Story Based Question
You’ve just uploaded several beautiful product images for your online store. You’re excited about the products, but you notice that the images aren’t showing up in Google Image Search. After doing some research, you realize that adding alt tags to your images could help. But you’re not sure how to add these alt tags for SEO. You ask yourself: How can I add alt tags to my images, and why is it important for SEO?
Exact Answer
You add alt tags (alternative text) to images by using the “alt” attribute in the HTML code or through your website’s CMS, describing the image content. Alt tags improve accessibility and help with SEO by making images understandable to search engines.
Explanation
Alt tags, also known as alt text, are descriptions added to images that explain what the image is about. While alt text was originally created for accessibility reasons (to help visually impaired users understand images via screen readers), it has also become crucial for SEO. Here’s why alt tags are important:
- Improves SEO: Search engines can’t “see” images the way humans do. They rely on alt text to understand the content of an image. When you include relevant keywords in your alt text, it helps Google index your images and rank them in search results.
- Boosts Accessibility: Alt tags make your website more accessible to people with visual impairments. Screen readers read the alt text aloud, giving users context about the image. This is a good practice for making your website inclusive and user-friendly.
- Better Image Search Rankings: Adding descriptive alt text allows your images to appear in Google Image Search, which can drive more traffic to your website. Optimizing alt tags with keywords helps your images rank for relevant queries.
- Helps with Page Load Issues: If an image fails to load, the alt text will be displayed in place of the image, helping users understand what should have been there.
Example
Let’s say you’re selling a pair of running shoes on your e-commerce store, and you upload an image of the shoes. Without an alt tag, Google won’t know what the image is about. So, you add an alt tag like this:
<img src=”running-shoes.jpg” alt=”red running shoes for men with cushioned sole”>
This alt tag is descriptive and includes keywords like “red running shoes” and “cushioned sole,” which can help your image rank for those specific search terms.
If a user searches for “red running shoes” in Google Images, your product image has a better chance of appearing in the results because Google understands what the image is about. Additionally, if the image fails to load, users will see the alt text as a placeholder, providing context.
Adding alt tags to your images is a simple but powerful way to improve your SEO. They help search engines understand your images, boost accessibility, and can even help you rank in Google Image Search. Make sure to include descriptive, keyword-rich alt text for each image to improve both your SEO and user experience.