In today's digital age, the influence of social media is undeniable. From connecting people across the globe to shaping cultural trends, social media has become an integral part of our lives.
In this post we will cover several of the statistics that highlight the importance for small businesses and marketers to understand current trends and user behaviors to effectively engage their audience and grow their brands.
Written By: Hannah Kilpatrick | September 25, 2023
Hannah Kilpatrick Cube Creative DesignHannah Kilpatrick graduated from Western Carolina University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a Minor in Marketing and a Concentration in Public Relations. She has been around social media since its creation. (Meaning, she was in the first grade when Facebook became available to the general public.) As our very own professional Gen-Z, Hannah is a whiz when it comes to social media creation and paid advertising.
Alt text, also known as “alternative text,” is a fundamental element of web accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO) that you cannot overlook.
Alt text helps make websites more inclusive and user-friendly and has a significant role in SEO. This post explores a brief history of alt text, its impact on web accessibility, SEO, user experience, and best practices in using them.
What is Alt Text
Alt text is short for “alternative text” and is a textual description assigned to an image on a webpage to provide an alternative when the image is not accessible to users. It goes by various names, such as “alt attributes,” “alt descriptions,” or technically, though incorrectly, “alt tags.”
Purpose of Alt Text
Alt text serves three primary but essential purposes:
- It enables screen readers used by visually impaired users to audibly describe the content and function of the image, making the web page more accessible.
- If the image fails to load, the alt text is displayed visually instead of the image, ensuring that users still receive valuable information.
- Search engine crawlers and bots utilize alt text to better understand the page’s content and index the image correctly for image search results.
History of Alt Text
The concept of alt text was introduced in the early days of HTML to support text-based browsers. The HTML 1.2 draft in 1993 first included the alt attribute to provide support for browsers that could not render images. Over time, it evolved as a requirement for the img and area tags in HTML 4.01, which was released in 1999. The attribute aimed to improve web accessibility, especially for individuals with visual impairments or those using screen readers, and was later included in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure greater accessibility for all users.
Impact on Web Accessibility
Alt tags greatly improve web accessibility for individuals with visual impairments or those using screen readers. When an image is inaccessible due to slow loading or other issues, the alt text provides a meaningful description of the image content. Furthermore, alt text helps with:
- Enhancing Accessibility for Users with Visual Impairments: Alt text is essential for users who rely on assistive technologies, such as screen readers or braille displays, to access web content. When an image is on a webpage, screen readers read the alt text to provide a textual description of the image’s content and function. This allows visually impaired users to understand and interact with the webpage effectively, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable browsing experience.
- Avoiding Accessibility Barriers and Legal Consequences: Failing to provide appropriate alt text can create accessibility barriers and may lead to legal consequences for website owners. Inaccessibility due to missing or inadequate alt text can result in the exclusion of users with disabilities from accessing important information, potentially harming the website’s reputation, traffic, and conversion rate. Research indicates that a significant number of websites still lack proper alt text, making it a crucial aspect of web accessibility to address.
- Providing Critical Context for Images: Alt text is important for users with visual impairments and for all users when images fail to load correctly. Instead of displaying image file names, alt text provides context and information about the images, enabling users to understand the content and purpose of the visuals. Without alt text, users may miss out on valuable information conveyed through images.
Importance of Alt Tags for SEO
Alt text also plays a role in SEO and search engine indexing. When search engines crawl webpages, they use alt text to understand the content and relevance of images. When the images are correctly formatted using alt text, it contributes to how the page is indexed and influences its search engine ranking. Using relevant keywords in alt tags is recommended, but keyword stuffing should be avoided to prevent search engines from penalizing the page. Alt tags should not be prioritized over essential SEO elements like titles, interlinking, and meta descriptions. Still, they are significant for pages that heavily rely on images with limited text.
Importance of Alt Tags for User Experience
Alt text contributes to a better user experience for all visitors to a website. By providing descriptive text alternatives to images, web authors enable users to understand the purpose and context of visual content. Properly crafted alt text enhances a webpage's usability and ensures that users can engage with the content effectively.
Location of Alt Tags:
Alt text is placed within the image tag in the HTML code. For example:
<img src=“myimage.png” alt=“nike_air_zoom” />
Best Practices for Writing Alt Tags
To optimize alt tags for maximum impact, consider the following best practices:
- Keep alt text concise and relevant, using keywords where appropriate.
- Ensure that alt tags accurately describe the content and purpose of the image.
- Avoid keyword stuffing and use natural language in the alt text.
- Use alt tags for all images that convey important information or add context to the page.
- Test the effectiveness of alt tags by checking how they appear when images are disabled or using tools that simulate screen reader experiences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, alt text is vital in making the web more accessible and user-friendly. It provides textual descriptions for images on web pages, serving as an alternative when the images are not accessible to users. Alt text enables screen readers to audibly describe images, benefiting visually impaired users and ensuring a more inclusive browsing experience. Moreover, it helps avoid accessibility barriers and potential legal consequences for website owners by ensuring that all users can access important information regardless of their abilities. Alt text also contributes to SEO, as it helps search engine crawlers understand the content of images and index web pages correctly.
By following best practices for writing alt tags, such as keeping them concise and relevant, accurately describing the image’s content, and avoiding keyword stuffing, web authors can enhance the overall user experience and improve the usability of their web pages. Implementing alt text effectively ensures your website is accessible to all users and ranks well in search engine results. For more information on web accessibility and alt-text best practices, feel free to contact us for expert guidance and assistance. Contact us today to make your web content more accessible and user-friendly.
Written By: Adam Bennett | September 22, 2023
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.
Discover how to leverage the power of TikTok to grow your small business and connect with a younger audience. With its staggering 800 million monthly active users, TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. But how can you turn this viral video app into a marketing tool for your business? In this article, we'll explore the various strategies and techniques to effectively use TikTok for your small business.
If you’re still hesitant to use videos in your marketing campaign, you’re putting your business on thin ice. Content marketing has become the talk of the town, and marketers are trying to pull out their best strategies to stay on top of the trend.
Video is dominating the market to the point that it has its own field called video content marketing— a subcategory of content marketing.
It’s never too late to take the first step now if you’re new to video marketing. This post will walk you through the basic knowledge of understanding different video types in content marketing, helping you pick the right strategy that fits your business objectives.
But first, let’s talk about why video holds immense power in the community and why people talk about it a lot. Is it overrated, or is it worth the hype? Read on to discover.
Are your independent school's advertising efforts yielding the desired results? Are you confident in the accuracy of the data that informs your decisions? In the world of online advertising, precision and insight are paramount. This means that accurate conversion tracking is the linchpin of success for your school's marketing endeavors. As a private school administrator seeking to optimize enrollment and engagement, understanding the intricacies of conversion tracking can spell the difference between thriving campaigns and missed opportunities.
Here are the six biggest mistakes most private schools make with their Google Ads:
Written By: Hannah Kilpatrick | September 20, 2023
Hannah Kilpatrick Cube Creative DesignHannah Kilpatrick graduated from Western Carolina University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a Minor in Marketing and a Concentration in Public Relations. She has been around social media since its creation. (Meaning, she was in the first grade when Facebook became available to the general public.) As our very own professional Gen-Z, Hannah is a whiz when it comes to social media creation and paid advertising.
Building a strong and genuine online community has become a cornerstone of success in the ever-evolving social media landscape. As K-12 schools strive to connect with their students, parents, alumni, and a wider audience, the platform that stands out for its visual storytelling and engagement potential is Instagram.
In this blog post, I share my top 13 tips to master the art of authenticity, consistent engagement, and providing value to your followers on Instagram.
Written By: Hannah Kilpatrick | September 18, 2023
Hannah Kilpatrick Cube Creative DesignHannah Kilpatrick graduated from Western Carolina University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a Minor in Marketing and a Concentration in Public Relations. She has been around social media since its creation. (Meaning, she was in the first grade when Facebook became available to the general public.) As our very own professional Gen-Z, Hannah is a whiz when it comes to social media creation and paid advertising.
Internal links are key to enhancing your small business website's performance and visibility in the digital world. From creating a seamless user experience to impressing search engines like Google, internal links play a crucial role in shaping your website's structure and authority. In this blog post, we'll delve into the fascinating realm of internal linking and explore how it can transform your online presence. Discover how Google utilizes internal links, follows best practices, and reap the benefits of a well-crafted internal linking strategy. Are you ready to take your website to new heights? Let's dive in and unlock the potential of internal links for your website's success!
Written By: Janis Barlow | September 15, 2023
Janis is our Web Programming Specialist And Web Developer. She has been working with the web since its inception and has worked for household names such as Lockheed Martin and Wells Fargo.
From creating a great website to implementing the best cybersecurity protections small businesses need to invest significantly in digital-based tools to be successful in 2023. Additionally, with the growth of e-commerce and social selling, customers expect businesses to meet them where they are rather than them making an effort to find businesses and their products online.
To navigate today’s digital landscape small businesses need to develop and hire experienced professionals who will stay up-to-date with the latest developments. In this article by Cube Creative, we’ll explore a host of web-based projects small businesses should invest in and the type of expertise they can hire to generate the best return on investment (ROI) for their efforts.
Every website you visit accumulates data on your phone, stored as cookies and cache. You're likely familiar with cookies in the context of your phone and computer usage, but understanding these terms, learning to clear cookies, and recognizing when not to accept them is crucial. Allow me to elaborate on the significance of clearing cookies and cache on mobile phones.
Written By: Adam Bennett | September 13, 2023
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.
As a private school administrator, you’ve diligently worked on marketing your institution online. However, there’s a persistent challenge in closing the gap as people are reluctant to commit to tours. The solution solution is to allow individuals to experience your school from the comfort of their homes.
Harnessing the capabilities of 3D walkthroughs and videos, you can offer prospective students and parents a virtual tour of your school. This immersive experience transports them into a digital realm, unveiling every aspect of your campus for exploration. Similar to Google Street View, these technologies grant a firsthand encounter within your school’s confines.
In the upcoming sections, we’ll unveil the transformative influence of 3D tour technology and videos on K-12 schools and families. We’ll delve into the pivotal advantages families gain, the informed choices they make, and the time savings they experience. We’ll examine how schools armed with these tools gain a competitive edge, foster relationships, and offer an enduring archival value. Furthermore, we’ll explore the integration of videos, adding depth and emotion to this digital journey.
If you’re prepared to unlock the doors to a novel method of exploring K-12 private schools, embark on this voyage of discovery. Discover how these cutting-edge technologies redefine our perception of campuses and revolutionize how families select the optimal educational environment for their children. This expedition promises to reshape your outlook on school tours, providing a front-row seat to a future of limitless exploration.
Written By: Adam Bennett | September 11, 2023
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.
For small businesses aiming to carve out a niche in a competitive market, effective marketing techniques are essential to establish a strong presence, attract customers, and foster growth. With limited resources, small businesses need to make strategic choices that maximize their impact. This article delves into proven marketing techniques tailored to the needs of small businesses, offering insights to help them thrive in a dynamic landscape.
In the vast world of online searches, a little-known hero called the “Meta Description” is crucial in guiding users to their desired web pages.
Picture this: you type a query into Google, and a list of websites appears. But wait, there's more! Beneath each website's title lies a concise yet captivating snippet – the meta description. This small summary is a sneak peek, offering a glimpse of what you can expect on the web page before you click the link.
But why should websites care about these seemingly unassuming snippets? Well, let's dive into how search engines and users leverage the power of meta descriptions for a more refined online experience.
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | September 08, 2023
Chad is our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.