2.5 Images (Lever 5)HighVerified

Missing alt attribute

Alt text is how a screen reader and an image-blind crawler understand an image. A missing alt attribute fails accessibility and forfeits image-search context.

What it is

Images lack alt text.

Why it matters

Alt is processed at indexing and is essential for accessibility and image search.

How to fix it

Add descriptive alt to meaningful images.

How to find it on your site

  1. Crawl for img tags with no alt attribute.
  2. Prioritise content and informative images.
  3. Add concise, descriptive alt text for each.
  4. Leave alt empty only for purely decorative images.

Cross-reference to ranking and citation factors

Alt text supports accessibility and image search and gives context for AI. Missing it loses both.

Impact

Medium. Direct.

Evidence

alt attributes are processed and aid image understanding/a11y. Google Search Central, In-Depth Guide to How Google Search Works; Google Search Central, Image SEO best practices; W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2

← Identical anchor text to a page everywhereEmpty alt on meaningful image →