Alternative text, more commonly known as alt text, is a short, simple textual description of a piece of non-textual content on a webpage, such as an image. It becomes visible to the user when the multimedia content it is describing cannot be rendered or displayed. On a typical web page, alt text is enclosed within the HTML “alt” attribute, and gets read by screen readers and text-based web browsers in place of the content it describes. Though the attribute can be left empty, here are some reasons you should include alt text to make your web page more accessible and inclusive for all users.
Alternative Text Improves Accessibility
Alternative text allows users with visual or cognitive impairments to browse your web page without feeling overwhelmed or excluded. In the case where multimedia elements are not loaded, rendered, or are purposely switched off, alt text is displayed to provide information to the user. In addition, alt text is relayed by screen readers for users who have visual impairments or prefer auditory methods of obtaining information. If alt text is missing, these users will be lacking key information, resulting in an incomplete and unsatisfactory experience. Adding appropriate alt text to web pages allows content and information to become more accessible, especially for users who require accommodations.
Alternative Text Provides Context
As machine learning and AI technologies continue to advance, it has become easier to decipher the subjects and components of an image. However, it is difficult for algorithms to understand nuance and predict human intention correctly and consistently. For instance, imagine you are designing a menu for a coffee shop and you include the following image as a visual guide under the cold drinks section with a number that corresponds to “Iced Latte”:
For users who can visually see the image, they are able to easily piece together that the image is referring to an iced latte. However, without appropriate alt text, it would be challenging for an algorithm to determine the type of drink that is in the glass: is it an iced latte, an iced coffee, or an iced milk tea? Especially in the case where textual descriptions of multimedia elements are not present, alt text plays an essential role in explaining both the subject (an iced drink in a glass) of the content and the context—or, in other words, what the content means in relation to the rest of the web page (an iced latte on the menu for a coffee shop). Using alt text on your web page ensures that you are providing sufficient information that is unambiguous for different types of users that will be viewing and using your website.
Alternative Text Enhances SEO
Not only does alt text help your users directly on the web page, it helps rank your website higher on the search engine. Alt text helps search engine crawlers interpret your image and index the image correctly, which will provide users images that are more relevant to their search. Moreover, on a webpage, alt text is evaluated as part of the collective contents of your page. When alt text relates closely to the rest of the page, search engine crawlers gain a better understanding of what your page is about, and the algorithm can direct your website to users more accurately.
Alternative text sets the foundation for making sure that a web page is complete, accessible, and relevant. The YuJa Panorama LMS Accessibility Platform identifies and flags content that is missing alt text, and provides AI-based alt text generation for images. The platform also allows you to bulk upload alt text for images at once, allowing your web page to be consistent.
By incorporating alt text into your website, you will create a digital experience that is user-friendly and easy to access.
