What Is Alt Text on Instagram?

If you’re looking to expand your business, Instagram should be the first social media platform that comes to mind. With its 1 billion active users, Instagram offers a substantial platform for entrepreneurs and business owners. Regardless of your business type, whether you’re selling jewelry or managing a cosmetic company, it’s highly likely that your customers are active on Instagram. Amidst the numerous opportunities Instagram presents, there’s a feature that not everyone knows how to leverage effectively. Instagram provides ‘alt text’ for images, primarily benefiting visually impaired users.

What Is Alt Text on Instagram?

Alt text on Instagram, also known as ‘alternative text,’ provides a textual description of your image, video, or post for visually impaired users. Crafting a brief and precise alternative text on Instagram enhances the likelihood of being detected and recognized by the Instagram algorithm. If you have a business account, incorporating alt text can aid in reaching your target audience. Buy Instagram views for your video posts to elevate engagement further!

Why Is Instagram Alt Text Important?

As mentioned earlier, alt text plays a crucial role in the Instagram algorithm. It serves to describe what’s happening in a picture when it loads slowly or if a screen reader is used to convey its content. If you haven’t added alt text on Instagram until now, don’t fret – Instagram automatically generates alternative texts for platform posts. However, this automated process doesn’t guarantee a 100% accurate picture description. Therefore, you might consider writing your own alt text on Instagram.

Did you know that alt text can also benefit your SEO efforts? Alt text on Instagram not only improves the experience for visually impaired users but also impacts your rankings on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Search engines can analyze your alt texts, potentially suggesting your posts or pictures to your target audience if their search is relevant. To increase visibility in these searches, adding alt text to Instagram posts allows search engines to effectively index your content. Consequently, you can enhance your SEO strategies to attract higher organic traffic. Additionally, explore how to leverage AI for Instagram marketing to create alt text with AI!

How to Add Alt Text to Your Instagram Posts 

If you’re ready to add alt text to your Instagram posts and wondering how to do it, here’s our step-by-step guide on incorporating alt text in Instagram.

• First and foremost, you need to share a post or picture on your Instagram so that you can include alt text during the sharing process.
• Once you’ve selected the picture you want to share, click “Next” to access the options or settings before posting.
• Look for ‘Advanced Settings’ at the bottom of the list. Upon clicking advanced settings, you’ll find a section labeled ‘Accessibility.’ Under this section, locate the ‘Write Alt Text‘ button and click on it.
• Once clicked, a caption bar will open, allowing you to describe your image using any words you prefer.
• After you’ve finished writing alt text on Instagram, click on ‘Done’ in the upper right corner to save your text.

That’s it! You’ve successfully added alt text to your post!

How Do You Write SEO-Optimized Alt Text? 

While Instagram can automatically generate alt texts for your posts, it’s not guaranteed that they are SEO-friendly alternatives, as discussed earlier. To enhance the SEO-friendliness of your posts and increase visibility on SERPs and Instagram, consider implementing the following significant strategies. Additionally, you can buy Instagram Reels views for your Reels posts! To craft SEO-optimized alt text on Instagram, adhere to these rules or strategies:

• Avoid the practice of ‘keyword stuffing’ and opt for non-branded terms. Utilize descriptive, non-branded words that convey the essence of your picture, ensuring the alternate text on Instagram doesn’t become overly saturated with keywords. This preserves the meaning and relatability of your brand.
• Keep your alt text concise. Given that the purpose of alt text is to assist visually impaired users, note that applications typically do not read beyond 125 characters. Keeping it short, within this limit, benefits both you and your users. Additionally, lengthy alt text on Instagram might be perceived as over-optimized and could impede your SEO efforts.
• Include your brand name strategically. While emphasizing non-branded words, it’s still valuable to incorporate your brand in a meaningful way. This ensures your post appears in searches related to your brand.
• Avoid image-based terminology. Starting alt text on Instagram with phrases like “It is a photo of…” is unnecessary, as tools aiding visually impaired users already specify that it’s an image before reading the text. Using image-based terms in your Instagram alt text is redundant and consumes valuable characters, so it’s best to refrain from such usage.

Instagram Alt Text Examples 

You might be curious about crafting a perfect Instagram alt text based on the previously mentioned strategies. In this section, we’ve compiled some alt text examples to illustrate our points:

1. “A group of girlfriends enjoying drinks at a bar, celebrating a birthday.” – This alt text is exemplary for its brevity, succinctly summarizing the scene and providing insights into the number of people, their activity, location, and purpose.

2. “A close-up of a hamburger, cheddar melting on the meat burger with lettuce and tomato slices, on a wooden table.” – In this close-up image, the alt text provides detailed information, aiding users in forming a vivid mental image.

3. “Woman in a red dress crying on a bench in the streets of London with her umbrella.” – This alt text goes beyond describing the main subject, offering insights into the surroundings and depicting the woman’s actions for a more immersive understanding.

4. “A meme of Pitbull saying ‘Been there done that’ in front of a world picture.” – Note that if an image includes text, it should be reflected in the alt text as well.

Remember to explore the Instagram Reels algorithm for additional insights. For queries regarding platform rules, consult the Instagram Help Center.

Using the Power of Words with Instagram Alt Texts 

The Instagram alt text serves as a textual narrative for the visual elements of a post, providing context that aligns words with images. This not only enhances accessibility but also broadens the reach of the content and improves search engine optimization (SEO) visibility. By incorporating pertinent keywords in your alt text, you increase the likelihood of your posts appearing in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), thereby expanding your audience beyond your existing followers.

Striking a balance between brevity and informativeness is pivotal when crafting engaging alt text. Aim for concise and easily readable language while conveying the essence of the visual elements. Avoid the use of jargon and overly technical terms to create a brief yet informative description that effectively captures the essence of your content. Remember, employing alt text goes beyond meeting accessibility standards; it’s a valuable tool that can broaden the discoverability, accessibility, and aesthetic appeal of your Instagram posts. By leveraging this tool effectively, you contribute to a more inclusive and engaging online experience for all users.