If a picture is worth 1,000 words, shouldn't everyone be able to get the message?
That's where alt text comes in.
Alt text is a secret caption that describes and contextualizes an image or graphic. It explains and gives context about why an image matters for people using screen readers, those with low vision, and people who have turned images off (think: reader view).
Good alt text describes an image.
Great alt text descibes an image in a way that focuses on the features that matter to the context.
In other words, there's no uniform way to write alt text.
But alt text is uniformly necessary everywhere you share pictures or graphics: presentations, webpages, documents, social media, etc.
If you want to see how it's done, Arizona State University created an alt text generator that uses AI. Use this tool, or others like it, only if you are describing an activity or environment, and only if there are no identifiable people in the image. If you need alt text for an image with people, keep reading.
Alt text for images with real people
Headshots: Never describe what a person looks like. Instead, go with "headshot of (Person's Name)."
Identifying specific people: Never use genAI to write alt text for a photo where people's names matter, like a ribbon cutting with Person A, B, and C.
Alt text is for simple images. If you're dealing with a more complex image, like a deeply detailed illustration, chart, or diagram, you're going to need a long description. We'll talk about that next time.
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