About Alt Texts
Alt Text is short for Alternative text. It is commonly used as a description for content different than text, mainly for images. Any time you upload content to your message that is not in text form it is advisable to add alt text as a description. There are three main reasons:
- If the content fails to load, the message will show the Alt Text instead. For example, when your contacts receive your message, the images may be blocked as a precaution security measure from their mail app. Or if they are located in a place with a poor internet connection, a timeout in loading the message will prevent the images from downloading. But your alt text will appear. That way, you can still spark interest in your contacts to click on your image-based links. Therefore, we encourage you to make your alt text short and intriguing.
- The visually impaired use software that reads the content for them. Since that software cannot 'read' images, it reads the alt text instead. Therefore, we encourage you to make your alt text make sense.
- Even though search engines get better and better in analyzing content that is not in text form, they still heavily rely on Alt Text to 'learn' more about your content. Therefore, we encourage you to enrich your alt text with a couple of your most important keywords. Spam filters go through them as well!
We add images to our messages because they are meant to be illustrative. The alternative text must engage the senses as well. Use very descriptive adjectives. Do not forget that not seeing the image means you are missing information. Add that in your alternative text - the location, the setting, the action, the actors, ... Of course, focus mostly on the parts of meaning to your message.
If your alt text is around 10 words long, between 100 and 125 characters, you are good. Click on the link for more practical examples and inspiration for how to write effective Alt Texts.