In more detail
Alt text (short for alternative text) makes your visual content usable by people who are blind or low vision, and it gives context to anyone whose image fails to load. On social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, you add it in the post or upload settings, and it stays hidden unless the image cannot be shown. Good alt text describes what matters in the image in one clear sentence, names any text shown in the graphic, and skips filler like "image of" or "photo of." It is an accessibility basic first, and a small SEO and discoverability bonus second.
Example
For a photo of a barista pouring oat milk into a latte, weak alt text is "coffee." Strong alt text is "A barista pours oat milk into a latte, forming a leaf pattern in the foam." A screen reader user now gets the same point as everyone else.
FAQ