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Glossary of Terms

We have compiled this list of terms and definitions to help you better understand the terminology used within the web development community.

Alt Text

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Alt Text is the description you add to images so screen readers can tell users what the image shows. It also appears when an image fails to load and helps search engines understand your visual content. Keep it short, specific, and skip it on purely decorative images.

Alt Text

Alt text (short for alternative text) is the written description you attach to an image using the alt attribute. It serves three jobs at once: it tells screen reader users what the image shows, it displays as a fallback when images fail to load, and it gives search engines context about your visual content. Writing good alt text is one of the simplest and highest-impact accessibility improvements you can make.

Why It Matters

  • Screen readers depend on it. When a screen reader hits an image without alt text, it may announce the filename — something like IMG_20240301_145022.jpg — which tells the user absolutely nothing.
  • It is a core accessibility requirement. Missing alt text is one of the most common accessibility failures and one of the easiest to fix. It is also a legal requirement under most accessibility standards.
  • Search engines cannot see images. They rely on alt text to understand what a picture shows and how it relates to the surrounding content. Good alt text helps your images appear in relevant search results.
  • Slow connections still happen. When images fail to load, the alt text shows in place of the image, keeping the page understandable even without visuals.

How to Write Good Alt Text

  1. Describe the content, not the fact that it is an image. Skip phrases like "image of" or "picture of" — the screen reader already announces it as an image. Just describe what is shown.
  2. Keep it concise. Aim for one or two sentences at most. If an image needs a longer explanation, consider using a figcaption or a nearby text block instead.
  3. Match the context. The same photo might need different alt text depending on where it appears. A headshot on a team page needs a name; on an article about photography, it might need technical details.
  4. Use empty alt for decorative images. If an image is purely visual flair — a decorative border, spacer, or background pattern — use alt="" so screen readers skip it entirely.
  5. Include text that appears in the image. If the image contains words (like a banner or infographic), those words should appear in the alt text so nothing is lost for non-visual users.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving alt text blank on meaningful images. An empty alt="" tells screen readers to skip the image. That is correct for decoration, but disastrous for images that carry actual information.
  • Stuffing keywords. Writing alt text like "best pizza restaurant Chicago deep dish pizza delivery" helps nobody and can actually hurt your search rankings.
  • Using the filename as alt text. alt="DSC_0042.jpg" is worse than useless. Always write a real description.
  • Being too vague. "A person" is technically alt text, but "A mechanic inspecting brake pads on a lifted sedan" is actually useful.
Bottom Line: Good alt text is short, specific, and matches the context where the image appears. Use it on every meaningful image, leave it empty on decorative ones, and never stuff it with keywords. It is one of the easiest wins in both accessibility and SEO.
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Synonyms: Alternative Text, Alt Attribute

What Does "Liquid Purple" mean?

noun | / LIK-wid PUR-pul /

  1. (biochemistry) Also known as visual purple or rhodopsin — a light-sensitive receptor protein found in the rods of the retina. It enables vision in dim light by transforming invisible darkness into visible form. Derived from the Greek rhódon (rose) and ópsis (sight), its name reflects its delicate pink hue and vital role in perception.

  2. (modern usage) Liquid Purple — a digital marketing agency specializing in uncovering unseen opportunities and illuminating brands hidden in the digital dark. Much like its biological namesake, Liquid Purple transforms faint signals into clear visibility — revealing what others overlook and bringing businesses into the light.

Origin: From the scientific term rhodopsin, discovered by Franz Christian Boll in 1876; adopted metaphorically by a marketing firm dedicated to visual clarity in the age of algorithms.

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