Alt text is the short description attached to an image on your website. Screen readers read it aloud to people who are blind or have low vision, and browsers show it when an image fails to load. Search engines use it too, but that is a side benefit. The main job is simple: tell someone who cannot see the image what it shows and why it is there.
Describe the purpose, not just the pixels
A photo of your team on a job site could be described as “people standing outside.” A more useful version is “Our crew finishing a deck replacement in Worcester.” Ask yourself what a sighted visitor would take away from the image, then write that in one sentence.
Keep it short
One sentence is usually enough. Skip phrases like “image of” or “picture of”, because the screen reader already announces that it is an image.
Decorative images can be left blank
Background textures, dividers and purely decorative flourishes do not need a description. In WordPress you can leave the alt field empty for these, and assistive technology will skip them.
Buttons and logos are different
If an image is a link, such as a logo that returns to the homepage, the alt text should describe where it goes: “Fenway Web home.” If an image contains words, include those words in the alt text.
Where to add it
In WordPress, open the Media Library, select an image and fill in the Alternative Text field. Doing it in the library means every future use of that image starts with a good description.
Accessibility is not a one-time project, but alt text is one of the easiest places to start, and it helps every visitor.
