Alt Tag Limitations When it Comes to Displaying an Image That Reads as Text

[jwkarpo]

I know alt tag questions have been asked before but I wanted see if anyone knew the specifics of what can and cannot be accomplished with the alt tag and to see if I have any other viable options.

I've got a website that combines text with videos, audio and pictures to tell a story. But the text is not built into the text of the web page, it is displayed as a chunk of words in a specific font inside a few different images. This gives all of the stories and text a personalized feel but obviously this limits what gets cataloged by search engines.

I figured a sensible solution would be to just dump the text into the alt tags of every image but I'm concerned the majority of it won't be accounted for and may even come up as spam. Text usually ranges from 50-150 words for each image and there are usually plenty of words that repeat, since it's a story. Does anyone know if there is a limit to how long an alt tag can be or if this might be getting targeted as spam? Also, is there a better way to get search engines to record this text since they will obviously will not record it as such when its displayed inside images?

Many thanks!

[rosarionet]

Try to summarize the main idea in one sentence and then put it on alt tag. After this change a bit main idea and put it on next alt tag. I dont believe there si alt tag limitations

[dgswilson]

See: http://techcrunch.com/2008/01/04/goo...ges-and-video/

If all your text content is in those images, see what your keyword reports say. You can use google-bot view at WMT's (only alt tags and link text is seen for my page)

Maybe if you have an image/text that has a fairly unique sentence you could type it in to search. Good questions ....

[contentsynergy]

If you are using flash to play the video, you can use SWFObject (just a Google search away) to embed it. The SWFObject approach has a layout area that you could put a html version of all of your content - and it won't be visible to the visitor AND its a layout option Google likes.

[Clint1]

Try to summarize the main idea in one sentence and then put it on alt tag. After this change a bit main idea and put it on next alt tag. I dont believe there si alt tag limitations

Not just the alt attribute tag but title="" as well. Alt is only for screen readers but you can go into more detail with the title tag.

I don't know exactly what you're trying to do, but you really should just use text for obvious reasons. There is a way to put actual parsable text within an image. It looks like it's "on" the image or part of the image, but what it does is actually uses the image as sort of a background, so the there is actual text present. I know how to do this with HTML, but not with CSS.

[Macsheen]

Using of Alt text depends on the purpose of the Image. As an example, if a search button has been used in a website, the attribute alt text of that search button will be a single word "search". If any image represents some thing big like sales progress of 2010 the attribute alt text must be a long description. There is no particular word limit for alt texts.

[C.Rebecca]

I suppose you are using comic strip style to present your story.

First, answering your question:
Ideal character length for Alt tag is 80 characters....
If you have more text in your images, you can use long description attribute (But do check for the repeated words)

Here are a few options for you to get your story 'recorded' in search engines:

- Run a text format of the same parallel to the story
- Make the images so that the text actually appears via a DIV tag placed OVER the image
- Submit an image / video sitemap to the search engines
- Put up an RSS, include all your content and submit to RSS aggregators

[Clint1]

- Make the images so that the text actually appears via a DIV tag placed OVER the image

I believe that's what I mentioned above.

[Clarrie]

Using alt and title tags will look a tad messy I feel, plus the search engines don't give them a great deal of weight and there are character limits.

Another option is to add an alternative text version at the bottom of the page, below your audio/visual version. This can be in a div that is displayed via a clickable link for a "Text version". Provided the link is visible and the text is above board and a fair representation of what's going on on the page, shouldn't create any problems with Google et al.

[Clint1]

Using alt and title tags will look a tad messy I feel......

How can they look "messy"? To whom? No one ever sees them unless: You're blind and/or use a screen reader of which of course they are of great use (and obviously the blind don't actually "see" them) ; or you hover an image in certain browsers (Alt in IE, Title in FF and others).

plus the search engines don't give them a great deal of weight and there are character limits

They certainly do. My images are always on the first page of results, even when other high-profile "branding" or "proprietary" sites are involved. Because, I make great use of alt and title tags. But they can also harm you if they are keyword-stuffed and are spammy. They should be used logically and sensibly. They are also a W3C standard. They can also provide helpful tooltips.
http://www.seologic.com/faq/alt-tags.php
http://www.billhartzer.com/pages/sea...are-important/
http://www.rmgseo.com/the-alt-tag-in-images-seo-101/

Another option is to add an alternative text version at the bottom of the page, below your audio/visual version. This can be in a div that is displayed via a clickable link for a "Text version".

Always the best, and mentioned a couple of times above.