11/101 Do all your images have Alt Text?

1️⃣1️⃣️ Do all your images have alt text?

In the world of web design and SEO, every detail counts. One often-overlooked but crucial element is the use of alt text for images. Alt text, or alternative text, is a description added to the HTML code of an image that describes its content. This simple addition can significantly impact your website's accessibility and search engine optimisation (SEO). In this blog post, we'll explore why having alt text for all your images on your Wix website is essential and provide a step-by-step guide on how to add it.

Why Alt Text is Important for Your Wix Website

1. Improves Accessibility

Alt text ensures that visually impaired users can understand the content of your images through screen readers. By providing descriptive alt text, you make your website more inclusive and accessible to all users, complying with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

2. Enhances SEO

Search engines cannot "see" images, but they can read alt text. Including relevant keywords in your alt text helps search engines understand the content of your images, improving your site's SEO. Well-optimised images can drive more organic traffic to your website.

3. Provides Context

In cases where images fail to load due to technical issues, alt text serves as a placeholder, giving users an idea of what the image represents. This maintains the context and usability of your content even when images are missing.

4. Supports Voice Search

With the rise of voice search, search engines rely more on textual content to deliver accurate results. Alt text contributes to the pool of information that search engines use to respond to voice queries, enhancing your site's visibility in voice search results.

How to Add Alt Text to Your Wix Website Images

Adding alt text to your Wix website images is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to ensure all your images are optimised with descriptive alt text:

Step 1: Log in to Your Wix Account

Start by logging in to your Wix account and navigating to the dashboard of the site you want to edit.

Step 2: Access the Editor

From your site's dashboard, click on the "Editor" button to open the Wix Editor, where you can make changes to your website.

Step 3: Select an Image

Click on the image you want to add alt text to. This will open the image settings panel, where you can make various adjustments.

Step 4: Add Alt Text

Open Image Settings: In the image settings panel, look for the "Settings" or "Manage Media" button and click on it.
Enter Alt Text: Find the "Alt Text" field and enter a descriptive and keyword-rich description of the image. Make sure the description is concise and accurately represents the content of the image. For example, instead of "IMG_1234.jpg," use "beautiful-sunset-over-ocean.jpg."

Step 5: Save Changes

After entering the alt text, click "Save" or "Done" to apply the changes. Repeat this process for all images on your website.

Step 6: Verify and Test

Once you've added alt text to all your images, it's important to verify and test its effectiveness:

Use an Accessibility Checker: Tools like WAVE or Axe can help you check if all your images have alt text and if they meet accessibility standards.
Test with Screen Readers: Use screen reader software to ensure that the alt text is being read correctly and provides useful descriptions for visually impaired users.

Best Practices for Writing Alt Text

To maximise the benefits of alt text, follow these best practices:

Be Descriptive and Specific: Clearly describe what the image depicts. Instead of generic terms, use specific descriptions.
Include Keywords Naturally: Incorporate relevant keywords without keyword stuffing. The alt text should read naturally and provide value.
Keep It Concise: While being descriptive, keep the alt text concise. Aim for around 125 characters or less.
Avoid Redundancy: Don’t start with "Image of" or "Picture of." Screen readers already announce that it is an image.

Next Steps

Ensuring that all your images on your Wix website have alt text is a crucial step in enhancing accessibility, improving SEO, and providing a better user experience. By following the steps outlined in this guide and adhering to best practices, you can make your website more inclusive and optimised for search engines. Take the time to add descriptive and keyword-rich alt text to all your images today, and enjoy the benefits of a more accessible and search-friendly website.

Add alt text to your image

If you need help optimising your website, we can help, book a discovery call with Rory by clicking below.