Alt Attribute & SEO Optimization

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

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of 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 round the image.

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

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

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which may result in a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a 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 contents of what's displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt attributes of images are read aloud as well.

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

An ALT attribute should not be used as a description or a label for an image, though lots of people use it for the reason that fashion. Although it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or a description, it is not!

The words 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 provide the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" when the look is unavailable. Think about this question: Should you replace the look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and would it generate the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is 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, then a description is suitable.

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

If it is designed to convey using a function, then the function is what ought to 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 in the page, use an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it's the function from the image we are trying to convey. For instance; any button images shouldn't range from the word "button" in the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text ought to be determined by context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the remainder from the text because that's the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is needed to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used since 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 important to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things that serve no purpose apart from to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (in many cases) satisfy 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 is something there that 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 the middle layer of graphics which may serve to set the atmosphere or set happens so to speak. These graphics are not direct content and may 't be considered essential, but they are important in that they help frame what is going on.

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

For example; Alt text that's identical to 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 vital that you 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 should always be fully available. How you use this example is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the look 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 understand why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the pictures exist. You have to figured out exactly what function a picture serves. Consider what it's concerning the image that's vital that you the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason behind standing on that page: since it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what the page is attempting to describe. Understanding what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A way 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. (A lot for device independence). So use the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the Link to a full description of the image. When the information contained in an image is important towards the meaning 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 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 an image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of an image...The goal is by using any length of description essential to impart the details from the graphic.

It would not 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."

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 are best just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to incorporate it, and if 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 work, then you have to include 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 may be appropriate to use. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and perhaps even a long description would be so as. Oftentimes 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 within the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores as a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

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

Make sure that the written text at the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent opportunity to help your site together with your images searching engines. Use these steps to position better on all of the engines and drive more traffic to your site TODAY.