Descriptive Image Alt Text

TL;DR

Your content is hard to extract and summarize because the structure is unclear. Add a concise top summary, fix heading hierarchy, and use structured formats like lists and tables for key information. Use Oversearch AI Page Optimizer to rescan and confirm extractability improves.

Why this matters

Clear structure improves extractability. LLMs and search systems prefer content that is easy to summarize, quote, and verify.

Where this shows up in Oversearch

In Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer and run a scan for the affected page. Then open Benchmark Breakdown to see evidence, and use the View guide link to jump back here when needed.

How do I write good alt text?

Describe what the image shows and why it matters in the context of the page, in one clear sentence.

Good alt text serves two purposes: it tells screen readers what the image depicts, and it helps search engines understand the image’s relevance to the page content.

• Describe the content of the image, not its appearance: “Bar chart showing 60% of pages fail CWV” not “colorful chart.”
• Include relevant keywords naturally, but do not keyword-stuff.
• Keep it under 125 characters for screen reader compatibility.
• For screenshots: describe what the UI shows and what the user should notice.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to check alt text coverage.

Does alt text matter for SEO?

Yes. Alt text is the primary way search engines understand image content. It also impacts image search rankings and accessibility compliance.

Images without alt text are invisible to search engines and screen readers. Even decorative images should have empty alt attributes (alt="") to signal they should be skipped.

• Alt text helps images appear in Google Image Search.
• It contributes to the page’s overall topical relevance.
• Missing alt text fails WCAG accessibility requirements.
• AI systems use alt text to understand visual content on the page.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to see alt text signals.

Should alt text describe the image or the meaning?

Describe the meaning in context. What does this image tell the reader in the context of this page?

“Screenshot” is useless. “Screenshot of the Benchmark Breakdown panel showing a failing score for heading hierarchy” is useful because it conveys the information the image communicates.

• Context matters: the same image on different pages may need different alt text.
• For data visualizations: summarize the key finding.
• For screenshots: describe what the UI shows and the relevant detail.
• For photos: describe the subject and relevant context.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to verify.

What if the image is decorative?

Use an empty alt attribute (alt="") to tell screen readers and crawlers to skip it.

Decorative images (borders, backgrounds, spacers) carry no informational value. Adding descriptive alt text to decorative images creates noise for screen reader users and dilutes the page’s topical signals.

• Decorative images: alt="" (empty, not missing).
• Do not omit the alt attribute entirely — that causes screen readers to read the filename.
• Icons with adjacent text labels: alt="" (the text label is sufficient).
• Logos: use the company/product name as alt text.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to check.

Common root causes

• Multiple H1s or inconsistent heading hierarchy.
• Long, unstructured paragraphs with no scannable sections.
• Key definitions missing or scattered.
• Visual/UI elements contain key info without textual explanation nearby.

How to detect

• In Oversearch AI Page Optimizer, open the scan for this URL and review the Benchmark Breakdown evidence.
• Verify the signal outside Oversearch with at least one method: fetch the HTML with curl -L, check response headers, or use a crawler/URL inspection.
• Confirm you’re testing the exact canonical URL (final URL after redirects), not a variant.

How to fix

Learn how to write effective alt text (see: How do I write good alt text?) and when to use empty alt attributes (see: What if the image is decorative?). Then follow the steps below.

1. Place TL;DR immediately after the H1.
2. Use a single H1 and a clean H2/H3 hierarchy (one topic per section).
3. Convert long paragraphs into short blocks + lists + tables.
4. Add definitions for key terms near first mention.
5. Add relevant schema where appropriate (Article, FAQ only for real Q&A).
6. Run an Oversearch AI Page Optimizer scan to confirm structure/extractability improvements.

Verify the fix

• Run an Oversearch AI Page Optimizer scan for the same URL and confirm the benchmark is now passing.
• Confirm the page is 200 OK and the primary content is present in initial HTML.
• Validate with an external tool (crawler, URL inspection, Lighthouse) to avoid false positives.

Prevention

• Standardize templates so headings and TL;DR are consistent across pages.
• Use a content linter to prevent heading hierarchy regressions.
• Prefer scannable formats for key info (lists/tables).

FAQ

How do I add alt text in my CMS?

Most CMS platforms (WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, etc.) have an alt text field in the image upload or media library dialog. When inserting an image, look for ‘Alt text’ or ‘Alternative text’ field. When in doubt, check your CMS’s media library — each image should have an editable alt text field.

How long should alt text be?

Under 125 characters is the standard recommendation. Screen readers may truncate longer alt text. Describe the image concisely — what it shows and why it matters in context. When in doubt, write one clear sentence under 125 characters.

Should I include keywords in alt text?

Only if the keyword naturally describes the image. Alt text should describe the image, not stuff keywords. ‘Screenshot of Benchmark Breakdown showing LCP score’ is natural; ‘best SEO tool page speed optimizer’ is keyword stuffing. When in doubt, describe the image honestly.

Do decorative images need alt text?

Decorative images should have an empty alt attribute (alt=”) to tell screen readers to skip them. Do not omit the alt attribute entirely — that causes screen readers to read the filename. When in doubt, if the image does not convey information, use empty alt.

Can missing alt text fail accessibility audits?

Yes. Missing alt attributes fail WCAG 1.1.1 (Level A), the most basic accessibility requirement. Lighthouse flags missing alt text as an accessibility error. When in doubt, every img element must have an alt attribute — empty for decorative, descriptive for meaningful images.

How can I verify alt text coverage after changes?

Run Lighthouse accessibility audit to find images missing alt text. Search your page source for ‘img’ tags without alt attributes. When in doubt, run an Oversearch AI Page Optimizer scan to check alt text coverage.