Alt tags, also known as alt attributes or alternative text, are short text descriptions embedded in HTML code that are used to mark up images on a web page. The goal of alt tags is to provide web page visitors and search engines with a written description of the image content in case the image cannot be displayed for technical reasons or for people who use screen readers because they are visually impaired, for example.
Relevance of alt tags in online marketing
Alt tags have a special significance in online marketing, especially in search engine optimization (SEO). They help to improve the accessibility of a website and help search engines like Google to better understand the content of images and to classify their website structure. This can have a positive influence on the ranking in search results.
Another advantage of alt tags is that they can improve the loading time of a web page. The more meaningful and descriptive the alt text is, the higher the likelihood that users will find valuable information on the web page and stay longer, which in turn can lead to better user signals. This can also have a positive effect on the ranking of a web page.
Tips for using alt tags
- Descriptive text: Use informative and precise alt tags to make the content of the image clear to visitors and search engines. Avoid overly generic descriptions such as "image" or "photo".
- Keywords: Use relevant keywords in the alt tag, but avoid including unnaturally many keywords (keyword stuffing), as this can be considered spam by search engines.
- Length: A good alt tag should generally be between 5 and 15 words. Search engines may truncate or completely ignore longer alt tags.
- Uniqueness: Each image should have its own individual alt tag to avoid excessive repetition of text.
Conclusion
Alt tags are a significant element in online marketing, especially in search engine optimization. By using meaningful and descriptive alt tags, you improve the accessibility of your website and contribute to a better understanding of your content by search engines. This way, you can potentially achieve a better ranking in search results and thus increase the visibility of your website.
