Alt Text as an Ethical, Accessible and Effective SEO Strategy

As you all know by now, I come to Simplified SEO Consulting from the world of academia. During that time, it was my privilege to learn from experts on website strategy, especially within the context of an educational institution. While learning about website editing and additions, it was important to consider accessibility and inclusivity for all pages. In order to do that, a key part of the process is adding Alt Text on photos! Does this sound familiar? Yes, Cory posted a blog about this recently! You should definitely read her post after you’re done reading this one.

Why Consider Accessibility in Image Tags?

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but ensuring that all individuals can access your website as easily as possible is certainly a core value of ours at Simplified SEO. Do we do this perfectly every time? Probably not! But, when we all do better, we all do better, right? I think so. This can be done in a few different ways, but making your HTML image tags as clear as possible will help with both accessibility and SEO rankings. When someone is viewing your website using a screen reader, the alt text will be the way the person is able to know what your image is all about. In order to be inclusive, it is important that this text is as descriptive as possible. 

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

Okay, maybe not 1,000. Don’t get carried away. However, a well-described photo should have your primary keywords included too! “But, Danica, isn’t that a bit of a stretch? How does my photo of stacked rocks convey anxiety or postpartum depression?” It doesn’t, but it doesn’t mean it can’t! This isn’t permission to simply stuff a bunch of keywords into the alt text, but to responsibly describe the image and relate it to the overall context of the image placement. If you’re curious to know more about best practices for images, consider reading this article from Google. Take a look at the examples below for some ways we might use alt text for SEO and HTML tags to be both inclusive and assist with ranking our clients higher on Google and other search engines.

Practical Examples for Quality Alt Text for SEO and Accessibility

I’ve optimized these three image captions for both SEO and accessibility. Then, I included the wording in the Alt Text or HTML Tags.

Boosting your SEO with your images is simple, ethical and effective. When you do this well, it not only helps your website rankings but also ensures that you are more accessible to your potential clients. I hope this post gives you the motivation you need to get moving on your alt text!

Begin optimizing your website with Simplified SEO Consulting

You don’t have to do all of the SEO work on your own! If you are ready to explore the best ways to improve the SEO on your website and begin ranking higher on Google, just follow these simple steps:

1. Book a free consultation to discuss your website and practice needs.
2. Speak to one of our SEO specialists to find what service is the best fit for you
3. Start ranking better on Google and get more calls!

Other SEO Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

Our online, therapist-focused consulting agency is proud to offer you a variety of SEO services designed to meet your needs. For busy practice owners, we offer the popular Done for You SEO Services where our team of SEO specialists will optimize your page for you. On the other hand, if you are the do-it-yourself type, we offer SEO training packages.

Our latest SEO training option is the opportunity for you to learn SEO in a weekend at one of our intensive training sessions for private practice owners. Finally, we offer alumni and maintenance packages to keep you ranking well, and à la carte SEO services for those of you who just need a little guidance.  Contact us with specific questions or book a free SEO Consultation to figure out which service is best for your business!