Chykalophia Docs

What alt text is, why it matters for accessibility and SEO, and how to write it well for any image on your website.

Alt text (short for "alternative text") is a written description of an image that is attached to the image on your website. Visitors don't normally see it — but screen readers, search engines, and browsers that can't display images all rely on it.

Writing good alt text is one of the simplest, highest-impact things you can do for both accessibility and SEO.

Quick summary

Alt text describes an image for people who can't see it. Write it as a short, specific description of what the image shows. Include important context. Skip decorative images. Never start with "Image of…" — the screen reader already announces it's an image.

Why alt text matters

For people with visual impairments

People who are blind or have low vision use software called a screen reader to navigate the web. A screen reader reads out the text on the page — including the alt text of images. Without alt text, a screen reader just says "image" and moves on. The person has no idea what the image shows.

This is an accessibility requirement under WCAG 2.1 AA — the international standard for web accessibility.

When images don't load

If an image fails to load (slow connection, broken link), the browser displays the alt text in its place. This keeps the page understandable even when images fail.

For search engines

Google cannot see images the way a human can. It reads alt text to understand what an image shows and uses it as a ranking signal for image search. Descriptive alt text helps Google associate your images with relevant search queries.

How to write good alt text

The core rule: Describe what the image shows, as you would describe it to someone who cannot see it.

Be specific and descriptive

Poor alt text: "Team photo" Good alt text: "The four-person Chykalophia team standing in front of their Chicago studio"

Include context that matters

If the image is conveying information — a chart, a before/after, a diagram — describe that information.

Poor alt text: "Chart" Good alt text: "Bar chart showing website traffic increasing from 1,200 to 4,800 monthly visitors over 12 months"

Keep it brief but complete

Most alt text should be one to two short sentences. Aim for under 125 characters. If the image is complex (like a detailed chart), write a full description in the page text nearby and use a brief alt text.

Don't start with "Image of" or "Photo of"

Screen readers already announce the element is an image. Starting with "image of" is redundant. Just describe what it shows.

Redundant: "Image of a person working at a laptop" Better: "A person working at a laptop in a bright home office"

Decorative images get empty alt text

Not every image needs a description. Decorative images — background patterns, icons used purely for visual decoration, dividers — should have empty alt text (alt=""). This tells screen readers to skip them entirely, which creates a cleaner listening experience.

An image is decorative if:

It adds no information to the page
Removing the alt text would not cause the page to lose any meaning
It's purely visual styling

Where to add alt text

Where you add alt text depends on your platform:

WordPress: When you upload or select an image, there is an "Alt Text" field in the image settings panel.
Webflow: Each image element has an "Alt Text" field in the settings panel.
Squarespace: Click an image block, then the pencil icon, to find the alt text field.

If you're not sure where to find the alt text field in your specific setup, let us know and we'll show you.

Common questions

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.

Alt text explained