identifying images

[Duncan Pollock]

I'm wondering whether I'm right or wrong in the way my website incorporates the following code in connection with several images that appear in its pages:
alt="Canada Real Estate Directory logo"
title="Real Estate Agency listing for Niagara-on-the-Lake"
(Perhaps, to make things clear, I should include the code that will bring the image up on the page:
href="http://www.canadarealestatedirectory.com"><img
src="http://www.canadarealestatedirectory.com/images/logos.gif"
style="border: 0px solid ; height: 48px; width: 173px;")
I use this (kind of) double identifying code because I seem to have been directed to it by some earlier WPW posts and also by reading up on html stuff.
When I roll my mouse over the image, it's the title text that shows, but I think Google et al read the alt text instead.
More to the point, though, am I doing myself any good (or harm) with this twofold kind of coding?
I'd greatly appreciate comments and advice from the gurus hereabouts.
Thank you.

Duncan

[labeler2003]

I find it useful to have both a TITLE and an ALT tag on images because visitors will see the ALT tag and automated screen readers (for example, for the vision impared) will read the ALT text. I keep the text in the TITLE tag short and the point, so it can be read quickly. I put longer, more descriptive text in the ALT tag.

As far as how this is treated by SEs, I have not paid much attention to that. I do have sites on which I have not used the TITLE tag at all and it does not seem to have made any difference--but I really have not paid attention to it. My feeling is that it is more productive to focus on the user experience, and I use these two tags to make the user experience as good as possible.

[Faglork]

Labeler,
you should put the descriptive text in the TITLE, that's what it is for. Also, the TITLE will be shown as tooltip when you hover with the mouse pointer over it (I know, the IE does show the ALT text when no TITLE is specified, but IE is *not* compliant, this is not correct behavior according to HTML specs). ALT has the task to help visitors with text browsers or with switched-off graphics (and all sorts of other "impairments"), so the text in ALT should be more "function-oriented" and down to the point.

See
http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/struct/...tml#adef-title
and
http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/struct/....html#adef-alt
and for ALT usage tips
http://www.w3.org/QA/Tips/altAttribute

To make it short: Use both attributes. ALT for a "function-oriented" description. TITLE for a more "descriptive" sentence. BTW, TITLE - when shown as tooltip - is limited to <idontknowexactlyhowmuch> characters. Just try it.

So far, the TITLE *attribute* is not relevant for SEs, but it is likely to be in the near future (my opinion). DO NOT confuse that with TITLE META TAG, which *is* relevant.

hth,
Alex

[Faglork]

Oops, forgot to add:

TITLE is a very helpful attribute for links:

Brauerei Held

Since this generates a tooltip on hover, it is an excellent help for your visitors: you can describe in a short sentence what is behind that link.

BTW, I write the tags and attributes in UPPER CASE just for clarity. In your code, all HTML attributes and tags should be written in lower case to maintain XHTML compatibility (with their values it does not matter).

Alex

(Before you ask: the brewery exists. Great stuff!)

[Duncan Pollock]

Thanks guys. Once again, WPW comes through with helpful knowledge and advice.
I'm much relieved to learn that I haven't "done wrong."

Duncan

[labeler2003]

faglork,
Thank you for the correction. My fumble fingers ended up saying that the ALT tag should be used for both functions, and that made no sense.

Originally Posted by labeler2003

visitors will see the ALT tag and automated screen readers (for example, for the vision impared) will read the ALT text.

Should have been:

Originally Posted by labeler2003

visitors will see the TITLE tag and automated screen readers (for example, for the vision impared) will read the ALT text.

Thanks!!!