EpoxyGrindLearning center
Why Missing Alt Text Quietly Costs You Both Search Traffic and Real Customers
Alt text does two jobs at once: it tells Google what a photo shows, and it tells a screen reader user the same thing. Miss it, and you've made your before/after photos invisible to both.
Your audit measures what percentage of the images on your site have real, descriptive alt text — the short written description attached to an image in the page's code, never visible unless an image fails to load or a screen reader reads it aloud. It's an easy thing to skip, and most local business sites do.
What good alt text looks like for a contractor site
Not "image1.jpg" or blank, and not keyword-stuffed either ("epoxy garage floor coating contractor near me epoxy floors"). Just an accurate, specific description: "Metallic gray epoxy garage floor coating, before and after, Fort Collins CO." That single line does real work for both a screen reader user and Google Images.
It's an accessibility requirement, not just an SEO nicety
Alt text is a real legal accessibility requirement under the ADA and Section 508 in the U.S., and similar standards elsewhere — not just a ranking tactic. A visually impaired homeowner using a screen reader to browse contractor sites hears "image" or nothing at all where your before/after photos should be, on a page whose entire job is showing off the quality of your work.
Decorative images don't need it — your project photos absolutely do
Not every image needs a full description — a purely decorative background pattern or icon can have empty alt text on purpose. But real content images, especially before/after project photos (the highest-converting image type for this trade), are exactly the images most likely to get skipped, which is the opposite of where the priority should be.
Want us to just fix this for you?
Free audit shows you exactly what's costing you jobs on your own site — no obligation.
Related
FAQ
Do all images need alt text?
Real content images — project photos, before/afters, team photos — yes. Purely decorative images (background patterns, dividers) can have empty alt text on purpose.
Does alt text actually help SEO?
It helps Google Images understand and rank your photos, and it's one of many small on-page signals. Its bigger, more direct effect is accessibility.
Is missing alt text a legal issue?
It can be — alt text is a documented requirement under accessibility standards like the ADA and Section 508 in the U.S. and the European Accessibility Act elsewhere.