In an online store, images sell. They are also the first place where alt text gets forgotten: hundreds of product photos, imported in bulk, with no description. Here is how to fix that.
Why it matters for a store
- Accessibility: a visually impaired customer needs to understand what each photo shows before buying.
- Image search: a well-described photo is more likely to be understood by Google Images.
- Legal framework: the accessibility of e-commerce services falls within the scope of the European Accessibility Act for the businesses concerned.
How to write a product photo’s alt text
- Describe what is visible: product, colour, material, view (front, back, detail).
- Keep sales arguments and price for the product page.
- Tell photos of the same product apart: “Cognac leather bag, front view” then “Cognac leather bag, clasp detail”.
- Avoid keyword stuffing.
Before / after
- Before: “IMG_4521.jpg” — after: “White leather sneakers, side view, gum sole.”
- Before: “shoe” — after: “Brown hiking shoe with red laces, resting on a rock.”
What SafeAlt does for a store
SafeAlt takes into account the page the image is attached to (its title and main category), your business as described in the settings, and the cleaned-up file name. The alt text describes what is visible, the title reuses the page’s, and the caption places the image within your business.
- The WooCommerce placeholder image (shown for a product without a photo) is never described: it would use your quota for nothing.
- Images under 300 px on the short side are ignored by default: icons and pictograms use nothing.
- A meaningful file name (“cognac-leather-bag.jpg”) gives the best results.
Review the texts for your important products: an AI can be wrong about what it sees, for example a colour or a material. Review mode lets you approve each proposal.
25 images a month are free, without a credit card.
