Including alt text alongside images on a website has always been good practice,but do we need to use it on every image?
Including ‘alt text‘ alongside images on a website has always been good practice, for SEO as well as its true intention, to increase accessibility and user friendliness, including for blind internet users who rely on special software for web browsing. The ‘alt text’ can be added to an image through any CMS.
But do we need to use it on every image? The answer is no for accessibility guidelines, and Google has backed this up when it comes to SEO. Buttons, decorations and even icons may not benefit from it.
The Scottish Enterprise Design blog features an ‘Alt text decide-o-matic‘ tool for anyone who’s unsure. It’s built on the W3C guidelines, which are the fount of all knowledge on web design. Answer a few questions about an image, and it’ll tell you whether to include ‘alt text’ or not.