What is Alt Text?

Alt Text (short for “Alternative Text”) is a short written description of an image that helps both people and search engines understand what the image is about. For accessibility, it allows screen readers to describe images to visually impaired visitors. For SEO, it gives Google and other search engines important context about your photos.

Without alt text, your images are essentially invisible to search engines. Adding it means your work has a greater chance of appearing in Google Image Search and on relevant search result pages.

 Why Alt Text Matters for Photographers’ SEO

Search engines can’t “see” a photo the way humans can—they rely on text clues. Alt text fills that gap by:

Helping Your Images Rank in Google – Well-written alt text can push your photos into image search results, where potential clients may be browsing for inspiration.
Boosting Overall Page SEO – Google looks at your images as part of the entire page. Alt text that matches your page’s keywords helps search engines understand what your page is about.
Improving Clicks from Organic Search – If your photo ranks and matches what someone is searching for (e.g., “outdoor senior portraits in Charlotte NC”), it can drive qualified traffic straight to your site.
Creating Long-Tail Keyword Opportunities – Specific descriptions give you a chance to show up in very targeted searches, like “moody black and white maternity photo with window light.”

In short: the right alt text improves your visibility, draws more visitors, and ultimately brings in more clients.

What Good Alt Text Looks Like

Good alt text is descriptive, concise, and relevant. It should accurately describe the image in a natural way while including keywords when appropriate.

Weak Alt Text (too vague):

• “portrait”
• “family photo”
• “wedding”

Better Alt Text (descriptive + keyword-rich):

• “High school senior portrait of a girl with curly hair wearing a denim jacket in a sunflower field at sunset”
• “Lifestyle family photo of parents laughing with two young children on a blanket in Central Park”
• “Bride and groom kissing under string lights during an outdoor wedding reception in Charleston, South Carolina”

The second set paints a clear picture while naturally using keywords that match what someone might actually search for.

Avoiding Bad Practices with Alt Text

Just like anything in SEO, alt text can be abused. Google (and your visitors) can tell when you’re trying to game the system, and it can actually hurt your rankings instead of helping.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Keyword Stuffing

❌ Example: “wedding photographer, wedding photographer, wedding photographer, best wedding photographer in New York wedding photography”
✅ Better: “Bride and groom walking down the aisle at an outdoor wedding in Central Park, New York”(descriptive, natural, includes location once).

Using Alt Text as a Copyright Notice

❌ Example: “© Jane Smith Photography – Do not copy”
Copyright belongs in your footer, metadata, or watermark—not alt text.

Irrelevant Keywords (Black Hat SEO)

❌ Example: Adding “cheap flights to Paris” to a wedding photo.
Google detects this as manipulation and may penalize your site.

Leaving It Blank (Missed Opportunity)

No alt text = no accessibility + no SEO benefit. Every image deserves a description.

Best Practice: Write for humans first. Alt text should make sense if read aloud by a screen reader. Focus on what’s visually important (subject, action, setting, mood) and weave in keywords naturally.

With PhotoBiz AI, you don’t have to worry about making these mistakes—the tool generates clear, descriptive alt text that’s professional and safe for SEO.

How PhotoBiz AI Makes It Easy

Writing thoughtful alt text for dozens of images can take hours. That’s why we built PhotoBiz AI—to give you professional-quality alt text in seconds.

Here’s how it works:

• The AI scans your photo.
• It instantly generates accurate, descriptive alt text.
• You can review, edit, and save it to your site.

This ensures your site is more accessible and more optimized for search engines without the risk of “black hat” mistakes.

Step-by-Step: Adding Alt Text with PhotoBiz AI

STEP ONE
Log in to your PhotoBiz account and click on WEBSITE from the left-hand menu.

STEP TWO
Choose the page with the image(s) you want to update, then click on the block that contains those images.

STEP THREE
In the right-hand settings panel, click the thumbnail of the image you want to add alt text to.

FINAL STEP
Scroll down to the Title, Description, and Alt Text section.
Click the Ask PhotoBiz AI button, and our AI writing assistant will instantly generate accurate and descriptive alt text for your image.

Click Save Changes to apply your alt text.

Alt text is more than a technical detail—it’s a powerful SEO tool that helps clients discover your work online. By pairing accessibility with keyword-rich descriptions, you give your images the chance to rank higher, attract more visitors, and convert more clients.

With PhotoBiz AI, adding smart, effective alt text is as easy as clicking a button—without falling into bad SEO habits.