International Research Recruiting: Alt Attribute & Search engine optimization

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more essential in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is really a critical step that is often overlooked. This is often a lost chance of better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for the images in your web site:

Images:. Use the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. In addition, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text round the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is easy, really; search engines like google have the same problem as blind users. They can't begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse using this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, looking to achieve a particular keyword density, which is not as relevant for rankings now since it was previously.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings will not take advantage of this plan.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the contents of what's displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt features of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine hearing a paragraph of text which is followed by repetitions of numerous keywords. The page will be not even close to accessible, and, to put it bluntly, will be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute should not be used as a description or a label for an image, though many people utilize it in that fashion. Though it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or a description, it's not!

The words used inside an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve exactly the same purpose the image would.

The goal is to supply the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" when the image is unavailable. Ask yourself this question: If you were to replace the image using the text, would most users get the same basic information, and wouldn't it generate the same response?
A few examples:

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If your search button is a magnifying glass or binoculars its alt text should be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is meant to convey the literal contents of the image, a description is appropriate.

If it is designed to convey data, then that data is what is appropriate.

If it is meant to convey using a function, then your function itself is what should be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.

For images that play only a decorative role in the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Remember that it is the function from the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images should not include the word "button" in the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text ought to be based on context. The same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the remainder from the text because that's the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please keep in mind that using an alt attribute for each image is required to meet the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. Also, they are necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in the US.

It is useful to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are stuff that serve no purpose apart from to make a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) satisfy the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there may be value to some sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there that will boost the usability from the site for somebody utilizing a non-visual user agent. Make use of a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is actually the middle layer of graphics which might actually set the mood or set happens as it were. These graphics are not direct content and may not be considered essential, but they're essential in they help frame what's going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the 2nd group as makes sense and is relevant. There might be instances when doing this might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then try to avoid it.

For instance; Alt text that is just like adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's important to understand this content inside for those users.

Most times this will depend on context. The same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. How you go in this example is a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the look may be the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be so as.
The main reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the images are there. You need to determined precisely what function an image serves. Think about what it is about the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic has a reason for being on that page: since it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what are the page is attempting to describe. Understanding what the image is for makes alt text easier to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A way to check the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a particular image to make the page understandable towards the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they're invisible and never shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So make use of the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a full description of the image. When the information contained in an image is important to the concept of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost if the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It may offer rich, expressive documentation of the visual image.

It ought to be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is really a long description of an image...The aim is to use any length of description essential to impart the details of the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that a long description conjures an image - the look - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for that totally blind."

Even though alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility and for valid (X)HTML, not every images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

Oftentimes, you're better off just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to incorporate it, and when you don't have a strong urge to do it, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's essential for the whole page to operate, then you have to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal about the function of the image and its context about the page.

Exactly the same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, but not in another. If the image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to use. However, if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and perhaps a long description will be in order. Oftentimes this type of thing is a judgement call.