Tip for today: Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more essential in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is really a critical step that is often overlooked. This can be a lost chance of better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for the images on your site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to supply descriptive text. In addition, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is simple, really; search engines like google have a similar problem as blind users. They can't begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, looking 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 create a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from this plan.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers in a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the contents of what is shown on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt features of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is then repetitions of numerous keywords. The page will be not even close to accessible, and, to put it bluntly, will be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used like a description or a label to have an image, though lots of people utilize it in that fashion. Although it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

The words used inside an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve exactly the same purpose the image would.

The thing is to provide the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" when the image itself is not available. Think about this: If you were to replace the look using the text, would most users get the same basic information, and wouldn't it generate the same response?
A few examples:

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is a magnifier or binoculars its alt text ought to be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is supposed to convey the literal items in the look, a description is suitable.

If it is meant to convey data, then that information is what is appropriate.

If it is designed to convey the use of a function, then your function itself is what should 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 in the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Remember that it's the function from the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images should not range from the word "button" in the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text ought to be based on context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the rest of the text because that's the way it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly remember that a graphic image is there.
Please keep in mind that utilizing an alt attribute for each image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, which are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the remainder of Europe. They are also required to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is important 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 create 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 of the site for somebody using 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 the middle layer of graphics which may actually set the atmosphere or set happens as it were. These graphics aren't direct content and could not be considered essential, but they're essential in that they help frame what is going on.

Try to alt-ify the 2nd group as is sensible and it is relevant. There might be instances when doing so might be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then avoid it.

For instance; Alt text that is identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, as well as an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's important to get this content in there for those users.

Usually it depends on context. The same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. The way you go in this example is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is when the image is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes can also be so as.
The reason many authors can't understand why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the pictures exist. You have to figured out precisely what function a picture serves. Think about what it is concerning the image that's vital that you 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 attempting to explain. Understanding what the look is for makes alt text simpler to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A way to look into the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. What would you say when encountering a specific image to make the page understandable towards the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So make use of the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the URL of a complete description of the image. If the information found in an image is essential towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost if the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It can provide for rich, expressive documentation of the 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 really a long description of an image...The goal is by using any length of description essential to impart the details from the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that a long description conjures an image - the look - within the mind's eye, an analogy that is true even for that totally blind."

Even though alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you're better off just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to include it, and when you don't possess a strong urge to do it, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to work, then you've to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a lot about the function of the image and it is context about the page.

Exactly the same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, but not in another. If the 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 will be required and maybe a long description will be so as. Oftentimes this type of thing is really a judgement call.