What’s the biggest mistake beginners make when writing text alternatives for images?
Question
What’s the biggest mistake beginners make when writing text alternatives for images, and how can we avoid it?
Answer
The biggest issue we see is alt text that’s too long. Many people think they need to include every single word or detail from an image, but that’s not the goal. Alt text should describe the image’s purpose in the context of the page, not repeat everything on it. If an infographic has a lot of detail, that content should be provided elsewhere, not crammed into the alt text.
Our advice: keep descriptions short and simple. Aim for what’s most helpful for someone using a screen reader to understand the image in context, without overwhelming them.
