Alternative texts or alt texts, also known as ALT attributes or ALT descriptions, refer to a text description that is added to the HTML code of images or graphics on a website. Alternative texts are used to describe the content of the image for users who cannot see it, for example, blind or visually impaired people, as well as when the image does not load correctly. When creating alt texts, it is important to ensure that the text is both accurate and descriptive. At the same time, it should be relevant to the content of the image. These things help to improve the user experience and web accessibility for all visitors to a website. The same goes for the content for documents on a website. For the end user, alt text has multiple meanings and benefits:
Accessibility:
The alt text enables blind or visually impaired users to understand the content of the image using screen readers. Screen readers read out the alt text so that users without visual access can still get meaning and context from the images on the page.
Better understanding:
The alt text is also useful for users who have disabled images in their web browser or experience slow internet connections that prevent images from loading. The text descriptions allow these users to understand what the images should have shown and avoid missing important information.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Alt text can also affect the ranking of a web page in search results. Search engines use alt text to understand what the images are about and how they relate to the contextual information on the page. Using relevant alt text can improve search engine optimization and increase the likelihood of being found in relevant search results.
Visual description:
Alternative texts allow you to add additional context and description to an image that cannot always be conveyed visually. This can be useful in cases where an image contains complex charts, graphs or infographics that require further explanation to fully understand the content of the image.
Aliro Dictionary is our own little dictionary of relevant web accessibility concepts and terminologies in PDF format. Here we try to describe the terms used in accessibility and documents to increase understanding and awareness, so that together we can improve the quality of life for people with visual impairments or disabilities and contribute to a fully inclusive digitalized society now and in the future.
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