Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

How To Optimise Image Alt Tags For Voice Search?

By Japsimran Kaur
May 30, 2023

Voice search is becoming increasingly popular as more people have started using digital assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to search for information on the web. As a result, optimising your website with SEO services for voice search has become essential in enhancing your online presence and attracting increased traffic to your site. One key aspect of optimising your website for voice search is optimising the image alt tags. According to SparkToro, 92.96% of global traffic comes from Google Images, Google Search, and Google Maps. This further increases the importance of adding images to your website to make it visually appealing and engaging. By failing to do so, you would miss out on improving user experience and accessibility for your website.

5 Tips To Optimise Image Alt Tags For Voice Search

Alt tags serve multiple purposes, such as improving website accessibility, boosting search engine rankings, and more. Given below are some tips and best practices for optimising your image alt tags for voice search:

Use descriptive alt tags

One of the most effective ways is to use descriptive tags that accurately describe the image. When people use voice search, they tend to use natural language and ask questions rather than typing in specific keywords. By using descriptive alt tags, you increase the chances that your images will appear in search results when people ask related questions. For example, if you have an image of a red dress, instead of using a generic alt tag like "red dress," you could use a more descriptive tag like "red cocktail dress for a night out." This helps search engines better understand what the image is about and can help it appear in relevant voice search results.

Use long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are phrases that are more specific and detailed than generic keywords. Using long-tail keywords in your image alt tags can help you optimise for voice search and increase the likelihood of your images appearing in relevant search results. For example, instead of using a short and generic alt tag like "pizza," you could use a longer and more specific tag like "wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese." This helps search engines understand exactly what the image is about and thereby make it appear in relevant voice search results.

Be mindful of context

When optimising your image alt tags for voice search, it's important to consider the context in which the image will be used. For example, if you have an image of a restaurant, you could use alt tags that describe the type of food served, the atmosphere of the restaurant, and other relevant details. If the image is on a page that's about a specific restaurant, you could use alt tags that describe the restaurant's location, menu, and ambiance. If the image is on a page about Italian cuisine, you could use alt tags that describe the dish, such as "authentic Italian Margherita pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil."

Use natural language

When optimising your image alt tags for voice search, it's important to use natural language that sounds like how a human would say it. People using voice search tend to use conversational language and ask questions, so using natural language in your alt tags can help improve your chances of appearing in voice search results. Instead of using stilted or robotic language like "red dress for women," use more natural language like "a beautiful red dress that's perfect for a night out on the town." This will not only help your images appear in voice search results, but it will also make your content more engaging and appealing to human readers.

Test and refine your alt tags

As with any optimization strategy, it's important to test and refine your image alt tags over time to see what works best. Monitor your website's performance in voice search results and track the keywords and phrases that are driving the most traffic to your site. Use this information to refine your alt tags and improve your overall optimization strategy.

Final thoughts

Optimising image alt tags for voice search is an important aspect of improving your online visibility and driving more traffic to any site. By using descriptive alt tags, long-tail keywords, and natural language, businesses can increase their chances of appearing in relevant voice search results and improve their overall SEO strategy.