How Images Help Your SEO and Website Accessibility
- Emily Brown
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
One of the easiest ways to boost your site's Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and improve accessibility is by properly using Alt Text on all your images.
What Is Alt Text?
Alt text (short for “alternative text”) is a written description that explains what’s shown in an image. It’s added to the image settings in your website editor so search engines and screen readers can understand what the image represents.
Alt text appears if the image doesn’t load and is read aloud by screen readers. It also helps search engines interpret your content, which makes your page more visible in search results.
If you don't customize your alt text your image file name can pull through.
For example with the image used in this article:
Poor alt text: image123.jpg
Good alt text: A small business owner in a light shirt looks at a camera outdoors, with trees and a blurred wall in the background on a sunny day.
Why Alt Text Matters
Accessibility – People who use screen readers rely on alt text to understand what’s displayed on a page. Without it, an entire part of your site’s message is invisible to them.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Search engines can’t “see” images; they read the alt text to understand them. This information helps your pages rank higher and appear in image search results.
User Experience – If an image fails to load, alt text gives users context instead of a broken box. It’s a small detail that makes your site look professional and complete.
How Images Strengthen SEO
Beyond alt text, images can improve how search engines rank your site when they are:
Relevant – Each image should connect to your topic or service.
Labeled clearly – Descriptive file names and captions reinforce what your page is about.
Optimized for speed – Large image files slow down your website, which can hurt your ranking.
Unique – Original photography or artwork helps your content stand out from competitors using stock photos.
When users spend more time viewing your images and engaging with your content, it signals to search engines that your site is valuable and trustworthy.
Best Practices to Optimize Images in Wix for SEO and Accessibility
Add descriptive alt text for every image. This can be done by clicking on your image and navigating to the image settings.
Rename image files before uploading (e.g., wix-studio-portfolio-homepage.jpg).
Resize images to fit the display area, large files slow down load times.
Use captions if the image adds important context.
Review your site’s accessibility tools in Wix to confirm all visuals are labeled correctly.
By describing your images clearly and optimizing how they load, you make your site easier for both people and search engines to understand.
Want to review this in more detail together and strengthen your site’s image SEO? Schedule a one-on-one session to walk through your pages and apply these updates step by step.
