Visual Context In 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.

Should I explain charts and screenshots in text?

Yes. Always provide a text explanation of the key information shown in any visual element.

Crawlers and AI systems cannot read images. If a chart shows that “60% of tested pages fail Core Web Vitals,” that fact must also appear in the text. Otherwise, the information is invisible to non-visual consumers.

• Add a text summary of the key finding before or after the image.
• For charts: state the main takeaway in text.
• For screenshots: describe the relevant UI element and what it shows.
• Treat visuals as supplements to text, not replacements.

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

Do crawlers read text inside images?

No. Search engine crawlers and AI systems cannot read text embedded in images (screenshots, infographics, charts with labels).

Any text that appears only inside an image is invisible to crawlers, screen readers, and AI systems. Critical information must be duplicated in HTML text.

• Text in images is not indexed or extractable.
• Infographic text must be provided as HTML text nearby.
• Use alt text to summarize the image’s content.
• For data tables rendered as images, provide an HTML table equivalent.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to see content extraction results.

How do I make UI screenshots understandable to bots?

Add descriptive alt text and a text caption or paragraph that explains what the screenshot shows and what the reader should notice.

A screenshot of a settings panel is meaningless to a bot without context. The text around it should explain: “In the screenshot below, the ‘noindex’ checkbox is enabled (circled), which prevents the page from being indexed.”

• Alt text: “Settings panel with noindex checkbox enabled.”
• Caption or surrounding text: explains the significance.
• Annotate screenshots with arrows/circles and describe annotations in text.
• If the screenshot shows data, state the data in text.

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

Where should I place captions and explanations?

Place the text explanation immediately before or after the image. Use a <figcaption> element or a regular paragraph directly following the image.

The closer the explanation is to the image, the stronger the contextual association for both readers and crawlers.

• Use <figure> + <figcaption> for semantic image captions.
• Place the key takeaway in a paragraph immediately before the image.
• Detailed explanations can go after the image.
• Do not rely solely on the caption — include the key fact in body text too.

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

Ensure all visual content has text explanations (see: Should I explain charts and screenshots in text?) and is understandable to bots (see: How do I make UI screenshots understandable to bots?). 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

Should I add text descriptions for every image?

Add text descriptions for images that convey information (charts, screenshots, diagrams). Decorative images only need alt text. When in doubt, if removing the image would lose information, add a text explanation nearby.

Can AI systems read text inside images?

Some AI systems have OCR capabilities, but most rely on alt text and surrounding text. Never assume image text will be extracted — always provide a text equivalent. When in doubt, include all important information from images in the page’s HTML text.

How should I describe data charts for SEO?

Summarize the key finding in text near the chart: ‘Chart showing 73% of tested sites pass LCP under 2.5s.’ Include the data in a table or list if possible. When in doubt, state the main takeaway from the chart in one sentence.

Do image captions help SEO?

Yes. Captions are highly read by both users and crawlers. They provide context about the image and its relevance to the page content. When in doubt, add a one-sentence caption below each informational image.

Should screenshots include annotations?

Annotations (arrows, highlights, labels) help users understand what to look at. But crawlers cannot read annotations — describe them in the alt text or caption. When in doubt, annotate visually and describe the annotation in surrounding text.

How can I verify visual context after changes?

Check that every informational image has alt text, a caption or nearby text explanation, and that the text description conveys the same information as the image. When in doubt, run an Oversearch AI Page Optimizer scan.