Let’s Make Your Content More Accessible—Starting with Alt-Text!

Hi there,

It’s been a long time coming but welcome to the very first edition of my newsletter, where I'll help you become a pro at making your digital content more accessible!

In this journey, I’ll break down some of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of digital marketing and accessibility. I’ll also share the latest in using AI tools to achieve this.

Let’s kick things off by talking about alt-text.

You’ve probably been there —you’ve spent hours crafting the perfect blog post or web page. When you're ready to hit "publish," the last thing on your mind might be writing alt-text for your images. But here’s the thing: alt-text is crucial, and not just for accessibility (though that’s a big part of it).

Side note: I made an AI image description generator for you to try!

Why Alt-Text Matters

Alt-text provides a text alternative to images for those who can’t see them. This is especially important for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers. But guess what? The benefits don’t stop there. Alt-text can also:

• Boost your SEO: Search engines can’t “see” images, but they can read your alt-text. Descriptive alt-text gives search engines more context, helping your content rank better.

• Enhance AI discoverability: With the rise of tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, AI is pulling data from all over the web, including alt-text. Get ahead of the curve by improving your alt-text for AI.

• Improve user experience: Alt-text isn’t just for people with visual impairments. It can help users on slow connections, or those using tools like Speechify, to understand your content more fully.

So, How Do You Write Great Alt-Text?

It’s easier than you think, and I’ve got a simple method to get you started:
Object - Action - Context.

1. Object: What’s the main focus of the image?

2. Action: What’s happening in the image? Is the object doing something?

3. Context: Where is this happening, and is there additional information the user needs?

This structure keeps your alt-text objective, concise, and focused. Remember: it’s not about describing every little detail but about conveying the essential meaning of the image.

Example: Northern Lights

The aurora borealis (also known as the northern lights) were visible across the UK and there were some fab images on social. But writing an alt-text for it can be hard.

But here’s a great example:

A good alt-text for this image:

A photo of the aurora borealis. A dark sky peppered with tiny white stars. Over the top is a huge, vivid swirl of vibrant pink as the northern lights radiate outwards. Just about visible is a tiny streak of light in the middle: a shooting star against this stunning scene.

Coming Up…

Next time, I’ll share some examples of great image descriptions, and explain what to do with infographics and how to describe people.

In the meantime, I’ve made this useful AI image generator for you to try. And if you want to fast-track your knowledge, try this free course on writing image descriptions.

Best,
Carwyn Williams