Top 10 music videos of the month: Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more important in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is really a critical step that is sometimes forgotten. 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 supply descriptive text. Additionally, 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 have the same problem as blind users. They can't see the images.

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

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which may create a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from this tactic.
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 net, the alt attributes of images are read aloud as well.

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

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used like a description or perhaps a label for an image, though many people use it for the reason that fashion. Though it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or perhaps a description, it's not!

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

The goal is to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" when the look is unavailable. Ask yourself this question: Should you replace the image using the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and would it generate the same response?
Some examples:

Some SEO Optimization Tips

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

If the image is supposed to convey the literal contents of the image, then a description is suitable.

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

If it is meant to convey the use of a function, then the function itself is what should be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

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

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

Keep in mind that it's the function from the image we are trying to convey. For example; any button images shouldn't range from the word "button" within the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed through the button.

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

Try to flow alt text with the remainder of the text because that is how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly remember that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is required to meet the minimum WAI requirements, which are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the rest of Europe. They are also necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

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

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things 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 a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will enhance the usability of the site for someone using 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 may actually set the mood or set the stage so to speak. These graphics aren't direct content and may 't be considered essential, but they are essential in that they help frame what is going on.

Try to alt-ify the 2nd group as is sensible and it is relevant. There may be instances when doing so may 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 recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such cases. But sometimes, it's important to get this content inside for all users.

Usually this will depend on context. Exactly the same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. How you use this case is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

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

Every graphic has a reason behind being on that page: since it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what are the page is trying to describe. Understanding what the image is perfect for makes alt text simpler to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A way to look into the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a particular image to make the page understandable to the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they're invisible and never shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (A lot for device independence). So make use of the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the URL of a full description of an image. If the information contained in a picture is important towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It can provide for 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 goal is by using any length of description essential to impart the facts of the graphic.

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

Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

Oftentimes, you are better off just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to include it, and when you don't possess a strong urge to get it done, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to work, then you've to include the alt text (or title or longdesc).

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

The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, but not in another. If the image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to make use of. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt will be required and perhaps a long description will be so as. In many cases this type of thing is a judgement call.