Alt Text (Image Alternative Text)
Alt text is the description attribute added to image HTML tags (<img alt='...'>) that describes the image to search engines and screen readers. It helps Google understand what's in your product photos and is a key factor for Google Image Search rankings and web accessibility compliance.
Why It Matters for Shopify Stores
For Shopify stores, missing alt text is one of the most consistently found issues across all niches. When product images lack descriptive alt text, they're invisible to Google Image Search — which drives significant buyer intent traffic. For jewelry, clothing, and home decor especially, Image Search is a meaningful traffic channel. Adding alt text that describes color, material, style, and use case turns each product image into an SEO asset. Shopify lets you add alt text to each image individually in the product editor.
How to Check Your Store
In Shopify Admin, click on a product image. Look for the 'Alt text' field. If blank, that image has no alt text. Use our free Alt Text Checker to scan multiple pages at once.
Use the free alt text checker toolHow to Fix It
In Shopify Admin > Products > click a product image > Edit alt text. Write a 5–15 word description that includes the product name, key attributes (color, material, style), and use case. Prioritize your bestsellers and collection page feature images first.
Related Terms
Schema Markup (Structured Data)
SEOSchema markup is code (usually JSON-LD) added to a page that tells search engines exactly what the content means — not just what it says.
Open Graph (OG Tags)
SEOOpen Graph is a protocol (created by Facebook) that controls how your pages appear when shared on social media.
Image Optimization
PerformanceImage optimization is the process of reducing image file size without significantly reducing visual quality, while ensuring images are the correct format (WebP), dimensions, and compression for their use case.
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