Missing alt text: images that never say what they show

Decide whether the image is content or decoration

A chart, a labelled diagram, or a photo that carries a claim needs alt text that states the point. A decorative rule or a background texture should have an empty alt so screen readers skip it.

A missing attribute is not the same as an empty one. Missing alt is ambiguous. Empty alt is a decision that the image adds no information.

Describe the information, not the keyword

Write what a reader would miss if the file failed to load. ‘Team reviewing a crawl map in a Causeway Bay office’ is useful. ‘SEO Hong Kong best agency image’ is not, and it helps nobody using a screen reader.

Do not repeat the caption word for word if the caption is already next to the image and says the same thing. Do repeat facts that exist only inside the picture.

• Alt on images that carry meaning.
• Empty alt on pure decoration.
• No keyword lists in the attribute.

Fix the upload path

Editors forget alt when the CMS treats it as optional. Make the field unavoidable for images inserted in the body, and allow an explicit ‘decorative’ choice so people are not forced to invent a sentence.

Recheck key templates after the change. Logos in the header need a sensible text alternative on the home link, not a novel on every page.

Does alt text help a page rank?

It helps search understand the image and gives assistive tech the same information. It is not a place to repeat a target keyword.

Should every image have a long description?

No. Decorative images should use empty alt. Complex charts may need a short alt plus a written summary in the page body.