WHY ALT-TEXT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR WEBSITE AND HOW TO USE IT
Maybe you’ve heard of alt-text in the context of SEO and web design, but it may also sound like some overly “techy” mumbo jumbo too. I was the latter until learning more in depth about SEO, so don’t feel bad if that’s you too! Alt-text is short for alternative text, and is a brief description added to images on your website. It serves two main purposes:
Accessibility: Helps users with visual impairments understand the content of images through screen readers.
SEO Benefits: Search engines can’t "see" images, but they can read alt text, which helps your site rank better in image searches.
If you want to make sure you are checking all the boxes when it comes to optimizing your website for SEO, then this post is for you! It is a simple and easy way to boost your search engine rankings. And yes, going back into your website editor and adding these details can seem tedious at first, but trust us, over time, it will help your website become more visible out there in the vast sea of endless pages.
How to Write Effective Alt Text
Here are some best practices for writing alt text:
✅ Be Descriptive but Concise – Clearly describe what’s in the image (e.g., “A woman practicing yoga on the beach at sunrise”).
✅ Use Keywords Naturally – Include relevant keywords that fit the image, but avoid keyword stuffing. Why? Google can penalize you if it thinks your website is being spammy.
✅ Avoid Saying "Image of" or "Picture of" – Screen readers already announce that it’s an image.
✅ Match the Context – Make sure the alt text aligns with the purpose of the image in your content.
Examples of Good & Bad Alt Text
❌ “Yoga” (Too vague)
❌ “Yoga instructor stretching on a blue mat while wearing a black outfit on the beach, ocean waves in the background, golden sunlight” (Too long)
✅ “Woman practicing yoga on the beach at sunrise” (Clear, concise, relevant)
Look at the image we have above. The alt-text we added was “female entrepreneur designing Squarespace website”. It succinctly describes what is in the image while directly relating to our business’ unique keywords, without overusing them.
Where to Add Alt Text in Squarespace
For Images in Image Blocks: Click on the image, click pencil icon, and scroll down in the pop-up box until you see the alt-text field. Enter in your text.
For Background Images: Since Squarespace doesn’t allow direct alt text for background images, use a caption or descriptive text nearby.
For Product Images (E-Commerce): Add descriptions in the product settings.
We hope that helps you begin to understand more about alt-text and its importance to SEO. Reach out with any questions :)
