When optimizing your site for search engines, mobile users and visually impaired visitors to your site, don't overlook your graphics and photos. Use alt text--short for alternative text--to accurately describe the content of all the images on your site.
Here’s why:
- Alt-text descriptions help search engines find images when people confine their searches to images.
- If the image doesn’t load, its alt-text description will appear in its place.
- Mobile users may not see your images when browsing your site on their handhelds.
- Visually impaired visitors to your site who use screen readers will hear the alt text accompanying your image.
You type an image’s description into an image tag’s alt attribute in the HTML code. In Webon, once you place an image onto your page, mouse over the image and click on the Edit Options link that will appear at the top of the image. In the window that pops up, you’ll see spaces where you can enter alt text and a title for your image. Enter your text and the click Save.
A few tips to keep in mind:
- Write alt text that is unique and specific to the image.
- Limit your alt text to a short sentence or phrase that includes keywords
- Make your alt text meaningful. Rather than merely write something like “Dog,” write "German shepherd watch dog guarding the junk yard."
In Webon, you also have the option of entering a title at the same time you enter your alt text. The title should also be relevant and concise.
Posted by tips-tricks
at 11:36 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 6 October 2010 1:23 PM EDT
