Image alt text: how to write it right for SEO and accessibility

You've put beautiful images on your site, but their code is missing a small detail that matters enormously: alt text. It's that short line describing what an image shows — invisible to the average visitor, yet essential for Google and for people who can't see the picture.

Alt text does two things at once. It helps your images appear in Google Images, a source of traffic most site owners ignore completely. And it lets people using screen readers understand your page. In this guide I'll show you exactly how to write good alt text, with concrete examples, and which mistakes to avoid.

What alt text actually is

Alt text (the HTML alt attribute) is a short description of an image, written in the code. It looks like this:

• `<img src="modern-haircut.jpg" alt="Modern men's haircut at a barbershop">`

Nobody sees it when the page loads normally. But it shows up in three important situations:

• when the image fails to load (weak connection, missing file), the text appears in its place;
• when someone uses a screen reader, the text is read aloud;
• when Google indexes the page and tries to understand what the image is about.

In other words, alt text is the bridge between an image — which machines and screen readers can't actually "see" — and its meaning.

How to write alt text that genuinely helps

The core rule: describe what's shown, clearly and specifically, as if you were explaining the image to someone over the phone.

• Be concrete. "Plate of carbonara pasta with parmesan" says more than "food".
• Keep it short. One sentence is enough; don't write a paragraph.
• Include relevant context. If the image shows a service you offer in a certain area, mention it naturally: "Garden landscaping with rolled turf in a suburban yard".
• Don't start with "image of" or "picture of". The screen reader already announces it's an image, so that would be redundant.
• Write for humans, not robots. Natural text pleases both Google and the visitor.

Keywords, yes — but don't overdo it

Alt text is a legitimate place to include the keyword relevant to that page. If the page is about men's haircuts in a city, it's natural for the image description to contain those words.

The problem starts when it becomes forced. Google penalizes keyword stuffing, and text like "haircut city haircut men cheap haircut barbershop city" describes nothing and hurts rather than helps.

A healthy rule:

• one keyword per image, woven naturally into the description;
• the description must stay true to what the picture actually shows;
• if the text sounds strange read aloud, you've overdone it.

The goal is an honest description that happens to also contain the right term.

Decorative images and the file name

Not every image needs a description. Purely decorative elements — a divider line, a background, a meaningless icon — should have empty alt (`alt=""`). That way screen readers skip them instead of flooding the user with useless descriptions. Note: `alt=""` (deliberately empty) is different from missing the attribute entirely, which is a mistake.

An often-forgotten detail: the file name matters too. Google reads it. So `modern-haircut-city.jpg` is far better than `IMG_4821.jpg`.

• Rename files before uploading, with words separated by hyphens.
• Use lowercase letters only, no spaces.
• Also serve correct dimensions and compressed files — a heavy image slows the page, and speed matters for SEO.

How we work at MPO Web Studio

When we build a site, we treat images as part of SEO, not an afterthought. Every relevant image gets human-written alt text, a clean file name, and proper compression, so the page loads fast and stays accessible to everyone.

We work fully remotely, for clients across the country, and we prepare a free demo of your site before you pay anything — you see the real result, not a promise. Prices are transparent, no surprises.

A common-sense warning: run from anyone promising you a "guaranteed #1 spot on Google". Nobody can guarantee that. Well-made alt text is one of many pieces that together improve your chances — not a magic trick.

Want a second opinion on your current site? Message us on WhatsApp and we'll take a look together.