Matan · SEO · Content
Image alt text (SEO)
Alt text describes images to screen readers and is used when the file does not load — and as a mild image-search signal.
Pass condition in our engine: Every <img> has a non-empty alt attribute.
This SEO check is part of SEO-GEO scoring 2.2.1, last updated 2026-09-18. About 90 percent of the evaluation runs on the HTML we crawl, so you can verify the same pass condition with a free report.
1. Problem description
Missing alt is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure and a lost chance to name the object in the photo. Keyword-stuffed alt is worse than a short factual phrase. Decorative icons should use alt="" rather than a missing attribute.
2. Most common causes
- The CMS does not require alt on upload.
- CSS background images are used instead of <img> (they cannot have alt).
- CDN image components omit the alt prop.
3. How to fix it
- Write a short description of what the image conveys.
- Use alt="" for purely decorative images.
- Skip “image of…” prefixes; go straight to the subject.
Test this check
We fetch only this URL (plus robots.txt / llms.txt at the domain root when the check needs them). We do not crawl the rest of the site like a full report.
Scoring rules for the full site crawl are documented in methodology. Want every category at once? Generate a free report.
Get your free website audit
Enter your URL and receive a full audit with scoring and recommendations. No sign-up required.