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HTML BODY TAGS: IMAGE TAG & ALT ATTRIBUTE

As already mentioned, the purpose of the BODY element of a HTML document is to define the actual visible document's content. BODY tag - Visible Copy - Body Text is considered essential for search engine optimization /marketing and targeted traffic.

Beside basic HTML tags, important HTML tags most commonly included in the BODY tag are:

• The A (anchor) tag, used to create a link to another document. An Anchor can point to any resource on the Web: another HTML page, the same HTML page, an image, a sound file, a movie, etc.
• The IMG tag, used to embed image in the current document.
• The TABLE tag, used to arrange data, such as text, images, links, forms, other tables, etc., into rows and columns of cells.

IMAGE TAG AND ALT ATTRIBUTE

The IMG tag is used to embed image in the current document. To display an image on a webpage, the Src attribute must be used, providing the image source (URL to the location where the image is stored).

The Alt attribute provides an alternate text that pops up when you place your cursor over an image. If the browser can't load images, it will display the alternate text instead of the image. According to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the "alt" attribute for each image on a webpage should be included, to improve the display and usefulness of your HTML document for people who have text-only browsers. Alt Attributes are considered necessary to achieve a valid HTML.

Alt attribute is not only useful to the user with the images turned off in their browser and people with disabilities, but to the search engine spiders as well, as spiders can't see the images. Alternate text is also indexed by some of the search engines, thus considered important for search engine optimization / marketing.

Alternate text should be relevant to the content of specific image and not used for unethical purpose of spamming the search engines. But, there could very well be the targeted phrase incorporated there, if it goes along with the actual content and the image description. Note that most SEO experts consider that Alt attributes have small if any impact on achieving higher search engine rankings.

<IMG src="logo.jpg" alt="Distinctia's SEO Tutorial Logo" height=60 width=293>

but

<IMG src="wine.gif" alt="design element" height=40 width=40>

Note: The Alt attribute text shows as the "tool tip" (a short message that appears when the pointing device pauses over an image).

Usability experts recommend using IMG Title attribute

<IMG src="wine.gif" title="pink square" alt="design element" height=40 width=40>

along with Alt attribute for IMG tag, to achieve wider browser compatibility (not all understand the Alt attribute).

Note: When using both the Tittle and Alt attribute, Title text shows as the "tool tip". Using the same text for both attributes might look suspicious to search engines. To avoid any similarity to spam, use both attributes only if it's necessary for your target audience. And even than try using helpful but different descriptions, and especially avoid overuse of targeted keyphrases.

Optimized and valid HTML code plays important part in achieving website relevancy, which is the ultimate goal in any search engine optimization campaign. Hyperlinks: Anchor Tag - Href & Name Attribute >>

User Oriented Design & Ethical Website Marketing Strategies by Distinctia, 2006