When you look at an image on a web page, you instantly understand what it shows. Search engines and screen readers do not work that way. They rely on alt text (alternative text) to understand the content of your images.
If your approach to website design in Newtown does not include a proper image SEO strategy, you could be missing valuable local search visibility and making your site harder to use for some visitors.
Right now, we are busy auditing and updating the Bluesdigital website to make sure our own image SEO is fully up to scratch. It is one of those important jobs many businesses overlook, but getting it right can make a real difference to both accessibility and search rankings.
Why Alt Text Matters for Website Design in Newtown
Alt text was originally created for accessibility, not SEO.
Back in the 1990s, it became part of the HTML standard to help make the web more inclusive. People using screen readers rely on alt text to understand what images are showing. Without it, a screen reader might only read out a file name such as “IMG_4921.jpg”, which is not exactly helpful.
Good alt text helps ensure everyone can properly use and enjoy your website, regardless of how they access it.
For local businesses investing in website design in Newtown, accessibility is not just a nice extra anymore — it is part of creating a professional, trustworthy website experience.
How Google and Bing Use Alt Text
Search engines quickly realised that the same descriptions helping visually impaired users could also help search engines understand images.
Google and Bing cannot truly “see” a picture the same way people do, so alt text gives them vital context about your content.
Better Search Context
Search engines use alt text alongside page content and AI image recognition to understand what a page is about. This can help your website appear in both standard search results and image searches.
Bing Visual Search
Bing places strong emphasis on descriptive image information for visual search. Well-written alt text can improve visibility across Bing’s image ecosystem too.
A Better User Experience
If an image fails to load because of a poor internet connection, the browser displays the alt text instead. Your visitors still understand the purpose of the missing image.
A Common WordPress Alt Text Problem
Most local businesses use WordPress, and thankfully adding alt text is fairly simple. However, there is one frustrating quirk that catches a lot of website owners out.
The Media Library Does Not Always Sync Properly
If you update alt text after an image has already been inserted into a page, WordPress does not always update it everywhere automatically.
Editing in the Media Library: Updating alt text in the Media Library may not retroactively update images already placed on live pages.
Editing in the Block Editor: Updating alt text directly inside a page block only changes that specific image instance and may not update the Media Library version.
The Best Fix
After making alt text changes, always double-check the live page itself to make sure the update has actually taken effect.
For new uploads, it is usually best to write your alt text in the Media Library before inserting the image into your content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do decorative images need alt text?
No. If an image is purely decorative, leave the alt text blank so screen readers skip over it cleanly.
How long should alt text be?
Try to keep it under 125 characters. Most screen readers stop reading after this point, so concise descriptions work best.
Is alt text the same as an image title?
No. Alt text is used for accessibility and SEO. Image titles are mainly hover tooltips and are far less important.
Helpful Resources for Image SEO
If you want to learn more about image optimisation and accessibility, these guides are well worth a read:
Need a Hand With Your Website?
If you are currently battling your way through a Media Library cleanup, you are definitely not alone. Sorting image SEO can be surprisingly time-consuming once a website has been running for a few years.
If you would like help improving your images, accessibility, or overall website design in Newtown, we are always happy to help.
Drop us a message for a friendly, no-obligation chat, and we will happily point you in the right direction or pop in to see us at Frolic House (between the medical practice and Driving Test Centre)