Add Descriptive Alt Text to All Images

Also known as: Image Accessibility for AI, Visual Content Descriptions, Alt Tag Optimization

Write context-rich alt attributes on every image for accessibility and Google Images, and don't keep key information only inside images.

What is Add Descriptive Alt Text to All Images?

Impact Mechanism:
RAG & Retrieval
Category:
Technical & Schema
Effort:
Low
Skill needed:
Content & Editorial
Evidence level:
Proven

How does it work?

  1. 1. Sort images by purpose

    Decide per image whether it is informative, functional (link or button), text, a complex chart or decorative, using the W3C alt decision tree.

  2. 2. Describe informative images specifically

    Write a short, specific description of what the image shows in context, e.g. 'Dalmatian puppy playing fetch'; don't start with 'image of'.

  3. 3. Handle links, text and charts

    For linked images describe the destination; for images of text use that text; put chart data in page text or a table.

  4. 4. Leave decorative images empty

    Use alt="" for purely decorative images; never omit the attribute or fill it with keywords.

  5. 5. Use img elements, captions, clear filenames

    Use <img> rather than CSS backgrounds, short descriptive filenames, and put key details in nearby text or a <figcaption>.

  6. 6. Run an accessibility check

    Run an axe or Lighthouse accessibility audit and fix every image flagged by the image-alt rule.