Internet Marketing Blog

Using ALT Tags for Search Engine Optimization

Alternative text, commonly known as ALT tags or ALT attributes are used to present to the viewer when graphics are turned off, or the browser is not graphics capable. This can happen with hand held browsers, where the viewer has low bandwidth capabilities and so elects not to use graphics, or where there is assistive technology such as screen readers or Braille displays.

ALT attributes are particularly helpful in search engine optimization because the search engine spiders rely on the ALT attributes to determine the attributes of the graphics or of the object referenced. The ALT attributes were widely used in the early days of Internet growth, since many people did not have graphics capability. Even though we take graphics as a matter of course today, the ALT attributes are extremely helpful to those with accessibility requirements. ALT attributes are also commonly used when web page designers are looking for ways in which the bandwidth use on their network can be best exercised.

While descriptive ALT attributes are important in order to comply with accessibility standards set up by the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility Standard statement so that people with certain types of disabilities which require assistive devices will be able to gain an understanding of what is being displayed as an object or graphic; graphics which are used in a purely decorative text should be recognized by an empty ALT attribute such as alt = “”.

The ALT attributes are not intended to provide tool tips, screen tips or pop-up text when a cursor is passed over an image, but they are commonly used for the above purposes. Tool tips are often used to explain a term or a hyperlink with some web browsers. Screen tips are used in the same way with Microsoft end users and Macintosh users call them balloon help.

So, although the ALT attributes in HTML was originally intended in the past to facilitate web browsing where the browser did not support graphics images, such as Lynx, it has expanded to include those who are visually impaired and cannot see the images, as well as those who assistive devices such as those converting text to Braille or text to speech.

There is a growing debate as to how to use ALT attributes correctly, but some guidelines that should be adhered to include:

 Make the ALT attributes a textual equivalent of the images, NOT a description of the image. The ALT attribute should be short. Lengthy descriptions appropriately belong as a longdesc or (d) link.
 If the graphic is used as a link, then the ALT attributes should state that it’s a link and where the link leads.
 Use text in the ALT attributes that would make sense if read aloud.

The main concept in using ALT attributes is to make your web page content understandable to a blind person. ALT attribute text used inappropriately only confuses and obliterate the enjoyment of the information used by a blind person or by a screen reader.

Please view the Search Engine Optimization services provided by ComCorp, Inc.