Introduction to WordPress Alt-Tags

We all know how important Google SEO ratings are but do we really know how the system works? The role WordPress ‘alt-tags’ play are now more crucial. Being high up on the SEO list can really increase your chances of connecting with your customers. It’s reported that almost 91% don’t ever look past the first page of search results.

So what is an ‘Alt-tag’?

Well, the term ‘alt-tag’ means alternative text and “it describes what’s in the image and what the content means.”  The way SEO rating works is a little bit technical but as long as you understand the basic premise; that all online content is rated based on certain rules? Then, you are making a start. By providing engaging content on your website that attracts viewers and meets specific criteria, your business will rank high in search engine results much faster than normal.

How can alt-tags help your business?

Every successful website has to have clear, visually attractive images. It is just common sense. However, you can optimise this by using responsive images. This means that mobile devices can fit them into the fluid design layout pages.

When you are uploading media content to your WordPress blog you will see various blank field boxes labelled; ‘title’, ‘description’ and ‘alt-text’. This is where the specialised SEO software ‘spiders’ can scan your media images for content to measure your website’s rankings. The alt-tags or alt text is important because the ‘software spiders’ can’t see pictures, so they rely on the information written in the field boxes. The purpose of alt text on your WordPress image is so low-speed internet connections can still signpost the image content for the ‘software spiders’ to read. It is also beneficial for customers to understand the image content as it may simply take too long to download on slow internet connections.

When trying to reach certain demographics it’s important to consider how you would get your message across to those that don’t have access to fast broadband or have censored internet access.

Sites For Business Tip:

Try to include your favourite business keywords on your WordPress image descriptions and alt-tags. This way you can double the chances of getting your SEO rankings higher on Google.

Let your mouse hover over the image to explain what we mean: