What is
Alt Tags
Alt tags are an essential part of the SEO puzzle, much like a missing piece of the cosmic mosaic that helps complete the picture. They're html attributes used to describe images and provide search engines with useful information about themâsignaling to web crawlers what's important and relevant. With Alt tags SEO-ers can create meaningful context when there is none visible on a website. Put simply, they represent data regarding an image in both human terms and computer codeâmeaning search engine 'spiders' can process it all to develop a deeper understanding of your website contents.
Earlier SEO practices had bugs which meant screenshot images werenât recognized by search enginesâbut with Alt tagging, problem solved! For example, objects like logos without any names associated with them were meaningless for performing searches, until certain coding altered how this data was displayed so even computers could understand it all. Additionally, People using âscreen readersâ (devices used by those visually impaired) interact differently than sighted usersâbut need relevant information too; enter: Alt tags! By introducing a text description within the tag itself instead of just relying on visual clues alone, non-visual senses now access the same page content as everyone else doesâlet me tell you for folks who value clear communication and good user experience this has been a godsend!
In conclusion then; as obvious as it may soundâclearly labeling your pictures is important these days if you want Google to recognize images alongside wordsâAlt tags are literally ONE OF THE BEST THINGS INVENTED since sliced bread & heads above anything we ever had before! The humble âAlt Tag Image Descriptionâ concept is cutting edge tech, for sure. Talk about lighting up graphics dark matter AND saving our little universe from playing hide & seek. Literally giving new life to once forgotten art.
Examples of Â
Alt Tags
- Product Image Alt tags
- Shopping Cart Icon Alt tags
- Home Page Banner Alt tags
- About Us Logo Alt tags
- Blog Post Picture Alt tags
- Site Map Navigation Image Alt tags Â
- Footer Copyright Infringement Notice Logo Alt tag
- Navigation Bar Picture Image Alt tag Â
- Social Media Platform Profile Picture Alt Tags Â
- Contact Us Form Fields Icons Image Alt Tag
Benefits of Â
Alt Tags
- Using Alt Taggs for Image Descriptions: Add a few words in the âaltâ tag that clearly describe the image, so search engines can make sense of what it is. This increases chances your page will rank higher and helps Google understand what types of images you have on the website.
- Improve Accessibility with Alt Taggs: Not everyone can see or interpret visualsâadding alt tags improves accessibility by providing text descriptions to help people with different needs easily understand what an image is about, creating a more equitable web experience overall.
- Use Keywords Sparingly: While it may be tempting to stuff keywords into all of your alt taggs, avoid this practice as too many keywords may trigger red flags and result in penalties from search engines that view it as a potential sign of keyword stuffing by spammers. Stick to concise yet descriptive phrases for best results!
Sweet facts & stats
- Using Alt tags for images can improve the SEO of web pages by up to 10%.
- Up to 95% of websites have neglected to use keyword-rich Alt tags on their images.
- Over 20% of search engine users look at image thumbnails during searches, making Alt tags extremely important for better visibility online.
- Search engines usually cannot identify what is in an image, so itâs important to include an appropriate description in the Alt tag for maximum performance.
- Adding more than 150 characters per alt tag could have negative effects on your rank in search engine results pages (SERP).
- Research shows that using natural language in the Alt attributes increases the odds of ranking higher than if you just chose a generic text like âimage 1â or âproduct photoâ
- A humorous fact: Astronomers often compare stars and galaxies with organic entities such as cats and spiders when describing cosmic structuresâproviding a link between cosmology and even SEO via how both make use of key words!
The evolution of Â
Alt Tags
Alt tags are a mainstay of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). And, believe it or not, this has been the case for over two decades. Let's take a closer look at their astounding journey and what the future holds.
It all started in 1999 when web designers toggled with HTML code in order to improve field rankings on search engines like Google and Bing. It was here that Alt tags had their first taste of relevanceâutilised as descriptors to label images so they can be indexed effectively by search crawlers. Â
Fast-forward several years and we saw an indisputable increase in content marketing as bloggers and other thought leaders entered the fray with informative articles put out by various entities such as corporates, educational institutes or even authority websites. Albeit needing time to adjust, Alt tags proved their worth once again; providing additional context within image captions which helped clarify information contained within copy sections while improving website structure at the same time.
And now anyone involved in SEO will acknowledge how integral this feature is - with queries such as 'what is alt textâ being among the most googled terms related to optimising your online presence!
But what lies beyond? Given that more audio/visual content abounds than ever before, you can expect modern 'alt taggers' to embrace new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) so users can interpret longer form messages embedded amongst videos demonstrating its staying power you heard it here first!
In conclusion, from crucial early roots back in 1999 up until present day where it holds increasing significance for both readers and page rankings alike; there's no doubt about it. A bright future still awaits Alt Tags!