Alt Tag and Title Tag for Images in SEO

When it comes to optimizing images for SEO, two important attributes to consider are the alt tag and the title tag. These attributes help search engines understand the content of your images, which can improve your website’s search engine ranking and accessibility for users with visual impairments.

Alt Tag (Alternative Text)

The alt tag is used to describe the content of an image. It is especially important for accessibility, as screen readers use it to describe images to visually impaired users. Additionally, if the image fails to load, the alt text will be displayed in place of the image.

• Purpose: Describe the image content for search engines and assistive technologies.
  
• Best Practices:
  
  • Be specific and concise.
    
  • Include relevant keywords without keyword stuffing.
    
  • Accurately describe the image content.

Title Tag

The title tag is used to provide additional information about the image. It is not as crucial for SEO as the alt tag but can be useful for user experience. When a user hovers over the image, the title text often appears as a tooltip.

• Purpose
  
• Best Practices:
  
  • Keep it brief and relevant
    
  • Use it to offer supplementary information that enhances the understanding of the image.

Example

Imagine you have an image of a plastic surgeon performing a facelift procedure. Here’s how you might write the alt and title tags for this image:

<img src="plastic-surgeon-facelift.jpg" alt="Plastic surgeon performing a facelift procedure on a patient" title="Dr. Smith performing a facelift surgery to rejuvenate facial appearance">

Breakdown of the Example

• alt tag: "Plastic surgeon performing a facelift procedure on a patient"
  
  • This alt text clearly describes what is happening in the image, making it useful for search engines and accessible for users with visual impairments.
    
• title tag: "Dr. Smith performing a facelift surgery to rejuvenate facial appearance"
  
  • This title text provides additional context about the image, including the name of the surgeon and the purpose of the procedure.

Conclusion

Using well-crafted alt and title tags for images can significantly enhance your website’s SEO and accessibility. Always aim to describe the image content accurately and include relevant keywords naturally to help search engines and users understand your images better.