katherinez1sb: Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images has become increasingly 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 opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for the images in your site:

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

Why would they ask us to achieve that? The answer is simple, really; search engines have the same problem as blind users. They can't begin to 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 since it once was.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for your 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 displayed on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt features of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is then repetitions of many keywords. The page would be not even close to 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 a label to have an image, though many people utilize it in that fashion. Though it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

What 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 goal would be to supply the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" in the event that the image itself is not available. Think about this: If you were to replace the look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it create the same response?
A few examples:

Some SEO Optimization Tips

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

If the image is supposed to convey the literal items in the look, a description is appropriate.

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

If it's designed to convey using a function, then your function itself is what ought to be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.

For images that play only a decorative role in the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps 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 of the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images should not range from the word "button" in the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text should be determined by context. 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's the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the remainder of Europe. They are also necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in the US.

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 (oftentimes) fulfill the marketing departments. There is no content value (though there might be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there's something there which will boost the usability from the site for someone using 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 actually the middle layer of graphics which might serve to 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 second group as makes sense and is relevant. There might be times when doing this may be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then avoid it.

For instance; 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 cases. But sometimes, it's important to get this content in there for all users.

Usually it depends on context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. The way you go in this example is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the image is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be so as.
The main reason many authors can't understand why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the images exist. You have to figured out exactly what function an image serves. Consider 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 the page is trying to describe. Understanding 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 over the telephone to someone. What would you say when encountering a particular image to make 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 may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the Link to a full description of the image. When the information contained in a picture is important towards the concept of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when 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 a 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 the image...The aim is by using any period of description essential to impart the details of the graphic.

It would not be remiss to hope that the long description conjures an image - the image - 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.

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 have a strong urge to get it done, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to operate, then you have to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal on the function of the image and its context on the page.

Exactly the same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, but not in another. If an image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to make use of. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and maybe even a long description would be so as. Oftentimes this kind of thing is a judgement call.