When using ALT tags - are spaces, hyphens or underscores preferred by Google when using multiple words?
-
when plugging ALT tags into images, does Google prefer spaces, hyphens, or underscores? I know with filenames, hyphens or underscores are preferred and spaces are replaced with %20.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
-
When using ALT tags for images, it's generally best to use hyphens to separate multiple words in the text. Google and other search engines tend to interpret hyphens as word separators, which can help improve the accessibility and SEO of your web content. While underscores can also be used, hyphens are the more widely accepted and recommended practice. Spaces should be avoided, as they might not work as expected in all situations, as you mentioned, they can be replaced with "%20" in URLs. Using hyphens in ALT tags ensures better readability and consistency.
-
Google prefers hyphens (-) as word separators in ALT tags when using multiple words. Using hyphens helps improve the readability and search engine optimization of the ALT text for images. For example, if you have an image related to project management professionals, it's better to use "project-management-professionals" in the ALT tag rather than spaces or underscores. This practice helps search engines understand the content of the image more accurately. (PMP Exam Prep) (Project Management Professional)
-
When it comes to using multiple words in ALT tags, there isn't a strict preference by Google for specific characters like spaces, hyphens, or underscores. Google's algorithms are designed to understand various formats and interpret them accordingly. However, it is generally recommended to use hyphens or underscores to separate multiple words in ALT tags, as they can improve readability for both search engines and users. Using either hyphens or underscores creates distinct word boundaries and makes it easier for search engines like Google to recognize and index the content accurately. Ultimately, the most important aspect is to provide descriptive and relevant ALT text to enhance accessibility and user experience.
i am also researching ai at the moment to help me with tech stuff reading this blog
https://givevaluefirst.com/artificial-intelligence-for-dummies/
-
Google prefers hyphens to spaces or underscores in alt tags when using multiple words. This is because hyphens are more descriptive and easier for screen readers to understand.
For example, the alt text "black cat" is more descriptive and informative than "black_cat" or "black cat".
-
Google recommends using hyphens (-) to separate words in ALT tags when using multiple words. This helps improve the accessibility and SEO of your images by making them more readable and understandable for both search engines and users.
-
YES!!!!
Always use lowercase for filenames because if you use Upper and Lower (sometimes called camel case) for your internal and menu linking Google will crawl it and index the U&l. Then the fun begins when you have to match your sitemap to that!
-
1. File names- always use the hyphen.
2. Alt Text - use spaces and normal word structure. Ryan is correct on the technical intent behind the alt tag, but it can also be a good SEO tool, and you should treat those as exact phrase keywords. So nobody is searching for "city-bikes", they are searching for "city bikes". The alt tag should be what the user will put into google.
-
Yes, use hyphens for filenames, and lower case.
-
Thanks Ryan- so as with filenames, is it advantageous to us:
City-Bikes
or
City Bikes
with filenames, I am told preference is for city-bikes.jpg rather than "city bikes.jpg"
-
Ryan, it depends on your site design but you are correct.
Link Titles will appear when you hover your mouse over the link.
Alt tags are designed to display a text description for those who cannot see the image, such as visually impaired readers or crawlers. You can simply type as you would normally with spaces.
Alt tags do have a SEO significance, as do the image's file name. Both can be used to associate keywords or phrases with your web page, as well as the image search vertical.
-
It will probably show the link title if the image is wrapped in a link tag and you have no alt tag. Alt tags do have SEO significance - and they do show when you hover on an image. Use normal text
-
I am confused - I thought what you see when you hover is the Link Title - at least that's how my site has been functioning.
Does alt tag on images not have any SEO significance?
-
The Alt tag is primarily there for usaility - ie when you hover the user can see the alt information. Therefore write how you would write normal text
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
How to get a large number of urls out of Google's Index when there are no pages to noindex tag?
Hi, I'm working with a site that has created a large group of urls (150,000) that have crept into Google's index. If these urls actually existed as pages, which they don't, I'd just noindex tag them and over time the number would drift down. The thing is, they created them through a complicated internal linking arrangement that adds affiliate code to the links and forwards them to the affiliate. GoogleBot would crawl a link that looks like it's to the client's same domain and wind up on Amazon or somewhere else with some affiiiate code. GoogleBot would then grab the original link on the clients domain and index it... even though the page served is on Amazon or somewhere else. Ergo, I don't have a page to noindex tag. I have to get this 150K block of cruft out of Google's index, but without actual pages to noindex tag, it's a bit of a puzzler. Any ideas? Thanks! Best... Michael P.S., All 150K urls seem to share the same url pattern... exmpledomain.com/item/... so /item/ is common to all of them, if that helps.
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | 945010 -
Why is our noindex tag not working?
Hi, I have the following page where we've implemented a no index tag. But when we run this page in screaming frog or this tool here to verify the noidex is present and functioning, it shows that it's not. But if you view the source of the page, the code is present in the head tag. And unfortunately we've seen instances where Google is indexing pages we've noindexed. Any thoughts on the example above or why this is happening in Google? Eddy
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | eddys_kap0 -
Alt Tags
Hi We have lots of alt tags missing, I know they'e recommended by Google, so moving forward we will ensure we add them to product images, but should we go back and update the ones we have missing? How important is it for SEO? Has anyone tested this? Thanks
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | BeckyKey0 -
Corporate website in multiple locations and with multiple services
Dear Team, We are a corporate setup in India, we have the following services under different brand names: 1. Security guard services - ORION 2. Facility management services - NOIRO 3. Investigation services - Ascertain Solutions We are located in different locations - India, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi What is the best way to structure our website properties for getting maximum SEO benefit, please inform from the following options: i. One website with one blog, we will have multiple pages dedicated to each service where page titles can be the brand names of the service and the location, the domain will be of the parent company only. So everything comes under orionsecure.com. There will be a security services page for India, for Abu Dhabi , for Bahrain. Similar for investigation and facility management. **ii. Multiple websites for different locations and different services, **so there will be orionsecure.com, orionsecure.ae and orionsecure.bh. Also, there will be a noiro.com, noiro.ae etc. Each website will have a blog for content publishing (although it is hard to imagine how we can develop content for different locations). **iii. One website each for each service, location shown differently through domain masking, **so we keep developing different pages as per the different locations on one website only, but this is shown differently through domain masking. Please help with this query, I really need an answer to this. If any more questions, please connect on [email protected] or call on +91-8510999664. Thanks and Regards, Naman Arora
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | Ascertain_Solutions0 -
Pull multiple link data for multiple pages at once?
Hi guys, I was wondering if there is a tool or way to pull link data for a list of URLs/Pages at once to one single file with ahrefs or majestic. I know scrapebox can do this with OSE, but looking for a way to do this with the other backlink databases. Any ideas? Cheers. Hi guys, I was wondering if there is a tool or way to pull link data for a list of URLs/Pages at once to one single file with ahrefs or majestic. I know scrapebox can do this with OSE, but looking for a way to do this with the other backlink databases. Any ideas? Cheers.
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | jayoliverwright0 -
Google places Ad
Like adwords is their any good way of advertising a business place at Google map? If the answer is yes.Can you please take me through the process and give me rough idea about cost?
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | csfarnsworth0 -
Schema markup for videos: Are video schema tags only for use on video hosted by a site or do they also apply to embedded videos hosted on YouTube?
We do not currently have a native video hosting solution for our site and instead embed videos that are hosted on YouTube. Can video schema markup be used for YouTube hosted video? Thank you.
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | lwalker0 -
How to position in local Google
Hello, It's been easy for me to jump in .com - English only results. But, regional google is making me problems. How to position there? What are the top 3 key elements for ranking locally that don't matter much internationally? Thanks!
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | DaBomb110