Think about this: Should you replace the look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and would it generate the same response?
Some examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

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

If the image is supposed to convey the literal contents of the image, a description is suitable.

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

If it is designed to convey the use of a function, then your function itself 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 perhaps 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 from the image we're trying to convey. For instance; any button images shouldn't include the word "button" in the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed by the button.

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

Attempt to flow alt text with the remainder from the text because that's how it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please keep in mind that using an alt attribute for each image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. They are also required 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 create a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) satisfy the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there may be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there's something there that will boost the usability of the site for somebody using 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 mood or set happens as it were. These graphics aren't direct content and could not be considered essential, but they are essential in they help frame what's going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the 2nd group as is sensible and is relevant. There may be times when doing this might be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then try to avoid it.

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

Usually this will depend on context. The same image inside a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. How you go in this example 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 can also be in order.
The reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the pictures exist. You need to determined precisely what function a picture serves. Think about what it's concerning the image that's vital that you the page's intended audience.

Every graphic has a reason behind being on that page: since it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what are the page is trying to describe. Knowing what the image is for makes alt text easier to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A method to check the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a specific image to make the page understandable towards the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you've got a couple more tools available 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 by the user agent. Remember they're invisible and not shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (A lot for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a full description of the image. If the information found in a picture is essential to the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content will 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 the visual image.

It should 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 the image...The goal is to use any length of description necessary to impart the details from the graphic.

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

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

Oftentimes, you are best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to incorporate it, and when you don't have a strong urge to do it, don't add that longdesc.

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

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

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

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed here are key steps in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You can use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Stay away from underscores as a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For instance, when the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's going to assume 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 text at the image that's highly relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose a great opportunity to help your site with your images searching engines. Use these steps to position better on all the engines and drive increased traffic for your site TODAY.