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, some screen readers read out the image's file name instead, which rarely tells the person anything about what the image shows.

Alt text is required under WCAG, the international standard for web accessibility. It's a Level A requirement (the most basic level) in both WCAG 2.1 and the newer WCAG 2.2.

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 says it uses alt text, along with computer vision and the rest of the page, to understand what an image shows. Descriptive alt text helps Google match your images to relevant searches.

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 needs only a few words. Occasionally a short sentence or two is right. 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 image 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: Select the Image block, open the settings sidebar and fill in Alternative text on the Content tab. That alt text applies to the image on that page only. Alt text you add in the Media Library (the Alt Text field) becomes the default whenever you insert that image somewhere else.
Webflow: In the Assets panel, hover over the image, click the settings (cog) icon and write the alt text in the Descriptive field. Every copy of the image uses it. To change it for one copy, select the image, open its settings and set Alt text to Custom description.
Squarespace: While editing a page, click an image block, then the pencil icon. The "Image alt text" field is on the Content tab. Image blocks have no alt text until you add it.

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

Do I need alt text for every image?

Yes — with one exception. Decorative images (purely visual, or already fully described by the text next to them) should have empty alt text (alt=""), which tells screen readers to skip them. Any image that adds information the text doesn't already give needs descriptive alt text.

Can I just use the image filename as alt text?

No. Filenames like IMG_4892.jpg or banner-home.png convey nothing useful. Write a real description.

Should I put keywords in my alt text for SEO?

Include keywords only if they are genuinely part of a natural description of the image. Keyword-stuffing alt text ("web design agency Chicago website best") hurts the experience for screen reader users, and Google warns it may cause your site to be seen as spam. Describe the image honestly — the keywords will follow naturally.

What about logos?

A company logo that links to the homepage should have alt text that names the company, such as alt="Chykalophia" or alt="Chykalophia home". The word "logo" usually adds nothing. A decorative logo at the bottom of the page might be alt="" if the company name is already stated nearby in text.

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