Using alt text for images is a crucial practice to improve the accessibility of your Google Site. Alt text (alternative text) provides a textual description of an image, which is essential for users who rely on screen readers, as well as for improving SEO. Here’s how to effectively use alt text to enhance accessibility:

What is Alt Text?

Alt text is a short description of an image that is read by screen readers used by visually impaired users. It also appears in place of an image if the image fails to load, providing context for what the image represents.

How to Add Alt Text in Google Sites

• Upload or Select an Image: In the Google Sites editor, either upload a new image or select an existing one.

• Access Image Settings: Click on the image to open the settings toolbar.

• Add Alt Text: Click on the "Alt text" option in the settings toolbar. Enter a brief, descriptive text that explains the content and function of the image.

• Save: Ensure the alt text is saved with the image.

Best Practices for Writing Alt Text

• Be Descriptive and Specific: Describe the image as specifically as possible. For example, instead of "dog," use "golden retriever playing fetch in a park."

• Keep It Concise: Aim for alt text to be concise but informative, usually no more than 125 characters. This ensures it’s quickly understandable by screen readers.

• Include Keywords: Where relevant, include SEO keywords naturally in the alt text, but avoid keyword stuffing.

• Context Matters: Tailor the alt text to the context in which the image is used. Describe what is important about the image in relation to the content around it.

• Avoid Redundancy: Do not start with "Image of" or "Picture of," as screen readers already announce that it is an image. Instead, get straight to the description.

• Functional Images: For images that serve a functional purpose (like buttons or links), describe the function (e.g., "Submit button" or "LinkedIn profile icon").

Examples of Effective Alt Text

• Decorative Image: If an image is purely decorative and does not convey any meaningful information, you can leave the alt text blank. However, make sure to mark it as decorative if your platform allows.

• Informative Image: For an image showing statistical data, use alt text like "Bar chart showing company revenue growth from 2020 to 2023."

Benefits of Using Alt Text

• Accessibility: Alt text ensures that visually impaired users can understand the content of images, making your site more inclusive.

• SEO Improvement: Search engines index alt text, so well-crafted descriptions can improve your site’s search engine ranking.

• Enhanced User Experience: If images fail to load, alt text provides users with a description, ensuring they don’t miss out on important information.

Resources for Further Reading

• WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind): Offers comprehensive guidelines on creating accessible web content, including the use of alt text.

• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: Provides detailed standards and recommendations for web accessibility. W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview

By following these practices, you can effectively use alt text to make your Google Site more accessible and improve the overall user experience.

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