Write useful image alt text for blog posts

Decide what the image contributes

Choose images after identifying the explanation they should support. A screenshot can show a configuration state; a diagram can explain a sequence; a chart can make a comparison easier to inspect. A decorative stock photo rarely needs a paragraph of description. Record the image's purpose before writing its alt text. This helps distinguish information that belongs in the surrounding article from information needed to understand the image itself. It also prevents teams from adding unrelated visuals just to satisfy a template's fixed number of image slots.

Keep an asset record

For every externally obtained asset, store its source page, creator when known, usage basis, and any attribution requirements. Do not assume that a visible image is automatically available for republication. Prefer your own tested screenshots or assets whose permitted use you can establish. Keep private customer information and credentials out of captures. This is an editorial recordkeeping recommendation rather than legal advice about a particular license. If the usage terms are unclear, choose another asset or obtain clarification before it becomes embedded across many articles and social previews.

Describe function and information

Write alt text according to the image's role in context. For a screenshot, describe the important setting or result rather than every menu item. For a chart, provide the main relationship and put detailed values in accessible text nearby. Google’s image documentation discusses image context and descriptive text; its link documentation also matters when an image acts as a link. In that case, the destination or action should be understandable. Avoid stuffing keywords into descriptions that make the page harder to use for people relying on text alternatives.

Hypothetical example: a publication status screenshot

Imagine a tutorial screenshot shows a draft article with the status Scheduled and a date field. Useful alt text might identify that the article is scheduled for a future date, while the surrounding paragraph explains how to change that date. There is no need to recite unrelated sidebar labels. If the screenshot contains a critical warning, include that warning in the article text too. A reader should not have to inspect a small image to discover a condition that determines whether the workflow is safe or successful.

Check the rendered page

Review images at mobile size, inspect whether text remains legible, and confirm that the file loads from the published URL. Verify captions and credits after the CMS transforms the article. Do not use an image of a table when readers need to copy or compare its values; provide a real table or equivalent text. Keep the asset record linked to the article so replacements retain their provenance. When an interface changes, evaluate the alt text and caption alongside the screenshot rather than swapping the file and leaving stale explanations behind.

• Keep the source page and usage record with each external asset.
• Describe the image's useful information instead of repeating unrelated interface labels.
• Verify captions, credits, and text alternatives after the published template renders.