OWG is right, the Alt is used in Google Image Search, but not in Search Ranking for organic search results. Don't forget that Alt is an abreviation for "Alternative" intended to be an alternative for the picture itself. It should therefore go somewhere towards describing the content of the picture or graphic.
For example "Large red Widget with circular flange"
OR
"Logo for the Widget Makers Trade Guild"
and so on.
Don't forget accessibility problems for the partialy sighted who may be using an audio browser. Just imagine how it must sound to them when every picture is read out as a bunch of concentrated Keywords. Then there is the Accessibility legislation itself to comply with such as in the UK there is DDA Compliance to take into account.
Now as Firefox and some other browsers don't display the Alt as you mouse over the image, but do display the "Title" it has become comon practice to use the previously much ignored "Title Attribute which was mainly ignored in the past. Consequently, the image Title is often a direct Copy (or slightly rewritten version) of the Alt.
|