Alt Attribute & Seo

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

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

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. Additionally, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is easy, 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, 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 other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which may create a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from this tactic.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that actually read aloud the contents of what's 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 followed by repetitions of many keywords. The page would be far from accessible, and, to put it mildly, will be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used like a description or perhaps a label for an image, though lots of people use it in that fashion. Though it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is a label or a description, it's not!

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

The goal is to provide 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 image itself is unavailable. Ask yourself this: Should you replace the look with the text, would most users get the same basic information, and wouldn't it generate the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

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

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

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

If it's 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 merely a decorative role within the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

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

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

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest of the text because that is how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly remember that a graphic image can there be.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, which are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the rest of Europe. Also, they are required 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 is no content value (though there may be value to some sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will boost the usability of the site for someone utilizing a non-visual user agent. Use 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 mood or set the stage as it were. These graphics aren't direct content and could 't be considered essential, but they're important in that they help frame what's going on.

Try to alt-ify the 2nd group as makes sense and is relevant. There might be instances when doing this might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then try to avoid it.

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

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

Every graphic includes a reason behind being on that page: because it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what the page is trying to explain. Understanding what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A way to check the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a specific image to create the page understandable towards the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they're invisible and never shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the URL of a full description of the image. When the information contained in a picture is essential towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost if the image was removed), an extended description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to 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 an image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of an image...The aim is to use any length of description essential to impart the details from the graphic.

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

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

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

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to work, 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 the image and it is context about the page.

The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, but not in another. If the image provides absolutely 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 maybe even a long description will 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:

Select 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. Avoid using 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 if it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's going to assume that it is a graphic;

Make sure that the written text at the image that is highly relevant to that image.
Again, do not 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.