Why Image Alt Text Matters for SEO & Accessibility

What is Alt Text?

Alt text (alternative text) is a text description added to an image's HTML tag. It serves two critical purposes: it tells search engines what an image shows (since they can't "see" images), and it provides a text alternative for screen readers used by visually impaired visitors.

SEO Benefits

Google Image Search drives significant traffic to e-commerce stores. Products with descriptive, keyword-rich alt text are more likely to appear in image search results. Alt text also reinforces the page's topic relevance, contributing to overall page SEO.

Accessibility Benefits

Web accessibility is both an ethical responsibility and increasingly a legal requirement. Proper alt text ensures all visitors can understand your product images, regardless of visual ability.

Best Practices

Be specific and descriptive — "Red leather crossbody bag with gold clasp" is better than "bag" or "product image". Include relevant keywords naturally. Keep it under 125 characters. Don't start with "Image of" or "Picture of".

Using Seokai for Alt Text

Seokai can generate alt text for your featured product image and up to 10 additional images per product. It analyzes the image context and product details to create descriptive, SEO-optimized alt text automatically.