Ecommerce SEO

How to Add Alt Text for SEO in Your Shopify Store

January 31, 2025

Welcome! If you're running a Shopify store, you probably know that standing out in the bustling online market requires more than just great products. A crucial aspect of your store's success hinges on SEO. One often overlooked element that can significantly impact your SEO is alt text. You might wonder, "Why does alt text matter, and how do I add it to my Shopify store?" Well, you're in the right place to learn just that.

In this blog post, we’re going to walk through the ins and outs of alt text, why it’s important for SEO, and how you can add it to your Shopify store effectively. We’ll cover everything from understanding what alt text is, to practical steps for adding it to your images, and some best practices to ensure that your efforts are worthwhile. Let's get started!

What is Alt Text?

Alt text, or alternative text, serves as a textual description for images on your website. It’s not something your site visitors see unless the image fails to load, but it’s there working behind the scenes. Think of it as a brief note that conveys the essence of an image, which is incredibly important for both accessibility and SEO.

For visually impaired users, alt text is read by screen readers, providing an understanding of what the image is about. On the SEO front, search engines like Google can’t "see" images the way humans do. They rely on alt text to understand the content of an image, which helps in indexing your site properly. In a nutshell, alt text bridges the gap between your images and search engines, ensuring that your website is both more accessible and more likely to show up in search results.

So, how should you craft this alt text? It’s pretty simple: describe the image as accurately as possible. If you’re selling a blue cotton t-shirt, something like "blue cotton t-shirt on a hanger" works perfectly. It’s straightforward, descriptive, and includes keywords in a natural way. Remember, the goal is to be helpful, not to stuff keywords.

Why Alt Text is Important for SEO

Now that we’ve touched on what alt text is, let’s explore why it’s a game-changer for SEO. Simply put, alt text helps search engines understand the content and context of your images. This understanding is crucial because it contributes to how your site is indexed and ranked in search results.

Imagine you have an online store with hundreds of images. Each image is an opportunity to improve your SEO, but only if search engines know what each image represents. Alt text provides that missing piece of the puzzle. By including relevant keywords in your alt text, you’re giving your images a better chance to appear in image search results, which can drive more traffic to your store.

Additionally, alt text improves your site’s accessibility. Accessibility is increasingly important, not just from an ethical standpoint but also because it can affect your SEO rankings. Google values user experience, and a more accessible site means a better experience for all users. So, by optimizing your alt text, you’re not only enhancing your site’s SEO but also making your site more inclusive.

How to Add Alt Text in Shopify

Alright, let’s get to the practical stuff: adding alt text to your Shopify store. The process is straightforward, and it doesn’t require you to be a tech genius. Here’s how you can do it:

  • Log into your Shopify Admin: Start by logging into your Shopify admin dashboard. This is your control center where you manage everything related to your store.
  • Navigate to Products: On the left-hand side, click on “Products.” Here, you’ll see a list of all the products you have in your store.
  • Select a Product: Choose the product for which you want to add alt text. Click on its name to open the product details page.
  • Click on the Image: On the product page, scroll down to the images section. Click on the image you want to edit. A pop-up window will appear.
  • Add Alt Text: In the pop-up window, you’ll see a field labeled “Alt Text.” Enter a descriptive text that accurately reflects what the image is about. Remember to keep it concise and relevant.
  • Save Changes: Once you’ve added the alt text, make sure to save your changes by clicking the “Save” button at the top right of the page.

And there you have it! Repeat this process for all images across your store to make sure every picture is working hard to enhance your SEO.

Best Practices for Writing Alt Text

Writing alt text might seem simple initially, but there are some best practices to keep in mind to ensure you’re getting the most out of your efforts. Here are a few tips:

  • Be Descriptive: Your alt text should accurately describe the image. Think about what you would say if you had to describe the image to someone who couldn’t see it.
  • Keep it Short: While you want to be descriptive, it’s also important to keep your alt text short and to the point. Aim for a concise description, usually around 125 characters or less.
  • Include Keywords Naturally: Incorporate relevant keywords, but make sure they fit naturally into your description. Avoid keyword stuffing, as it can harm rather than help your SEO.
  • Avoid Redundancy: Don’t start your alt text with “Image of” or “Picture of.” This is generally unnecessary since screen readers already announce it as an image.
  • Focus on Key Elements: If your image is complex or contains multiple elements, focus on the most important aspects that convey the image’s purpose.

By following these tips, you’ll create alt text that’s not only SEO-friendly but also useful for those relying on screen readers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While adding alt text is crucial, doing it wrong can actually hinder your SEO efforts. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for:

  • Keyword Stuffing: Adding too many keywords can make your alt text sound unnatural and spammy. Google’s algorithms are smart and can penalize sites for this.
  • Vague Descriptions: Being too vague or generic doesn’t help search engines or users. “Image1234” or “SKU123” are examples of unhelpful alt text.
  • Ignoring Alt Text Altogether: Leaving your alt text blank is a missed opportunity. Each image without alt text is a lost chance to communicate with search engines.
  • Using the Same Alt Text for Multiple Images: If you have several similar images, don’t use the exact same alt text for all of them. Tailor each description to the specific image.

Avoid these pitfalls to ensure that your alt text contributes positively to your SEO strategy.

Tools to Help with Alt Text

If you’re managing a large Shopify store with numerous images, the thought of adding alt text to each one can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, there are tools available to make this process easier:

  • SEO Plugins: Shopify offers various SEO apps that can assist in adding and managing alt text. Apps like “SEO Image Optimizer” can help automate this process.
  • AI Tools: Some AI tools can generate alt text for you. While they’re not always perfect, they can provide a useful starting point, especially for large batches of images.
  • Image Management Software: Consider using image management tools that allow you to edit metadata in bulk, saving you time and effort.

These tools can help streamline the process, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.

Monitoring and Adjusting Your Alt Text

Just like any other part of your SEO strategy, it’s important to monitor the effectiveness of your alt text and make adjustments as needed. Here’s how you can do it:

  • Use Google Analytics: Keep an eye on your image search traffic in Google Analytics. If you notice certain images are underperforming, consider revisiting their alt text.
  • Check for Errors: Regularly audit your site for images without alt text or with incorrect alt text. Tools like Screaming Frog can help you identify these issues.
  • Test and Iterate: SEO is an ongoing process. Test different alt text approaches and see what works best for your store. Make adjustments based on your findings.

By continually monitoring and refining your alt text, you’ll ensure that your SEO strategy remains effective.

Integrating Alt Text into Your Overall SEO Plan

Alt text is just one piece of the SEO puzzle, but it’s an important one. To make the most of it, integrate alt text into your broader SEO strategy. Here’s how you can do it:

  • Align with Keywords: Make sure your alt text aligns with the keywords you’re targeting across your site. This creates a cohesive SEO strategy.
  • Coordinate with Content: Your alt text should complement the rest of your content. Ensure that everything on your page works together to convey a unified message.
  • Regular Updates: SEO isn’t a one-and-done task. Regularly update your alt text along with the rest of your SEO elements to stay current with trends and algorithms.

By integrating alt text into your overall SEO plan, you’ll create a more robust strategy that enhances your store’s online presence.

Final Thoughts

In summary, alt text is a small but mighty component of your Shopify store’s SEO strategy. By providing clear, descriptive text for your images, you can improve your site’s accessibility and increase your chances of ranking higher in search results. This, in turn, can bring more visibility and potential customers to your store.

And if you’re looking for expert help to take your SEO efforts to the next level, Pattern could be just what you need. We're not just about improving rankings; we're about driving real results. We focus on creating landing pages that target a wide array of search terms and crafting content that converts visitors into customers. Our approach is rooted in performance marketing, ensuring your investment in SEO delivers real ROI. So, if you're ready to make SEO a growth channel for your store, consider working with us at Pattern.

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