Image ALT Tags w/ keywords in Google

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Image ALT Tags w/ keywords in Google

Usage & effectiveness of img alt tags

floridadesigns

1:30 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

Does it make much of a difference if you include a few targeted keywords in the ALT tags of images.

I've heard mixed things about this, and wanted to know what you guy think about it.

Also. if it does make a difference.. how should you use it?
I mean is there any benefit to listing just these keywords to any image on the page. Or should you just limit it to 1 or 2.

Let me know your thoughts on this.. thanks for the help! :)

humpingdan

1:39 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

i have optimised my page so that almost every image Alt tag is used and has a selection of keywords and relevant terms included within it, obviously the tag are relevant to the idividual contents of the page rather than a broad over view of the sites keywords repeated over and over again (spam)

hotice_2002

2:09 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

The image alt tag is very useful, not only for Google, but also for Inktomi.
Please properly use it to optimize your webpage.

shaadi

2:29 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

Don't think so that alt and title attributes really count but they do not harm either therefore I do use them.

floridadesigns

2:32 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

Yes.. that was my understanding.. and thats what I've been doing.

My main question is about the usage, # of images to apply it to, and if it makes a difference which images the alt tags are used on.

In other words if you're trying to target the keyword: "free widgets". Should the Alt tag just contain that exact keyword, and put the exact same keywords in a number of images on the page. Or would it be better to only use it for a few; or make each a slight variation.. i.e. "widgets for free" "free widgets online" etc.

This is something I've been doing for awhile, but I've never actually talked with others to confirm my findings.

Thanks again for your help!

John_Caius

3:17 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

Erm, the <title> attribute counts hugely in the Google algorithm.

EarWig

3:30 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

Hi floridadesigns

I agree with hotice_2002 with regard to Ink and humpingdan about relevancy, but I am not sure about Google.
(I seem to have read somewhere in the WW forum that Google only counts it if it is a link)

I target the first image on the page with the main keyword/words in context with the page and I do not repeat the keyword/words thereafter.

I use the alt tag on the rest of the images just for the name of the image or information about the image, but I always keep it to a minimum.

IMHO I do not think you will have any problems following this course of action.

But then again - who knows the real answer?
:-)

g1smd

3:50 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

>> Erm, the <title> attribute counts hugely in the Google algorithm. <<

Umm... you all have your definitions of tag and attribute mixed up.

The <title> tag in the document <head> section is important, as is the <meta description> in that same place.

The title attribute added to an <a> anchor isn't so important to Search Engines, but can help users navigate your site.

The same applies to the alt attribute added to <img> image tags, Search Engines use it but it isn't a big thing.

Easy way to remember:

<tag attribute="value">

John_Caius

3:54 pm on May 30, 2003 (gmt 0)

Doh! :( yeah yeah yeah... ;)

shaadi

12:41 pm on May 31, 2003 (gmt 0)

tongue-in-cheek :-S John_Caius

ciml

1:50 pm on May 31, 2003 (gmt 0)

Until recently, Google did index alt text if it was in a link. According to these tests, that seems to have changed.

"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" usa today
"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" usatoday
"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" chronicle
"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" sf

shaadi

2:26 pm on May 31, 2003 (gmt 0)

[quote]Until recently, Google did index alt text if it was in a link. According to these tests, that seems to have changed.
"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" usa today
"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" usatoday
"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" chronicle
"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" sf [/qoute]

Can you pls explain..

jomaxx

2:35 pm on May 31, 2003 (gmt 0)

Yeah, I just tested both scenarios (with my own chosen search terms) and personally am not seeing any difference.

ciml

6:01 pm on May 31, 2003 (gmt 0)

"Google Press Center" "Industry Awards" is a fairly restricive search; it only matches four pages.

If you add usa today to the search, then you get Google's awards page. If you add usatoday then you do not. usatoday is in the alt text of a linked image. Up until recently (maybe Dominic?) it would have been found by a search like that.

Repeat for chronicle (matched) and sf (not matched, but in linked image alt text).

WebWalla

2:28 pm on Jun 3, 2003 (gmt 0)

ciml - looks like the image search still uses the ALT text ...
chronicle google [images.google.com] (see 4th image)

ciml

7:06 pm on Jun 3, 2003 (gmt 0)

Good point WebWalla. It would be rather strange if the image search ignored alt text too.

Marcia

7:22 pm on Jun 3, 2003 (gmt 0)

We really should use the alt attribute anyway, not only because pages won't validate if they're missing, but for the benefit of the small percentage of people who surf with images turned off, and especially for the sake of the visually impaired.

John_Caius, have you tested to see whether the title attribute has more weight than the alt attribute?

And ciml, are you talking about Google giving weight to alt atrributes based on whether or not they're used for images that are links, or just whether or not they're included in the description snippets in the SERPs?

ciml

8:12 pm on Jun 3, 2003 (gmt 0)

I think John meant the page title element. The anchor title attribute had no effect last time I checked; I don't think that's likely to change any time soon.

I haven't looked at whether alt text is used in the snippet, but alt text no longer matches the search words so it seems unlikely.

Originally, alt text counted whether it was a link or not. Until recently, it counted only if it was in a link. What I have not checked is whether it counts as anchor text now.