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ALT Tag: Alternate Text Tag

Tuesday, 05. 24. 2011  –  Category: On-Page Optimization, SEO Process

ALT tags provide alternative text at instances where it is not possible to display non-textual elements, usually images. They are commonly deleted from web pages whether small personal pages or large corporate websites. However, ALT tags can also be used to your advantage when they are properly used. They are mainly for screen readers who can’t understand images. Here are some of the things that ALT tags can do:

Uses:

1. Gives additional detail for an image or destination of a hyperlinked image
2. Makes it easier for people with various disabilities to access
3. Gives important and necessary information for people who use the Web with graphics turned off, and users who surf the Web using text-only browsers.
4. Helps in navigating when a graphics-intensive site at times when you are viewing a site with slow connection, this makes it possible for visitors to choose where to navigate even before graphics are fully loaded.

Techniques:

Being creative in ALT tags can make a difference in making your website more usable and accessible. Here are some of the techniques:

Consider your audience. There are at least three probable audiences for ALT tags including users who browse non-graphically, blind sighted readers who access a page with the use of audio-based browser technologies and automated indexing programs that make use and recognize ALT tags as part of page’s contents.

Keep it short and succinct. Many browsers take ALT tag or ALT text as one long line of PRE text with no line breaks or word-wrapping. A long one can mess up the format of the page for sighted readers who use non-graphical browser. This particularly happens with table-based pages making users unable to navigate through the page.

Keep ALT tags meaningful and descriptive. No ALT tags are better than having a meaningless. It defeats the purpose of having one. Having meaningful ALT tags in isolation guide users to your page through automated indexers that read and understand ALT tags.

Do away with images which function is only for decorative purposes – those that convey no content. You will have to null alternative text or alt=”” but you should not omit the ALT attribute.

Include separators and embedded spaces. You may opt to capitalize on the Pre attribute of ALT tag to make sure it is readable.

Make sure you test your ALT tags. You can do this by simply disabling image-loading in your browser then navigate your site.

Tags: alt attribute, alt tags, alternative tags, image alt tags, image tags, keyword on images, keyword-rich alt tags