Writing the perfect Alt Text Tips for Content Creators

1. WritingtheperfectAlt Text:TipsforContent Creators

2. Alt Text (alternative text or alt attribute) is a description of an image that is used to provide additional context and information to the image. The contentcreatorsneedtounderstand theimportanceofalt text because it provides access to information to a sighted user who might not be able to see or is visually impaired, or the images need to beloadedduetopoornetworkconnection. Inthisarticle,wewilllearntipsandtrickstocreateaccurateand effectivealttext.

3. ProvideaMeaningful description This is the most important part; you can’t just writeanythingwhiledescribinganimage,asit might result negatively. Thus, when writing an alttext,onemustensurethatitdescribesthe imageaccuratelyandprovidesasmuchcontext aspossible.ForExample,theimageisofacup ofcoffee;thealttextmayread“cupofblack coffeeonasaucerwithaspoon.”Itdescribes theimageaccuratelyandprovidesthe necessary context for the user with a visual impairmenttounderstand whatisintheimage

4. KeepitShortandSweet Keepingshortandsweetisthekeytowritingattractivealttext.Theaimis toavoidincludingcharactersabove125andusinglongsentences.There aresomecaseswhereevenawordisenoughtodescribetheimage.Some examples of keeping it short and sweet are “cup of tea,” “sunrise over the beach,”and“childblowingbubbles.”

5. AvoidUsing“Imageof”or“Pictureof” Itissuggestednottoinclude“imageof”or “pictureof”asitisameaninglesscontextand doesn’t provide any information. Instead, focus onhowtodescribetheimageaccurately.

6. BeSpecific Writinganalttextasspecificaspossible.For Example,“dogsitting”ismorespecificthanusing “animal” and provides more context. Similarly, “Bikerider”ismorespecificthanusing“rider”and providesmorecontexttotheimage.

7. ExamplesofAltText Withthetypeofimages,wearegoingtolearnaboutsomeexamples: 01 SimpleImages: Forsimpleimages,use simplesentences.For Example,ifthereisa pictureofabarkingdog, wecanuseanalttextlike “barkingdog.” 02 ComplexImage: Ifanyimageseemscomplex, likeadiagramorchart,then usealttextthatdescribesthe importantelementsofthe image,suchasa‘graph showingthenumberofusers wegainedoverthepast month”. 03 IconImage: Usinganiconofanysocial mediaonthewebsiteora blog?Thenitissuggestedto usetheplatformnameanda wordiconlike“Pinterest Icon.”

8. Conclusion Alt text is an incredibly important tool for providing extra and useful information for visually impaired users. By following the tips like providing a meaningful description, no keyword stuffing, keeping it short and sweet, avoiding usage of “image of” or “picture of, and being specific, content creatorscanensurethattheiralttextisaccurateand effective. Alt text writing also depends on the image you are using; four types of imagescanbeused:simple,complex,icon,anddecorative.Dependingon thetypeofimage,decideonanalternativetext.