Free AI Alt Text Generator
The Ultimate Guide to Writing Perfect Alt Text for Images
Alt text (alternative text) is a crucial element of web accessibility and SEO that describes the content and function of images on your website. Our free AI-powered alt text generator helps you create optimized alt text that improves accessibility for visually impaired users and boosts your search engine rankings.
Why Alt Text Matters for SEO and Accessibility
Search engines like Google use alt text to understand the content of your images, which helps your pages rank higher in image search results. Proper alt text also:
- Improves accessibility for screen reader users
- Provides context when images fail to load
- Enhances user experience for all visitors
- Helps with international SEO by providing translation context
How to Write Effective Alt Text
Follow these best practices when writing alt text for your images:
- Be descriptive but concise - Aim for 5-15 words that accurately describe the image
- Include relevant keywords - But avoid keyword stuffing
- Don't start with "image of" - Screen readers already announce it as an image
- Consider context - The same image might need different alt text depending on the page content
- Skip alt text for decorative images - Use empty alt attribute (alt="") instead
Example of Good vs. Bad Alt Text
Bad: "Dog"
Good: "Golden retriever puppy playing with red ball in park"
Better: "Happy golden retriever puppy playing with a red rubber ball on sunny day in Central Park"
Common Alt Text Mistakes to Avoid
Many website owners make these alt text errors that can hurt accessibility and SEO:
- Using the same alt text for multiple different images
- Writing overly long descriptions (keep it under 125 characters)
- Including unnecessary details like file names or "photo of"
- Missing alt attributes altogether (a WCAG accessibility violation)
- Using alt text for decorative elements that should be empty
How Our Alt Text Generator Works
Our AI-powered tool analyzes your image description and target keywords to generate SEO-friendly alt text that follows all accessibility guidelines. Simply:
- Describe your image in detail
- Add any target keywords (optional)
- Set a character limit if needed
- Click "Generate Alt Text"
The generator creates multiple variations and selects the best one based on SEO best practices and accessibility standards.
Alt Text for Different Image Types
The ideal alt text varies depending on the type of image:
- Product images: Include product name, key features, and color
- Infographics: Summarize the key data points
- Charts/graphs: Explain the trend or conclusion
- People: Mention who it is and what they're doing
- Logos: Use the company name
Remember that alt text should always serve the same purpose as the image itself. If the image is purely decorative, it's better to use an empty alt attribute (alt="") so screen readers will skip it.
Advanced Alt Text Tips for SEO
To maximize your image SEO potential:
- Include your target keyword naturally in the alt text when relevant
- Use semantic HTML with proper
<img>tags - Optimize image file names before uploading (e.g., "golden-retriever-puppy.jpg")
- Compress images to improve page load speed
- Consider using structured data for complex images
Did You Know?
Images with properly optimized alt text can appear in Google's image search results, driving additional traffic to your website. According to recent studies, pages with optimized images rank higher in search results than those without.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should alt text be?
Most experts recommend keeping alt text under 125 characters. This ensures it's descriptive enough while remaining concise and compatible with most screen readers.
Should every image have alt text?
Decorative images that don't convey content should have empty alt text (alt=""). All other images should have descriptive alt text that conveys the same information as the image.
Can alt text be the same as the image caption?
While you can use similar text, it's better to have unique alt text that focuses on describing the image content rather than commenting on it like a caption might.
How does alt text affect SEO?
Alt text helps search engines understand your images, which can improve your rankings in both regular and image search results. It also contributes to better accessibility, which is becoming a ranking factor.
By using our free alt text generator and following these best practices, you can improve your website's accessibility, user experience, and search engine visibility all at once.
