Write image alt text to communicate the image's purpose in its page context. Describe an informative image briefly, explain the function of an image that acts as a link or button, and use alt="" when an image is decorative or its information is already available in nearby text.
What is alt text for, on a small business website?
First ask what the image contributes to this page. If it adds information, describe the relevant information in plain language. If it performs an action, name the action or destination. If it adds no information, use an empty alt attribute so assistive technology can skip it. The W3C alt decision tree walks through these choices.
Alt text is a text alternative, not a caption or a place to repeat keywords. The same photo can need different wording in different contexts because the surrounding copy changes what a reader still needs to know.
| Image role | What the alt text needs to do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Informative photo | Convey the detail that matters on this page | Interior designer reviewing a kitchen layout with a client |
| Image link or button | Make the action or destination clear | View our completed renovation projects |
| Decorative flourish | Let the image be skipped | alt="" |
| Image repeating nearby text | Avoid announcing the same information again | alt="" |
When should an image have alt=""?
Use an empty alt attribute when an image is purely decorative, or when it repeats information already available in nearby text and adds no distinct meaning. This tells assistive technology that it can ignore that image. Do not omit the alt attribute on an image just because the description is empty. W3C explains why in its guide to decorative images.
An image that looks decorative may still carry meaning in its context. A photo of a person, room or project can help someone understand the service being offered. Decide based on what a visitor loses if the image is removed, rather than on whether it is visually attractive.
What are useful alt text examples for a studio, clinic or construction business?
Describe the visible, relevant detail without guessing names, outcomes or credentials. These examples show the level of detail to aim for; adjust each one to match the actual image and surrounding page copy.
| Business | Image context | Example alt text |
|---|---|---|
| Design studio | A designer and client looking over a layout | Designer and client reviewing a room layout at a worktable |
| Clinic or consulting practice | A practitioner speaking with a client in a consultation room | Practitioner speaking with a client in a consultation room |
| Construction business | A tradesperson fitting a cabinet on a renovation site | Installer fitting a cabinet during a kitchen renovation |
If the nearby caption already identifies the people and activity, an empty alt value may avoid repeating it. If the image is a link, describe where selecting it goes rather than listing every visible detail.
Should alt text include keywords or every visible detail?
No. Include the detail needed to understand the image's role in that page. Do not add a service list, location terms or a string of search phrases that a sighted visitor would not need to understand the image. Do not begin with “image of” unless those words add information.
For a complex image, such as a diagram or chart, provide its essential information in the page text as well. Alt text alone may not be a useful way to communicate all the relationships or data shown.
How can I review the alt text already on my website?
Open the page and look at each image with its nearby text. Ask what a visitor using a screen reader needs to know at that point, whether the image is interactive, and whether the same information has already been provided. Check the actual alt value in your content editor or browser inspector, because the filename is not a substitute for a meaningful alternative.
Our guide on why a business can rank on Google and still be absent from an AI answer covers clear, usable website information from another angle. For the broader work of making a site understandable to visitors and search systems, read our guide on designing pages that AI agents can read, compare and choose, which covers structure and accessibility together. We also explain our approach for architects.
What else do owners ask about alt text?
What should a decorative image use for alt text?
Use alt="" when the image adds no information, such as a visual flourish or an image that repeats nearby text. This empty value allows assistive technology to skip it. Keep the alt attribute present.
What should I write for an image that links to another page?
Describe the link's destination or action when the image is what makes the link understandable. If visible link text already makes the destination clear and the image adds nothing, the image can use an empty alt value to avoid a duplicate announcement.
Should a business name appear in every image description?
Only when the name is visible and relevant to understanding the image. Repeating the business name in every alt value adds little for someone who has already reached the business's page. Describe the image's purpose instead.
If you'd rather have someone check your images against the pages they sit on, book a strategic fit call. We'll go through a service page with you and point out which images need a description, which need an empty value, and which say the same thing twice.
Source note: The guidance follows the W3C alt decision tree, decorative images tutorial and informative images tutorial. The examples are generic descriptions and should be matched to the actual images before upload.
