Describing your pictures
Alt text: what it is, who it is for, and how to write it in ten seconds.
Every picture has an Alt text box. It is a short description of what the image shows, for people who cannot see it — someone using a screen reader, or anyone whose connection failed to load it.
It is also read by search engines, so it is one of the few genuinely free things you can do for how your site is found.
How to write one
Describe the content, not the file. Ten words is usually plenty.
- Good: “A round sourdough loaf, scored across the top, cooling on a rack.”
- Not useful: “IMG_4021.jpg”, “photo”, “image of bread”.