The Difference Between Image Alt Text and Title in WordPress

When you upload images to WordPress, you have the option to add both Alt Text (Alternative Text) and Title. These two attributes serve different purposes and play distinct roles in improving accessibility, SEO, and user experience. Understanding the differences between them can help you optimize your website for both search engines and visitors.

Here’s a detailed look at the differences between Alt Text and Title in WordPress and how to use them effectively.

1. What is Image Alt Text in WordPress?

Alt Text (short for alternative text) is an HTML attribute that describes the content of an image. It serves two main purposes: improving accessibility and helping search engines understand the image’s context.

Key Purposes:

• Accessibility: Alt text is read aloud by screen readers to help visually impaired users understand the content of an image.
• SEO: Search engines, such as Google, use alt text to index and understand images, which can improve the image’s visibility in search results (e.g., Google Image Search).
• Fallback for Broken Images: If an image fails to load, the alt text will be displayed in place of the image.

Best Practices for Alt Text:

• Be descriptive: Provide a clear and concise description of the image.
• Use relevant keywords: Include keywords that are related to the content of the page, but don’t keyword-stuff.
• Keep it short: Ideally, keep alt text under 125 characters for optimal readability by screen readers.

Example of Alt Text:

For an image of a dog playing with a ball, the alt text could be: “Golden retriever playing with a red ball on the grass”

How to Add Alt Text in WordPress:

1. Upload or select an image in the Media Library.
2. In the right-hand sidebar, you’ll see the Alt Text field.
3. Enter the descriptive alt text and save your changes.

2. What is Image Title in WordPress?

The Title attribute of an image provides a name or label for the image. It can help users understand the image’s content when they hover over it, as some browsers display the image title in a tooltip.

Key Purposes:

• Tooltip display: In some browsers, the title appears when users hover their cursor over the image, providing additional information.
• Internal organization: Image titles are also helpful for internal website management, making it easier for you to organize and identify media files in your WordPress Media Library.
• Not used for SEO: Unlike alt text, the image title does not have a direct impact on SEO or accessibility.

Best Practices for Image Title:

• Use brief descriptions: The title should be concise but informative, giving users an idea of what the image is about.
• Avoid keyword stuffing: Since the title isn’t used for SEO, there’s no need to overload it with keywords.
• Complement the alt text: The title should provide additional context or clarification without duplicating the alt text.

Example of Image Title:

For the same image of a dog, the title could be: “Playful Golden Retriever”

How to Add Image Title in WordPress:

1. Upload or select an image in the Media Library.
2. In the right-hand sidebar, you’ll see the Title field.
3. Enter the image title and save your changes.

When to Use Alt Text vs. Title

• Alt Text: Always add alt text to describe the image’s content, especially if the image is important for understanding the page’s context. Alt text is essential for SEO and accessibility.
• Title: Use the title attribute if you want to give your image a specific label or provide additional context for users who hover over the image. However, it is not necessary for SEO or accessibility, and not all browsers will display it.

Conclusion

Both Alt Text and Title serve distinct roles in WordPress, with alt text being more crucial for SEO and accessibility, while the title is primarily used for internal organization and providing hover tooltips. For an optimized website, always prioritize adding accurate and descriptive alt text to your images, and use titles when they add value to the user experience.