Alt Text, short for alternative text, is an HTML attribute (alt="description") added to image tags (<img>). Its primary purpose is to provide a textual description of an image for users who cannot see it, such as those using screen readers or when images fail to load.
Beyond accessibility, Alt Text plays a significant role in SEO. Search engines cannot 'see' images, so they rely on Alt Text to understand the image's content and its relevance to the surrounding text. Well-written Alt Text, incorporating relevant keywords naturally, can help images rank in image search results and contribute to the overall SEO of a page.
When writing Alt Text, be descriptive and concise, focusing on what the image conveys. For example, instead of <img src="dog.jpg" alt="dog">, a more effective Alt Text would be <img src="golden-retriever-park.jpg" alt="Golden Retriever puppy playing fetch in a sunny park">. This provides rich context for both users and search engines.