Google’s John Mueller on Image Alt Text and SEO
Google’s John Mueller recently discussed the significance of image alt text for SEO on Reddit, clarifying why alt text is crucial and why relying solely on AI for generating alt text might not be sufficient.
The Importance of Alt Text
A question was posed about the current relevance of alt text for search optimization. Understanding its role involves grasping why alt text was created in the first place. HTML elements are fundamental parts of a webpage, and attributes enhance them with additional information. For instance, the anchor element <A> becomes a link with an "href" attribute, while the "nofollow" attribute is another example.
"Alt" stands for alternate content, and within the image context, it’s an HTML attribute. Its purpose is to provide supplementary information about an image to aid users who cannot view the image directly. Web content is not limited to text; images hold "informative value" when they convey meaning relevant to the page’s topic.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the body responsible for HTML standards, explains the selection of appropriate text alternatives: Imagine describing the webpage over the phone, ensuring that the listener comprehends the page. This helps determine the informational or functional value of images. If images lack such value and aren’t links or buttons, they can be considered decorative.
Complex images like graphs might require a dual-layered alt text. The concise part explains the image briefly, while surrounding text provides a longer description or links to more detailed information.
Alt Text and SEO
A person posed a question about Google’s use of advanced algorithms for image recognition, inquiring if alt text has become redundant. They wanted to understand if search engines rely more on machine learning models than user-provided alt texts.
The question was valid, but it lacked context. Google’s use of AI for "viewing" images is documented in tools like Google Lens and Google Translate, but not necessarily in regular search results.
John Mueller expanded on this, explaining that the text around an image provides context, helping to clarify an image’s meaning within the webpage. AI vision alone cannot determine what an image signifies on a page.
Mueller’s response was detailed: The context from a page-image combination influences image search outcomes. A beach photo, for instance, could be a relaxing poster, the site of a hotel, or a chemical spill. Recognizing the context of an image like this helps in appropriately featuring it in search. The alt text directly connects the image to the page’s context, offering a unique chance to provide relevant information.
He emphasized that merely using AI to generate alt text, such as "photo of a beach," loses contextual depth. Crafting alt text that considers page context is crucial both for user experience and search engines.
Limitations of AI for Alt Text
Mueller pointed out a limitation in utilizing AI for alt text: AI might describe an image but miss placing it within the content’s context. Providing an alt text that offers meaningful, context-based information aligns with W3C guidelines and enhances both SEO and accessibility.
John Mueller’s insights on Reddit highlight that AI-generated images and stock photography go beyond mere SEO considerations.
Featured Image by Shutterstock/Master1305
