Alt texts and visible product image descriptions

Alternative texts describe product images for search engines and allow you to improve accessibility for visually impaired users. By default, a product name serves as alt text for all images in the product gallery.

You can add custom alt texts to help your store get a better search ranking, make it easier for shoppers to decide on a purchase, and facilitate finding your products via images online. You can also display custom image alt texts as visible descriptions on product pages in your store.

Managing custom alt text visibility on your storefront

By default, all alt texts are visible to screen readers and search engines, and they only appear in your storefront if an image fails to load.

On top of that, you can display custom alt texts you set for product and variation images on product pages in your store, at the bottom of each gallery picture. This is especially useful if you sell apparel and want customers to read key details like size, fit, or material right away.

Short, visible image descriptions help customers relate and choose the right option while viewing the product’s gallery. For example, you can specify size or fit when selling apparel and add human model details such as height, measurements, or name to keep shoppers informed:

Example alt text: “Kayla is 5 '11'' and wears a size 6”

To manage custom alt text visibility on your storefront:

1. From your Ecwid admin, go to Design.
2. Scroll down to the Product gallery section.
3. Tick or untick the Show product image alt text as a description box.

The changes will be autosaved.

Adding custom alt texts to product images

By default, a product name is used as alt text for all product images in the gallery. You can provide custom alt texts (no longer than 125 symbols) for each image instead.

To add alt text to a product image:

1. From your Ecwid admin, go to Catalog → Products.
2. Click on the product you want to edit.
3. Hover over the image.
4. Click Actions → Edit alt text:
   
5. Enter your alt text. For example, “Full-length dark-haired girl wearing a long blue denim skirt and a white top.”
6. (optional) Enter alt texts for other product images.
7. Click Save.

That’s it. You’ve added custom alt text to a product image.

Similarly, you can add individual alt texts to product variation images.

Adding custom alt texts to product variation images

By default, product variation image alt text matches the main image's alt text if a variation image mirrors the main product image. You can provide custom alt texts (no longer than 125 symbols) for each image your product variations have. For example, if variations feature different colors and sizes.

To add alt text to a product variation image:

1. From your Ecwid admin, go to Catalog → Products.
2. Click on the product you want to edit.
3. Go to the Options → Variations tab.
4. Find the variation you want to add alt text for, then click Manage.
5. Hover over the variation image.
6. Click Actions → Edit alt text:
   
7. Enter your alt text. For example, “Full-length dark-haired girl wearing an S-sized long blue denim skirt and a white top.”
8. Click Save, then OK.
9. (optional) Enter alt texts for other product variation images.

That’s it. You’ve added custom alt text to a product variation image.