Do you want to use the exact same alt text each time a specific image is used? Not necessarily. Alt text must consider the context of the image and why it's being included on a site, post, article, etc. In other words, alt text depends on where you're including the image and why. - ThreadSky

a11yawareness.bsky.social • 113 days ago

Do you want to use the exact same alt text each time a specific image is used? Not necessarily. Alt text must consider the context of the image and why it's being included on a site, post, article, etc. In other words, alt text depends on where you're including the image and why.

Comments

havardbrynjulfsen.design•112 days ago

Such great tips! It’s abundantly clear now, thanks a lot🫶

Fantastic post
@ericwbailey.website 💪

havardbrynjulfsen.design•112 days ago

Also: i got to say, thank you for the very educational and civil response. It’s hard to ask serious and genuine questions on platforms like these without sounding like a know-it-all, and it’s equally hard to answer without sounding defensively or condesending🙏

a11yawareness.bsky.social•112 days ago

Thank you for your interest, enthusiasm, and curiosity!

havardbrynjulfsen.design•112 days ago

Isn't alt text just a description of what's in the image, while captions should be used to describe the context?

Curious as I can't come up with a scenario where I would need to describe it differently based on context

A caption could be "The famous Windows-wallpaper", while alt could be (see alt)

a11yawareness.bsky.social•112 days ago

You're right in that there's a distinction between captions and alt text. A caption is written to add context from what one can get from the image. The alt text is for what is actually in the image. So in your example, you got it exactly correct!

a11yawareness.bsky.social•112 days ago

As for alt text, the reason for the image being shared and the context of how it is shared will determine what the alt text is, if any is used at all. This post from Sheri Byrne-Haber does a good job explaining that with some examples.

https://www.sheribyrnehaber.com/context-is-the-most-critical-aspect-of-alt-text-everyone-seems-to-miss/

havardbrynjulfsen.design•112 days ago

Wow, that’s an eye opener, I’ve never thought about this.

Some CMSs let’s you add an alt to an image in the media library that’s applied everywhere you use the image. I’ve always seen this as clever, but now I think you should be able to overwrite it in a specific context

a11yawareness.bsky.social•112 days ago

Yes, that is one of the concerns that people have about embedding alt text into the metadata of an image. It comes from a place of good intent, but ignores that an image isn't being used for the same reason every time.

https://ericwbailey.website/published/thoughts-on-embedding-alternative-text-metadata-into-images/

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply