Mastering Image Alt Tags in WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide

Do you know exactly how to add alt tag to images in WordPress?

One simple but often overlooked way to improve your site’s accessibility and search engine optimization is by adding alt tags to your images. Alt tags not only provide a text description for visually impaired users, but they also help search engines understand what your images are all about.

Images play a pivotal role in making websites engaging and informative. However, their significance goes beyond aesthetics. Optimizing images for both accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial. This guide aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills to effectively add alt tags to images in WordPress, ensuring your content reaches a wider audience while enhancing your site’s performance.

In this article, we’ll show you how easy it is to add alt tags to your images in WordPress, ensuring that all visitors can fully experience and appreciate your content. So let’s dive in and make sure every image on your website shines bright with the power of alt tags!

Understanding Image Alt Tags

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of adding alt tags, let’s take a moment to understand what they are and how they function. Alt tags, short for alternative text, are descriptions added to images. They serve as textual equivalents for images, enabling visually impaired users to understand the content through screen readers. Additionally, alt tags provide valuable information to search engines about the image’s context and purpose, contributing to better SEO and improved rankings. By including descriptive alt tags, you enhance user experience, making your content accessible to a wider audience.

Alt tags are HTML attributes that are added to image tags to provide a text alternative to visually impaired users who use screen readers. When a screen reader encounters an image with an alt tag, it reads the text aloud, allowing users to understand the image’s content. Alt tags not only enhance accessibility but also play a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines rely on alt tags to understand the context and relevance of images on your website, which can ultimately boost your website’s visibility in search results.

Accessing Image Settings in WordPress

Now that we have a clear understanding of alt tags, let’s explore how to access the image settings in WordPress. To add or edit alt tags, you’ll need to navigate to the WordPress editor. Once you’re in the editor, locate the image you want to add an alt tag to. You can do this by clicking on the image or selecting it from the media library. To make it easier for you to follow along, here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step i. Open the WordPress editor by logging into your WordPress dashboard and selecting the post or page you want to edit.

Step ii. Locate the image you want to add an alt tag to and click on it.

Step iii. A toolbar will appear above the image. Look for the “Edit” button and click on it.

Step iv. This will open the image settings panel on the right-hand side of your screen. Here, you’ll find options to add or edit the alt tag, among other image settings.

To ensure a smooth experience, we recommend selecting an image you want to add an alt tag to before proceeding to the next section.

How to Add Alt Tag to Images in WordPress: Step by Step Guide

Here, you go on how to add alt tag to images in WordPress:

Step 1. Accessing the media library

In the WordPress dashboard, navigate to the Media Library. Here, you’ll find a collection of all the media files used on your site, including images, videos, and audio files. This is where you can manage and edit your media assets.

Step 2. Uploading a new image with alt tag

When uploading a new image, WordPress provides an option to add alt text. This is your chance to provide a concise and accurate description of the image. For instance, if you’re uploading a product photo, the alt tag could describe the product and its key features.

Step 3. Adding alt tags to existing images

To add or modify alt tags for images already in your Media Library, locate the image and click on the ‘Edit’ button. From there, you can update the alt text to ensure it accurately reflects the content of the image.

Step 4. Implementing alt tags in the block editor

If you’re using the block editor (Gutenberg), adding alt tags is seamlessly integrated. Within image blocks and galleries, you’ll find a field dedicated to alt text. This makes it easy to provide context without leaving the content creation interface.

Step 5. Alt tags for featured images

Your site’s featured images are essential for attracting attention. Ensure that each featured image has a meaningful alt tag that captures the essence of the content it represents. This enhances both accessibility and the visual appeal of your site.

Now that you’re familiar with accessing image settings in WordPress, let’s explore two options for adding alt tags: adding alt tags during image upload and editing existing image alt text.

In Other Words

Look at the same thing in a different way:

Step 1: Adding alt tags during image upload

If you’re uploading a new image, you can add alt tags during the upload process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

i. Click on the “Add Media” button located above the WordPress editor.

ii. Select the image you want to upload from your computer or choose an existing image from the media library.

iii. Before uploading the image, you’ll see an “Alt Text” field. Enter a descriptive alt tag that accurately represents the image’s content.

iv. Once you’ve added the alt tag, click on the “Insert into post” button, and voila! Your image with the alt tag is now added to your post or page.

When writing alt tags, it’s essential to be descriptive and concise. Consider the image’s content and the information it conveys, and write alt text that accurately describes it.

Step 2: Editing existing image alt text

If you have previously uploaded images without alt tags or want to update existing alt tags, WordPress makes it easy to edit them. Here’s how:

i. Open the WordPress editor and locate the post or page containing the image you want to edit.

ii. Click on the image, and the toolbar will appear. Click on the “Edit” button.

iii. In the image settings panel, you’ll find the “Alt Text” field. Simply edit or add the alt tag here.

iv. Once you’re done, click on the “Update” button to save your changes.

We encourage you to review all your existing images and ensure they have proper alt tags.

Best Practices for Writing Alt Tags

Now that you know how to add alt tags, let’s dive into some best practices for writing effective alt tags. Crafting effective alt tags requires a balance between accuracy, relevance, and conciseness:

• Be descriptive, concise, and relevant: Alt tags should succinctly describe the image’s purpose. It should provide a concise but detailed description of the image. Think about the image’s content and convey it in words, keeping in mind that visually impaired users rely on this text to understand the image. While it’s important to provide enough information, avoid lengthy alt tags. Aim for around 125 characters or less to keep alt text concise and scannable. For example, instead of “Red Bicycle,” opt for “Vintage Red Bicycle with Basket.”
• Incorporating keywords: Integrate relevant keywords naturally into alt tags, but avoid keyword stuffing, which can have a negative impact on SEO.
• Avoid keyword stuffing: While it’s tempting to include relevant keywords in alt tags for SEO purposes, avoid keyword stuffing. Focus on writing alt text that accurately describes the image rather than stuffing it with unnecessary keywords.
• Consider context: Tailor alt text to the image’s context within the content. A diagram explaining a concept will have different alt text than a decorative image.
• Accessibility first: Prioritize making images accessible. While alt tags can contribute to SEO, their primary purpose is to ensure everyone can understand your content.

To provide you with some inspiration, here are a few examples of well-written alt tags:

– Alt tag for a picture of a dog playing fetch: “A happy golden retriever playing fetch in a park.”

– Alt tag for a travel destination image: “A beautiful sunset over the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.”

– Alt tag for a product image: “A sleek black laptop with a backlit keyboard and a high-resolution display.”

Verifying Alt Tag Implementation

After adding alt tags to your images, it’s crucial to verify if they were correctly implemented. Here are a few ways to do this:

i. Manual review: Go through your website’s pages and posts, ensuring that all images have alt tags. Check for accuracy, conciseness, and relevance of the alt text.

ii. Screen reader testing: Use screen reader software or browser extensions to simulate the experience of a visually impaired user. Test various pages on your website and listen to how the screen reader reads the alt text aloud.

iii. Accessibility tools: There are several online tools available that can scan your website for accessibility issues, including missing or improperly implemented alt tags. Consider using these tools to get a comprehensive report of your website’s accessibility status.

Final Touch

By implementing alt tags, you’ve taken an important step towards making your website more accessible to visually impaired users and improving your website’s SEO. Remember to consistently add alt tags to all your images, both new and existing ones. By following best practices and writing descriptive alt tags, you’ll ensure that all users can fully engage with your website’s content. So go ahead and enhance your website’s accessibility and search engine visibility by adding alt tags to your images in WordPress. Happy alt tagging!

Mastering alt tags is a small effort with significant impact. By implementing descriptive alt tags in your WordPress images, you create a more inclusive online environment and improve your site’s SEO. This guide has equipped you with the know-how to optimize your images, enhancing accessibility, user experience, and search engine visibility. Empower your content to reach a broader audience and make your mark on the web.

In the realm of web development, alt tags are more than mere descriptors; they are conduits of accessibility and gateways to SEO success. By navigating the process of adding alt tags to images in WordPress with finesse, you unlock a realm of possibilities. Through descriptive alt tags, your website transcends visual barriers, embracing diverse audiences.

The resonance of the focus keyword, “how to add alt tag to images in WordPress,” becomes a symphony of empowerment, connecting users, enhancing user experience, and propelling your content’s visibility. As you embark on this alt tag journey, remember that every tag you add isn’t just a string of text; it’s a step towards creating a more inclusive, informative, and impactful online presence.