You have probably seen the term alt text around in SEO or accessibility checklists. But what exactly is it? And why is it now more crucial than ever, especially with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) taking effect in 2025?
Let’s break it down.
What is Alt Text?
Alt Text (short for alternative text) is a written description of an image on a website. It's part of your HTML code and lives inside the <img> tag.
Like this:
<img src="dog.jpg" alt="Golden retriever playing with a ball in the park">
The main job? To describe the image for people who can’t see it, whether that’s due to a visual impairment or because their device can’t load images.
Why Alt Text matters
Alt Texts are a small thing but very crucial. Here’s why:
1. Accessibility
For visually impaired users relying on screen readers, Alt Text makes your content understandable and usable. Without it, all they’ll hear is: “image”, and that’s not exactly helpful.
2. SEO boost
Search engines can’t "see" images, but they can read Alt Text. A well-written alt tag helps Google to understand your content better, and can even boost your chances of appearing in Google Images.
3. Better UX for all
Even sighted users benefit, think slow internet connections, broken image links, or when browsing in a non-visual browser. Alt Text helps to include everyone.
The EAA
Important to know: The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force in June 2025.
This new regulation requires many businesses, especially in e-commerce, banking, and digital services to make their websites and mobile apps accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
That means Alt Text isn’t just nice to have anymore, it could soon be legally required. Non-compliance may lead to reputational damage, loss of customers, or even fines.
If your business is in the EU or serves EU customers, this matters to you.
How to write a good Alt Text
Alt Text should be clear, concise, and meaningful. Here are a few quick tips:
- Describe what’s in the image, not how it looks visually ("A man holding a laptop" instead of "A blurry JPEG with blue tones").
- Be specific. "Dog" is okay. "Golden retriever puppy running around in a big garden" is better.
- Avoid “image of” or “picture of.” Screen readers already announce it’s an image.
- Don’t overload with keywords. Keep it natural, this is for people first, SEO second.
- Decorative images? Leave the
alt tag empty (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
Conclusion
Alt Text may be short, but its impact is powerful. For your users, your SEO, and your compliance with the EAA. So next time you upload an image, don’t skip the alt tag. It’s not just about ticking a box; it’s about making the web better for everyone.