# 50 Image Alt Text Examples for SEO

Alt text does two jobs at once: it tells blind and low-vision visitors what your images show, and it tells Google what your images are about — which is how pictures end up ranking in image search and supporting the page's topic. Yet most sites either leave it blank or write "image1" and move on, throwing away free SEO.

## The 50 alt text examples

1. Hero banner, laptop on desk — Good: "Silver laptop open on a wooden desk next to a ceramic coffee cup, home office" · Avoid: "laptop image"
2. Product, red running shoes — Good: "Red running sneakers with white soles on a light gray background" · Avoid: "shoes"
3. Team headshot, woman — Good: "Smiling woman with short curly hair wearing a black blazer, studio portrait" · Avoid: "woman photo"
4. Infographic bar chart — Good: "Bar chart showing website traffic grew 40 percent from January to June" · Avoid: "chart"
5. Restaurant pasta dish — Good: "Plate of pasta with tomato sauce, basil, and grated parmesan on a marble table" · Avoid: "food pic"
6. Real estate, house exterior — Good: "Two-story brick house with a green lawn under a blue sky" · Avoid: "house"
7. Real estate, living room — Good: "Bright living room with a gray sofa, floor lamp, and large windows" · Avoid: "interior"
8. Recipe step, bread — Good: "Hands kneading bread dough on a floured wooden countertop" · Avoid: "dough"
9. Travel, beach sunset — Good: "Palm trees over white sand beach with turquoise water at sunset" · Avoid: "beach"
10. Wedding couple — Good: "Bride and groom holding hands under a floral arch outdoors" · Avoid: "wedding"
11. Pet, golden retriever — Good: "Golden retriever puppy sitting on grass with its tongue out" · Avoid: "dog"
12. Fitness, push-ups — Good: "Woman doing push-ups on a yoga mat in a bright gym" · Avoid: "workout"
13. Baby portrait — Good: "Newborn baby sleeping wrapped in a white knit blanket" · Avoid: "baby"
14. Conference speaker — Good: "Speaker on stage addressing a large audience in a conference hall" · Avoid: "event"
15. Concert performance — Good: "Singer with a guitar performing under purple stage lights" · Avoid: "concert"
16. Food delivery app — Good: "Smartphone showing a food delivery app with a burger photo on screen" · Avoid: "app screenshot"
17. Car on mountain road — Good: "Black SUV parked on a mountain road at dusk" · Avoid: "car"
18. Watch product shot — Good: "Silver wristwatch with a black dial on a dark background" · Avoid: "watch"
19. Skincare products — Good: "Three glass serum bottles on a bathroom shelf next to a small plant" · Avoid: "serum"
20. Coffee shop barista — Good: "Barista pouring latte art into a ceramic cup at a coffee bar" · Avoid: "latte"
21. Modern office — Good: "Open-plan office with desks, green plants, and floor-to-ceiling windows" · Avoid: "office"
22. Classroom scene — Good: "Teacher helping a student at a desk in a bright classroom" · Avoid: "school"
23. Doctor portrait — Good: "Doctor in a white coat smiling in a modern hospital corridor" · Avoid: "doctor"
24. Construction site — Good: "Construction worker in a yellow helmet reviewing blueprints on site" · Avoid: "construction"
25. Farmer with produce — Good: "Farmer holding a basket of fresh tomatoes inside a greenhouse" · Avoid: "farmer"
26. Yoga at sunrise — Good: "Person holding tree pose on a beach at sunrise" · Avoid: "yoga"
27. Hiker viewpoint — Good: "Hiker with a backpack overlooking a mountain valley at midday" · Avoid: "hiking"
28. City skyline night — Good: "New York City skyline at night with lit skyscrapers" · Avoid: "skyline"
29. Bridge in fog — Good: "Golden Gate Bridge partially covered in fog at sunrise" · Avoid: "bridge"
30. Forest light — Good: "Sunlight streaming through tall pine trees in a dense forest" · Avoid: "forest"
31. Cat on windowsill — Good: "Gray tabby cat sleeping curled up on a sunny windowsill" · Avoid: "cat"
32. Dog catching frisbee — Good: "Border collie leaping to catch a red frisbee in a green park" · Avoid: "dog playing"
33. Code on laptop — Good: "Close-up of colorful code on a laptop screen in a dark room" · Avoid: "code"
34. Phone repair — Good: "Technician repairing a smartphone with precision tools on a workbench" · Avoid: "repair"
35. Acoustic guitar — Good: "Acoustic guitar leaning against a red brick wall" · Avoid: "guitar"
36. Artist painting — Good: "Artist painting a landscape on a canvas in a bright studio" · Avoid: "painting"
37. Open book — Good: "Open book on a wooden table next to reading glasses and a coffee mug" · Avoid: "book"
38. White sneakers product — Good: "White leather sneakers, side view, on a plain white background" · Avoid: "sneakers"
39. Headphones on desk — Good: "Black over-ear headphones on a desk next to a closed laptop" · Avoid: "headphones"
40. Armchair furniture — Good: "Mid-century modern armchair in mustard-yellow fabric" · Avoid: "chair"
41. Table lamp — Good: "Brass table lamp with a white fabric shade on a wooden side table" · Avoid: "lamp"
42. Monstera plant — Good: "Monstera plant in a white ceramic pot beside a bright window" · Avoid: "plant"
43. Pancake breakfast — Good: "Stack of pancakes topped with berries and maple syrup on a white plate" · Avoid: "pancakes"
44. Salad bowl — Good: "Colorful salad bowl with avocado, cherry tomatoes, and leafy greens" · Avoid: "salad"
45. Burger and fries — Good: "Cheeseburger with a side of fries served on a wooden board" · Avoid: "burger"
46. Pepperoni pizza — Good: "Pepperoni pizza fresh out of the oven on a round metal tray" · Avoid: "pizza"
47. Chocolate cake — Good: "Slice of chocolate layer cake topped with a fresh strawberry" · Avoid: "cake"
48. Mojito cocktail — Good: "Mojito cocktail with mint leaves and lime wedges in a tall glass" · Avoid: "cocktail"
49. Graduation caps — Good: "Graduates throwing mortarboard caps into the air on a sunny campus" · Avoid: "graduation"
50. Office logo wall — Good: "Company logo painted in dark blue on a white office reception wall" · Avoid: "logo"

## How to use these examples

1. Find the example closest to your image type and copy its sentence structure, swapping in your own details.
2. Write one sentence under 125 characters: subject first, then one or two visible details (color, setting, action).
3. Add your page's keyword only if it describes the image naturally — never force it.
4. Leave decorative images with empty alt text (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
5. Audit your ten most-visited pages: fix their image alt text first, where it earns the most.

Good alt text is a habit, not a project. Use this pattern on every image you publish from now on, and the download below keeps all 50 examples handy for your team or your future self.

## Frequently asked questions

**How long should alt text be?**

Aim for under 125 characters — most screen readers cut off longer text, and concise descriptions rank just as well. Describe what is in the image and why it matters on the page; one clear sentence is almost always enough.

**Should I stuff keywords into alt text?**

No. Write for a person who cannot see the image first, and let one natural keyword appear only if it genuinely describes the picture. Keyword-stuffed alt text ('cheap red shoes buy shoes online shoes') reads as spam to both screen readers and search engines.

**Do decorative images need alt text?**

No — purely decorative images (dividers, background textures, icons next to labeled buttons) should have empty alt text (alt="") so screen readers skip them. Save descriptive alt text for images that carry meaning: products, people, charts, and diagrams.

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