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Alt text (alternative text) is the HTML attribute that describes an image for screen readers and search engine crawlers. It is important for three reasons: it allows Google Image Search to index and rank your images for relevant queries, it improves accessibility for visually impaired users, and it provides contextual signals to help Google understand your page content.
Keep alt text under 125 characters — this is the point at which most screen readers cut off the description. Aim for 10–15 words that accurately describe the image content while naturally including your target keyword where relevant. Avoid starting with 'image of' or 'photo of' as screen readers already announce the element as an image.
Good alt text is specific, descriptive and contextual. Instead of 'dog.jpg', write 'Golden retriever puppy playing fetch at Bondi Beach.' For product images, include the product name and key attribute: 'Nike Air Max 90 in black and white — side view.' For decorative images with no informational value, use an empty alt attribute (alt='') so screen readers skip them.
Yes. Google's guidelines explicitly warn against keyword stuffing in alt text. Cramming multiple keywords ('buy cheap black shoes women's sneakers running gym') is treated as spam and can trigger a manual penalty. Write alt text for humans first — naturally descriptive text that happens to include one relevant keyword is perfectly fine.