Alt text does three things: makes images accessible to screen readers, helps Google understand your images, and can drive traffic from Google Image Search. Most small businesses skip it. Do not.
What Makes Good Alt Text
- Descriptive: what is actually in the image?
- Keyword-aware: include your keyword naturally when relevant
- Concise: under 125 characters
- No keyword stuffing: never "seo seo seo keyword keyword"
Good vs Bad Alt Text
Bad: alt="image1.jpg" or alt=""
Good: alt="small business owner writing blog post on laptop with SEO spark dashboard open"