Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more important in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This can be a lost chance of 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. In addition, 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 have the same problem as blind users. They cannot see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse using this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a particular keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now as 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 plan.
This process 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 is displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt attributes of images are read aloud as well.

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

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

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

The thing is to supply the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" in the event that the look is not available. Think about this: If you were to replace the image 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 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 items in the look, a description is suitable.

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

If it is designed to convey the use of a function, then your 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 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".

Remember that it's the function of the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images shouldn't include the word "button" within the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text should be determined by context. The same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest of the text because that is the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly remember that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that using an alt attribute for every image is needed to meet the minimum WAI requirements, that are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. They are also 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 other than to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (in many cases) satisfy the marketing departments. There is no content value (though there might be value to some sighted user).

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

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

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

Usually this will depend on context. The same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. The way you use this case is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the image may be the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may 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 about the image that's vital that you the page's intended audience.

Every graphic has a reason behind standing on that page: since it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what the page is trying to describe. Knowing what the look is perfect for makes alt text simpler to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A way to look into the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. What would you say when encountering a specific image to create the page understandable to the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools at your disposal for images.
First, in level 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 like a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the URL of a full description of an image. When the information found in an image is important towards 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 may 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 an image...The aim is to use any length of description essential to impart the facts of the graphic.

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

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

In many cases, you're best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to incorporate it, and when you don't possess a strong urge to get it done, 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 on the function of the image and its context about the page.

Exactly the same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, although not in another. If an image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to use. However, if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt will 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 should use hyphens within the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores like a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

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

Ensure that the text at the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, don't lose a great chance to help your website together with your images searching engines. Begin using these steps to rank better on all of the engines and drive more traffic for your site TODAY.