Various SEO Myths about ALT Tags – Part 2

Hello Viewers, Welcome Back! You might have enjoyed reading our previous blog where we cleared some of the myths related to ALT attribute. We will clear some more of these in today’s section. So, let’s come back to the discussion related to some Myths about ALT Tags (now it’s not tag it’s an Attribute).

More Myths about ALT Attributes

• Myth 4 : ALT Attribute is needed for every image
  It’s not necessary for every image to have ALT attributes. If you are using design oriented images then those images don’t need any alternate text. ALT attribute must be left blank for spacer, line, bullet as well as any other images related to design.These three images viz. a spacer image, bullets showing list of options occupy more words than a simple image. Its better not to use alternate text attribute with such images as this will save the valuable time of visitors and will help them to access the site smoothly.Always know the navigational value of any image before assigning an alternate text to it.
• Myth 5 : Necessary to Fix All ALT Attributes Together
  Before optimizing the ALT attribute, it is advisable to fix every other SEO element used with images. ALT attributes plays a very minor role in increasing the SEO value. So, it’s not advisable to spend your too much of time in optimizing these minor SEO elements, instead focus on the major ones as we already discussed previously that ALT attribute is mainly used to make website access easy for visually impaired viewers.Therefore, keep title tag and Meta descriptions optimization as a priority. Further, you can also optimize templates, text fields, and adjacent link elements, advancing navigational links and remove all identical content.Once all SEO elements are enhanced then it’s the time for ALT attribute, now you can optimize these alternate texts. There are some exceptions when you can’t optimize these alternate attributes. These are as follows:

  1. When loading new images, it is recommended to include ALT attributes while uploading those elements.
  2. Alt attributes are important when results are to be found using image search.
  3. In case the website accessibility is to be improved then ALT attributes must be enhanced as a priority.

• Myth 6 : Writing Alternate texts takes more time
  Yes, this is very apt except in the cases where there are many developers to support you. If you have proper scripts, tools and shortcuts handy then the time to write these ALT attributes can be reduced to an extent.

  You can ask your developer to write a small alternate text that includes the product name as per the product image. Also, the role of photographer is also important. You can ask him/her to save the images by the product name instead of just numbers. Let’s say: Knife.jpeg is a better image name than image001.jpeg.

  This will help developers to create relevant alternate attributes. In case you have images of various types of knives then ask your photographer to name them based on the Knife type.

  Remember, the action of one team member plays an important role in making the task easier or harder for the other. Also, the names must be either used in capital or small letters as codes are case sensitive.

  Therefore, find some ways that can help you to get very apt alternate texts which will assist in SEO as well as ease in website access. The suggestions by your developers are always welcomed and they can share ideas based on their experiences.

On the other hand, if you wish to write these attributes manually then it is definitely going to take lot of your time.

The Take Away

Hence, this completes all the myths related to Alternate text aka ALT tags. Hope now you all have actually understood the importance of ALT tags, their use as well as their recognition. Stay in touch with Softqube Technologies, a well known SEO Services Company India.