What are Image Alt Tags?

Image alt tags (or alt text) are descriptive texts added to images on a webpage. These tags provide a textual description of the image content, which serves two main purposes: improving website accessibility and helping search engines understand the image.

For accessibility, alt tags allow screen readers to describe the image to visually impaired users. For SEO, they help search engines index images properly by providing context about the image's content. Well-written alt tags should be concise and descriptive and include relevant keywords when appropriate, but avoid keyword stuffing. This not only improves search engine rankings but also enhances user experience for those who rely on screen readers.