ALT Attribute

What is a ALT Attribute ?

The line of text used to describe the content associated with a non-text based file, typically an image. A traditionally strong correlation exists between use of keywords in these attributes and high rankings for the pages that contain them.

SEO in WordPress, you can add keywords to your site by placing ALT attributes within in your image tags to further define and describe the images. To accomplish this task by using the Alternate Text field in the WordPress image uploader. WordPress creates an environment that’s friendly to search engines, giving them easy navigation through your archives, categories, and pages.

When you use the WordPress image uploader to include an image in your post or page, you’re given a Description text box in which you can enter a description of the image. This text automatically becomes the ALT attribute.

The ALT attribute’s real purpose is to provide a description of the image for people who, for some reason or another, can’t see the image. In a text-based browser that doesn’t display images, for example, visitors see the description, or Alternate text, telling them what image would be there if they could see it. Also, the attribute helps people with impaired vision who rely on screen-reading technology because the screen reader reads the alternate text from the image.

A benefit of the ALT attribute is that search engines gather data from them to further classify the content of your site.

Search engines harvest those ALT attributes as keywords. The WordPress image uploader gives you an easy way to include those ALT attributes without worrying about inserting them into the image code yourself. Just fill out the Description text box before you upload and add the image to your post.