SEO Optimization images is becoming increasingly more essential in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This can be a lost chance of better rankings.
In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of alternative text for that images in your web site:
Images:. Use the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. In addition, we recommend using a human-readable caption and descriptive text round the image.
Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is easy, really; search engines like google have the same problem as blind users. They can't see the images.
Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a particular keyword density, which is not as relevant for rankings now as it was previously.
On the other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might result in a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without this type of penalty, your site's rankings will not take advantage of this plan.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that actually read aloud the contents of what is displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt features of images are read aloud too.
Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is followed by repetitions of numerous keywords. The page will be not even close to accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?
An ALT attribute should not be used as a description or perhaps a label to have an image, though lots of people utilize it in that fashion. Though it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is a label or a description, it is not!
What used inside an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey the same information or serve exactly the same purpose the image would.
The thing is to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" when the image is not available. Ask yourself this: If you were to replace the image using the text, would most users get the same basic information, and would it generate the same response?
A few examples:
Some SEO Optimization Tips
If a search button is really a magnifying glass or binoculars its alt text should be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.
If the image is meant to convey the literal contents of the look, a description is suitable.
If it's meant to convey data, then that data is what is appropriate.
If it's meant to convey using a function, then the function itself is what ought to be used.
Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:
Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.
For images that play merely a decorative role within the page, use an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image so that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".
Keep in mind that it's the function of the image we're trying to convey. For instance; any button images shouldn't range from the word "button" within the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed through the button.
Alt text should be determined by context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may require drastically different alt text.
Try to flow alt text with the rest from the text because that is how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly remember that a graphic image can there be.
Please keep in mind that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is required to meet the minimum WAI requirements, that are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the remainder of Europe. They are also necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.
It is useful to categorize non-text content into three levels:
Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function
I. Eye-Candy
Eye-Candy are stuff that serve no purpose apart from to make a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) fulfill the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there may be value to some sighted user).
Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will boost the usability from the site for somebody utilizing a non-visual user agent. Make use of a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.
II. Mood-Setting
This is actually the middle layer of graphics which might serve to set the mood or set happens as it were. These graphics aren't direct content and may not be considered essential, but they are important in they help frame what's going on.
Try to alt-ify the 2nd group as is sensible and is relevant. There might be times when doing this may be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then try to avoid it.
For instance; Alt text that's just like adjacent text is unnecessary, as well as an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such cases. But sometimes, it's important to get this content inside for all users.
Most times this will depend on context. Exactly the same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. How you go in this case is a judgment call.
III. Content and Function
This is when the look is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes can also be in order.
The reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the images exist. You need to figured out exactly what function a picture serves. Think about what it's about the image that's important to the page's intended audience.
Every graphic includes a reason for standing on that page: because it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what the page is trying to explain. Understanding what the look is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A method to check the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a particular image to create the page understandable to the listener?
Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools at your disposal for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they are invisible and not shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So make use of the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a complete description of an image. If the information found in an image is essential to the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost if the image was removed), a longer description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It can provide for rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.
It ought to be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of the image...The goal is by using any length of description necessary to impart the facts from the graphic.
It would not be remiss to hope that the long description conjures an image - the look - in the mind's eye, an analogy that is true even for the totally blind."
Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility and for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.
In many cases, you are best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to include it, and when you don't possess a strong urge to get it done, don't add that longdesc.
However, if it's essential for the entire page to work, then you have to include the alt text (or title or longdesc).
What's necessary and what's not depends a lot about the function of your image and it is context on the page.
The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, although not in another. If an image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to use. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and perhaps even a long description would be in order. Oftentimes this kind of thing is a judgement call.
Image Seo optimization Tips
Listed below are key steps in optimizing images:
Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens within the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores like a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";
Label the file extension. For example, when the image search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's likely to assume that the file is really a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's going to assume that it is a graphic;
Ensure that the text nearby the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose a great opportunity to help your site with your images in search engines. Use these steps to rank better on all the engines and drive more traffic to your site TODAY.
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