Imagine you’re reading an important report, and every few paragraphs, you encounter a blank space where a graphic should be. The text references ‘the chart above’ or ‘as shown in the figure’, but all you see is a void. It feels like reading a book with some pages torn out. For millions of people using screen readers, this isn’t a hypothetical. It’s their daily reality when content creators skip alt text (short for ‘alternative text’). For these users, there isn’t even a blank space to indicate missing content – just silence.
Every visual element in your content tells a story, but not everyone experiences that story the same way. Alt text ensures your visual content reaches every member of your audience, regardless of how they access your documents, emails, social media posts or website.
What is alt text?
Alt text is a brief written description of an image or graphic that accompanies visual content in digital formats. Think of it as a translation service that converts visual information into words so that screen readers and search engines can understand its function.
Why alt text matters
Alt text isn’t a nice-to-have feature – it’s the foundation of inclusive digital communication.
Accessibility
Millions of people who are blind, have low vision or other visual impairment use screen readers to navigate digital content. Whether someone is reading one of your reports, viewing a presentation or scrolling through your LinkedIn feed, alt text ensures that everyone gets your entire message.
The numbers tell a powerful story: approximately 21.4 per cent of Australians live with disability according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics; that’s roughly 5.5 million people who may rely on or benefit from accessible content. When you skip alt text, you may be stopping more than one in five Australians from fully engaging with your content.
Functionality and reliability
Search engines and platforms can’t ‘see’ images the way humans do – they read alt text to understand what an image depicts and how it relates to the content. Google uses this information to index and rank content, making alt text a crucial element of any SEO strategy. Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram use it to improve discoverability. Well-written alt text improves visibility and helps people find content.
Images also sometimes fail to load due to slow connections, broken links, file corruption or compatibility issues. When this happens, alt text appears in place of the image, ensuring the audience still receives the information they need.
Legal requirements and compliance
Many jurisdictions require accessible digital content under laws like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This applies not only to websites but also to PDFs, documents and other digital materials, particularly for government agencies, educational institutions and businesses. Good alt text is a crucial component in meeting WCAG requirements.
In Australia, the legal importance of alt text was first established in 2000, when Bruce Maguire, a blind Australian, sued the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games for violating the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) by maintaining an inaccessible website. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission ruled in Maguire’s favour, ordering the committee to add alt text and other accessibility features, and awarded him $20,000 in damages. This landmark case established that disability discrimination laws also apply to digital services, not just physical services – a precedent that continues to shape accessibility requirements worldwide.
Why alt text is more important than ever
Although the Maguire ruling happened 25 years ago, alt text has evolved from a legal talking point into an urgent business priority. Three major shifts may explain why.
Visual content has exploded
More than 5 billion people worldwide now use social media, and digital content has become overwhelmingly visual (Statistica Research Department 2025). Images, infographics and videos dominate our feeds, documents and communications. Every platform, from Instagram to LinkedIn, and every email newsletter and PDF report now relies heavily on visual storytelling.
Legal enforcement has intensified
Missing alt text is cited as a ‘digital barrier’ in many digital accessibility lawsuits across the world. What was once a distant legal precedent has become an active enforcement priority, with organisations of all sizes – from small businesses to major retailers and universities – facing legal action for inaccessible content.
Digital-first has become the default
The shift to remote work, online education and digital services during the pandemic permanently changed how we communicate and conduct business. When nearly every interaction happens through a screen, accessibility isn’t optional – it’s essential.
How to write good alt text
Writing good alt text is a skill that combines clarity and awareness of context. Here are the essential principles.
Be descriptive and specific
Write what’s relevant in the image, not what you think it symbolises. Instead of “Success”, write “A woman in business clothes shaking hands with a client across a desk”. Give enough detail that someone who can’t see the image understands what’s happening.
Keep it concise
Aim for around 125 characters when possible – screen readers may cut off longer descriptions. If you need to convey complex information, consider using a longer description in the main body of the text.
Skip redundant phrases
Don’t begin with “Image of …” or “Picture of …” as screen readers will announce that it’s an image. Jump straight to the description. However, do specify if it’s a screenshot, icon or logo as this provides useful context.
Don’t skip any images
If an image is purely decorative and doesn’t convey information, mark it as ‘decorative’ rather than leaving the alt text field blank. This shows it’s an intentional choice, not an oversight, and helps maintain quality control in your content.
To determine if an image is decorative, ask yourself two questions.
- Does this image convey information? If the answer is ‘no’, mark it as decorative.
- Does it repeat information already provided in body copy? If the answer is ‘yes’, mark it as decorative. Repeating the same information creates ‘audio clutter’, forcing screen reader users to listen to the same content twice.
Consider context and purpose
The same image might need different alt text, depending on its purpose. Ask yourself: what information does this image convey in this context?
Consider a photo of Sydney Harbour. If it is featured on Tourism Australia’s website, the description might highlight iconic landmarks – “Sydney Harbour showcasing the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge at sunset.” However, if it is used on Transport for NSW’s website in an article about ferry services, the focus changes – “Manly ferry arriving at Circular Quay wharf.”
Use punctuation thoughtfully
Proper punctuation helps screen readers deliver your alt text naturally. Always end with a period. This creates a pause, preventing your image description from running into the following text. Use commas in longer descriptions to create natural pauses that make content easier to process aurally.
Keep punctuation simple and functional. Avoid exclamation marks, ellipses and quotation marks unless they’re genuinely part of the content, such as in a company name or slogan. Quotation marks are particularly problematic, as screen readers may announce them awkwardly, disrupting the flow of your description.
Alt text for different image types
Different types of images require different approaches to alt text. Here’s how to treat the most common scenarios.
Photos and headshots
For general photos, describe the relevant action, setting or subject. For headshots, use “Portrait of …” followed by the person’s name and job title (if relevant).
Example: Write “Portrait of Chris Minns, Premier of NSW” rather than just “Photo of a man”.
Logos
Include the company, agency or department name. Skip design elements unless they’re relevant to the context.
Example: Write “Logo of Australian Broadcasting Corporation” rather than “Logo: blue circular design with ABC letters”.
Product images
Include key identifying features such as type, colour and size.
Example: “Rectangular oak coffee table with two drawers” provides users with the essential product information they need.
Icons
Describe the function, not the appearance. Users need to know what the icon represents, not what it looks like.
Example: Write “Icon denoting teamwork” rather than “Icon of linking hands in circular pattern”.
Infographics
Include the topic, key statistics or findings, and important labels. Since infographics are complex, consider also including the full data in an accessible format elsewhere on the page.
Example: “Infographic of 2024 workplace trends, showing 65 per cent of employees prefer hybrid work, 20 per cent remote work and 15 per cent in-office work.”
A note on AI tools
AI-powered alt text generators are becoming increasingly common, serving as helpful starting points for converting large image libraries into alt text. However, they cannot understand context the way humans can. An AI tool might describe a photo of Sydney Harbour as “Body of water with buildings and bridge”, regardless of whether it appears on a tourism site or a transport page. Always review and refine AI-generated alt text to ensure it serves your purpose and audience.
Making alt text part of your workflow
The most effective alt text strategy is one that is consistently applied from the start. Build alt text writing into your content creation process rather than treating it as an afterthought. When you select an image for any document, presentation, email or social media post, draft its alt text immediately. Whether you’re working with a content management system, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace or social media platforms, make completing the alt text field a required step before publishing or sharing.
Train your team to prioritise accessibility at the start of each project. When everyone recognises that alt text is essential rather than optional, your communications will become more inclusive and effective.
A responsibility and opportunity
Alt text represents a small investment of time that yields significant returns in accessibility, discoverability and user experience. When you write thoughtful alt text, you’re not just checking a compliance box; you’re ensuring that your message reaches everyone who needs or wants to hear it.
Making your content accessible isn’t just good ethics – it’s good business. Start prioritising alt text today, and you’ll create more inclusive communication for everyone.
By Elmandi du Toit
