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Published: September 11, 2026
Alternative text decisions belong with image selection, not in a rushed launch checklist. The right treatment depends on what an image contributes in its specific page context.
Record purpose before wording
Classify each image as informative, functional, decorative, complex, or containing essential text. Name its page, nearby heading, source, rights status, and owner. The same asset can need different text in a different context.
Keep the handoff explicit
Store approved alt text or a documented empty alternative beside the asset. For charts and diagrams, identify where the equivalent explanation lives. For linked images, describe the link purpose rather than the artwork.
Verify rendered pages
Inspect the final HTML, disable images, and navigate image links by keyboard. Confirm that filenames do not leak into alternatives, decorative images stay silent, and adjacent captions do not create needless repetition.
Further reading
Review the image license handoff
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An asset register makes image purpose and approval traceable through revisions.
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