SEO and img alt tags

Chris1974 · 03-28-2006, 12:26 PM

How effective and what is the proper way to use the image alt tags for SEO. I ask because I've read a few things on the net (on SEO chat.)

Here is one persons statement:

"However, I'm afraid they don't count and won't help you in the slightest in Google's normal search database unless the image forms part of a link."

Is this true that your image must form part of a link or they wont help you in google?

John Scott · 03-28-2006, 12:31 PM

Yep, the Alt text of images only count when they are the alt text of an lnking image.

Like the ALT text of those banners between your post and mine.

stenno · 03-28-2006, 03:37 PM

we all learn something everyday! I didnt know that but my next question is that with one of my sites where i dont use meta tags google uses the alt tag as the site description??? Any ideas why???

Chris1974 · 03-28-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stenno

we all learn something everyday!

I was clueless of this until now.

Chris1974 · 03-28-2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

Yep, the Alt text of images only count when they are the alt text of an lnking image.

Like the ALT text of those banners between your post and mine.

John, does this apply to all search engines or just Google?

Kalina · 03-28-2006, 05:44 PM

I didn't know either, thanks for the enlightenment, John.

weblord · 03-28-2006, 09:19 PM

i think the "alt" can help im only assuming most of it only google knows.

Johan007 · 03-29-2006, 01:38 AM

A better more accessible way is to use real text and then image replacement via CSS.

Manish Pandey · 03-29-2006, 01:42 AM

Well the alt text... the google robots reads them as text ... so giving your primary keyword in the alt text would increase the density of your keyword on the page ... and when you link to it then you know ... then comes the concept of anchor text links ... as it is known that the robots cant read the image files but can read the alt text and when you link the image file to your website ... it would give you a nearly equal weight to that of anchor text links....

Take care

Manish

John Scott · 03-29-2006, 03:03 AM

A little history here.

Up until Jan of 2003, Google did give weight to ALT text of unlinked images. But then they entirely dropped it. By that I mean, if the keywords were in the Alt text and nowhere else on the page, that page would not show up for a search of the keywords in the Alt text.

This remained true until last year. Sometime in Feb the ALT text was weighted, then dropped. It came back again last winter.

I just went and checked my test pages, and created a couple new test pages. (Reminder to self: test ALT text is "Colleen is Overpaid".)

I found today that ALT text is again being weighted and a page can rank for keywords in the ALT text alone.

Given Google's history on the subject, I would not invest too much energy in ALT text, but definitely include some descriptive text.

Kalina · 03-29-2006, 08:05 AM

(Reminder to John: "Colleen earns her pay by a job well done")

John Scott · 03-29-2006, 08:53 AM

Sure thing.

sixty6 · 03-29-2006, 03:43 PM

hmm...didn't know that, but it is pretty nice for your visitors!

Also, do Search Engines count it as a keyword? Especially since they read HTML...

[keyword] · 03-29-2006, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

Given Google's history on the subject, I would not invest too much energy in ALT text, but definitely include some descriptive text.

Definitely agreed... one thing to keep in mind is that alt text was created as an alternative for browsers that don't display images. It is meant to assist the blind in being able to surf the web. It's supposed to be descriptive, somewhat like the little blurbs next to paintings in an art museum.

It's not made for "Crunk Juice", but rather "This is a picture of Lil' Jon, a famous rapper, holding a cup of his favorite ale, known to his fans as his Crunk Juice". The keyword was still used but it also serves a purpose. Now instead of a blind person just having the word Crunk Juice read to them, they get the description. That way you have the best of both worlds, a good amount of content in your alt text, without keyword stuffing...

One step further, a blind person is read a page in a format much as how a spider would see it, as far as the content goes. Often times while attempting to clean up my site for accessibility purposes, I find that I've actually improved the onsite optimization at the same time!

Manish Pandey · 03-30-2006, 07:08 AM

Well agreed ...

Thats a very nice peice of information that you have shared with us...

Thanks

Yes, look for what your visitors want...

Take care

Manish

cimmeron · 03-30-2006, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colleen

(Reminder to John: "Colleen earns her pay by a job well done")

doing what?

John Scott · 03-30-2006, 11:55 PM

What two adults do with a webcam and bottles of whipped cream is nobody's business.

sixty6 · 03-31-2006, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

What two adults do with a webcam and bottles of whipped cream is nobody's business.

oh com on John!! Show some class.......

P.S. Do you guys have a website?

cimmeron · 03-31-2006, 08:55 AM