Google’s John Mueller advises on the importance of using Alt Text for SEO, how to use it, and why you shouldn’t rely on AI to write it for you.
Is Alt Text still important for SEO?
Search Engine writer Roger Montii picked up on a Reddit conversation between Google’s John Mueller and a site owner who asked if image Alt Text is still relevant for SEO.
The Redditor wondered if alt text is still relevant, considering Google’s use of intricate algorithms to view images.
The question asked:
- “Are images alt texts still relevant for SEO with all the computer vision and images recognition advancement? Is there any info on Google or other search engines using machine learning models to crawl images rather than relying on the user provided alt texts?”
Page context and image combinations matter
Mueller’s answer explained why the text we use for alt-text images is crucial for conveying context relevant to the image and the webpage it’s on.
John also explained why AI-created alt-text could not provide the context or insights into an image’s true meaning, adding without these, Google would not have enough information to show an image appropriately.
Mueller used a beach photo to explain his answer:
- “For image search, there’s the context that comes from the page + image combination that matters.
A photo of a beach might be a relaxing poster, it might be the beach from a hotel, it could be the site of a chemical spill. Just knowing that the image is of a beach doesn’t really give sufficient background information to be able to show it in image search appropriately. A lot of it does come from the page, and the alt-text is unique in that it’s what directly connects the image to the page with context.
Unless your site is a photo agency, traffic for “photo of a beach” isn’t going to be that useful – but for a hotel, having “hotel with beach in X” can be relevant.
Again, a lot of that can come from the rest of the page, but the alt attribute value is a unique opportunity to give context. (And with that … if you use AI to create alt texts based on the image file, and get “photo of a beach” as the alt text for that image, you’re not getting the most out of the alt text, both for users & search engines.)”
Alt Text recap
Alt text is short for alternative text. It provides additional image information so anyone who cannot see an image can understand (visualize) what it is.
As Mueller explains, regarding SEO, alt text conveys context relevant to the image and connects it to the webpage, which is crucial for users and Google Search.
Google Help page says:
- “Use alternative text (alt text) for images, logos, drawings, and other graphics. Without alt text, screen reader users just hear “image.” Some images automatically include alt text, so it’s a good idea to check that the alt text is what you want.”
Roger Montii uses the World Wide Web Consortium’s explanation for why alt text is important:
- “Imagine that you’re reading the web page aloud over the phone to someone who needs to understand the page. This should help you decide what (if any) information or function the images have. If they appear to have no informative value and aren’t links or buttons, it’s probably safe to treat them as decorative.”
AI lacks the human touch
Mueller’s example of a beach sums up the importance of using alt text to convey information about the image and its purpose to the person viewing it.
Mueller was saying not to use alt text only to describe what’s in the image but as an opportunity to provide important context (e.g., a hotel with a stunning beach and coral reefs vs. a beach with an oil spill).
In other words, how your image relates to your webpage’s content.
Mueller’s answer also highlights why using AI for alt text isn’t good for SEO because while it can describe an image accurately, it cannot convey the context.
When he is not writing content, Terry can be found on his boat in Italy or chilling in his villa in Spain.
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