Alt tag: improve the SEO of your images
You have certainly heard about the alternative texts also called alt tag or alt text. The «alt tag» is actually an «attribute» of the image tag and not a tag in its own right. but through language abuse, the term “alt tag” has been imposed. They are of considerable importance for Natural Referencing (SEO).
Alternative text can do more for Referencing your image than you think and leaving an empty alt attribute can have negative consequences on your search engine ranking.
Adding alternative text to images is a common practice among SEO professionals to optimize your site’s positioning on the web.
What is the alternative text?
An alternative text is a term that can also be found under the abbreviation alt text. It describes the content of an image as well as its context. Alt texts are visible to users when the image cannot be displayed. This is also the case for search engines. This is what allows them to define the subject of the image since they do not have the software to see the images. It also makes it possible to oralize the description of it for blind people.
The importance of the alt attribute
Alternative text is an integral part of an Internet page and takes time and thought to develop a strategy for its content.
For various reasons, image titles or images may not be displayed on the screen. It is the alternative text that will then transmit the information to the search engines.
If for us the image is often speaking, it is not for search engines that do not view it in the same way as we do. They don’t have the software for that. That’s why they use alternative text to find out what the image is. It is therefore important that it represents what is visible on them.
Similarly, search engines to classify websites take into account the consistency between images and content. If they can’t see the image, they have to find the information elsewhere. It is then the alternative text that will give them the information they need to position the site.
If technology and especially artificial intelligence has advanced search engines in this field and enabled them to decipher images, alternative text remains the simplest and allows faster information processing.
Because good alternative text provides semantic content to an image, it is used by search engines to return search results. In other words, good alternative text gives search engines more information – and better quality – to classify your website, allowing them to get a better ranking.
The more thoughtful and useful you describe your content to users, the easier it is for search engine robots to understand it as well.
But the alternative text is also important for the adaptation of the internet for people with disabilities. With this attribute, the blind will be told orally what image they cannot see.
Important: Alt or alternative text is also a feature of social networks. It gives the possibility to describe an image with a text in order to help the visually impaired understand the content. The text is then read aloud
Difference between alt tag and image legend
This is a mistake that is often made. Confuse the alt text and the title of the image. They do not have the same purpose, but they can complement each other. The alt text replaces the image when it cannot be seen by the search engines for natural SEO. The title of the image gives additional information to better understand the subject.
An alt tag for all image types
Whatever the format of your image, an alternative text can be affixed to it. The alt tags are compatible with the different formats available: JPEG, PNG, GIF, etc.
Write an effective alternative text
The alternative text in your image gives us the opportunity to integrate keywords in a relevant way. It should describe the image in a few words. When writing alt text for images on an Internet page, remember to respect the following points:
Use keywords sparingly in your alt tag
If, when describing an image, you can wisely incorporate one or two important keywords, that’s fine. This will contribute effectively to your SEO. But only if you do it honestly and sparingly.
Search engines cannot recognize contextually “bad” or “useless” alternative text, but you may be downgraded for keyword stuffing. Your goal should therefore be to describe specifically and succinctly any image requiring alternative text.
Include text that is part of the image
When text is included in an image, be sure to place it in your description.
Unless you have to repeat yourself: if the title of your page is the announcement of a show for example, do not put the show back in the image presenting the show poster, because too much show kills the show, do you understand?
Do not add alternative text to “decorative” images
“Decorative” images include items such as page separators or certain icons… They make things more enjoyable or visually break the content of a page. But they have no contextual significance or significance, and will not help people to better understand the page if they are offered an alternative text.
Ideally, decorative images should be managed in your code rather than added as “content”. However, in case they need to be uploaded as images, it is possible not to add alternative text. Screen readers will simply ignore them, which is the goal of this scenario.
Do not forget the alt tag of the logo
The logo of a company or association is an image and is present on most Internet media.
Avoid “company logo” type descriptions
Of course, this text describes what your image is, but it may be too general and will not provide the relevant detail that search engines robots need. Prefer the version: “company logo… and add the name of your structure. In this way, you will allow relevant and efficient recognition of robots for search engine referencing.
Think of the alt text of your CTA buttons
Even if this seems uninteresting to you, it is important to complete the alt text of your “call to action” buttons. You may think that it makes no sense if the element is just a simple graphic with a text indicating the desired action. Well this is not the case!
In this situation, this will allow for a better understanding of the information by people who cannot see the button.
Examples:
Text for a CTA button calling for information about a service proposed by your company: one can think of an alt tag of the type: «information request»
Text for CTA button calling to contact the company: We can imagine an alt type tag: «contact request»
Never start your alt tag with “Image of…” or “Photo of…”
It will be obvious to a person or machine that what they are accessing is alternative text, replacing a photo…
Imagine how frustrating it is to use a screen reader on a page with a lot of images and have to read “Picture of the Cinema Front”, “Picture of the Window”, “Picture of the Room Door”, “Picture of the Chairs”…
On the other hand, it may be useful to explain the type of image (portrait, illustration, graph, screenshot). …»
Some examples of relevant alt tags
Your image depicts a couple kissing under the Eiffel Tower on a winter morning
Good alt text reflex: couple kissing under the Eiffel Tower in winter
Correct Alternative: A Kissing Couple
Invalid: A couple
Your image depicts a pink flower in a bucolic garden illuminated with sun.
Good reflex text alt: Pink flower in a bucolic garden in the sun
Correct alternative: Pink flower in a garden
Invalid: Flower
Your image represents the Pont des Arts in Paris in rainy weather
Good reflex alt text: Arts Bridge in Paris in the rain
Correct alternative: Pont des Arts in Paris
Invalid: Pont des Arts
Your image matches the face of an elderly woman on a white background
Good alt text reflex: Old woman’s face on white background
Correct Alternative: Older Woman’s Face
Invalid: A woman’s face
Our tips for working with your alt tags
Stop misconceptions… An alternative text can possibly remain empty without this being a decisive penalty for your SEO. If the image is only intended to decorate a page, it does not need to exist in the eyes of search engines.
When you can, and in case the image is important in your site referencing, avoid those that include text, as the text included in the visual is not taken into account by the search engines.
Do not “keywords stuffing”, or keyword stuffing. Describe your image with 4 or 5 well-selected words.
An empty alt attribute is a missed opportunity to improve the ranking of images in search engines. In addition, it does not provide a good experience for visually impaired users.
alt and title attributes in WordPress
When you upload an image to WordPress, you can set a title and an alt attribute. By default, it uses the image filename in the title attribute. And if you don’t enter an alt attribute, it copies that to the alt attribute. While this is better than writing nothing, it’s pretty poor practice. You really need to take the time to craft a proper alt text for every image you add to a post. Users and search engines will thank you for it.
How to add alt attributes in WordPress
WordPress makes it really easy to add attributes. Follow the steps below to add them to your images. Your (image) SEO will truly benefit if you get these details right. People using screen readers will also like you all the more for it. alt
- Log in to your WordPress website.When you’re logged in, you will be in your ‘Dashboard’.
- Open the post or page to edit the content.
- Click on the Image block to open the Image settings in the Block tab of the sidebar.You will see the Image settings appear in the Block tab of the sidebar.
- Add the alt text and the title attribute.
- Click ‘Update’.Click the ‘Update’ button in the upper right corner.
How to add alt and title attributes in Shopify
If you’re using Shopify, the process for adding alt text is similar to doing it in WordPress, but the steps differ a little bit.
- If you have Yoast SEO open, click on ‘Edit with Shopify’ before clicking on the image you want to add alt attributes to.)
- Open a page and then click on an image to reach the image editor screen.
- Once you’ve done that, you should see an option to ‘Edit alt text’, then it’s just a simple case of adding your alt text in the field provided.
SEO experts can help you improve the SEO of your images and your site. Post your project on Bumbizz.com to receive their quotes. It’s easy and free!
Comment planifier un workcation réussi et amusant
Bien que le fait d’insérer les deux mots « travail » et « vacances » dans la même phrase semble illégal, le fait est que parfois nous ne pouvons pas toujours nous déconnecter à 100% de notre travail. Et bien qu’il y ait des moments où nous avons tout à fait besoin (et méritons de!) avoir des vacances complètement débranchées loin de la symphonie musicale de dings et de bourdonnements de Teams et Outlook, il y a aussi des moments où la planification d’un workcation (ou vacances-travail) est juste la chose dont nous avons besoin pour équilibrer à la fois la productivité et détente.
Qu’est-ce qu’une Workcation ?
Des vacances-travail, commodément appelées workcation, peuvent sembler un oxymore, mais est devenu de plus en plus courant chez les personnes qui ont travaillé, en particulier pendant la pandémie de Covid-19. La pandémie a amené une grande majorité d’entreprises à appuyer sur pause et à trouver des moyens de faire pivoter les emplois du site vers le distantiel. Avec la commodité de travailler à la maison, les gens ont découvert qu’ils pouvaient voyager hors de l’État pour prendre soin de leurs proches ou explorer de nouveaux paysages sans manquer un battement (lié au travail). Qu’ils en soient conscients ou non, ces personnes qui voyageaient et travaillaient découvraient le bon équilibre des vacances-travail.
Pourquoi prendre des vacances-travail?
Bien qu’une workcation puisse sembler ne pas vraiment travailler et pas vraiment en vacances, lorsqu’elle est effectuée avec succès, une workcation peut être un équilibre parfait entre les deux. Mais pourquoi prendre des vacances-travail ? Voici quelques raisons:
1. Vous êtes freelance ou entrepreneur
Bien qu’être un pigiste et gérer votre propre entreprise signifie que vous pouvez définir votre propre horaire et être votre propre patron, cela signifie également que vous avez probablement une série de clients réguliers et un certain nombre de projets et d’échéances auxquels vous devez jongler. Dans des cas comme ceux-ci, une workcation pourrait être exactement ce dont vous avez besoin pour rester au top de votre travail tout en rafraîchissant votre âme avec de nouveaux endroits, visages et espaces.
2. Vous voulez préserver le temps de vacances
Peut-être que vous n’êtes pas un pigiste ou un entrepreneur, mais vous êtes en mesure de travailler à distance pour votre emploi à temps plein. Planifier un workcation est un excellent moyen de préserver votre temps de vacances. Dans les cas où vous pouvez avoir un court voyage de deux ou trois jours, vous pouvez utiliser la commodité d’un workcation. En faisant cela, vous pouvez toujours faire votre travail pendant les heures fixes et avoir le temps d’explorer pendant vos heures creuses. La meilleure partie ? Vous pouvez économiser votre temps libre payé pour des vacances beaucoup plus longues sur la route.
3. Vous avez besoin de changer de décor
Parfois, la vie peut sembler un peu stagnante redondante. Que vous ayez été enfermé dans la maison trop longtemps et que vous ne puissiez pas regarder la fissure de votre mur d’ivoire pendant une seconde, ou si vous vous sentez un peu mélancolique et que vous avez besoin de changer de décor, des vacances-travail sont ce qu’il faut pour bousculer votre routine et ajouter un peu de piquant à votre pas.
4. Vous souhaitez créer du nouveau contenu
Prendre une workcation est également un excellent moyen de créer un nouveau contenu dynamique. Les YouTubers, les influenceurs des médias sociaux, les écrivains de voyage et les blogueurs culinaires peuvent non seulement profiter, mais aussi bénéficier pleinement de vacances professionnelles. Voyager vers une nouvelle destination offre de nombreuses occasions de créer du contenu frais mettant en vedette des sites intemporels, des plats délicieux, une mode colorée, de nouvelles cultures et coutumes, et bien plus encore.
Comment planifier des vacances de travail réussies ?
Équilibrer le travail et la détente pendant des vacances-travail est absolument faisable lorsqu’il est intentionnellement planifié.
Voici quelques conseils clés pour préparer et planifier des vacances-travail réussies :
Avisez vos clients et/ou votre employeur
Que vous soyez un pigiste ou un employé d’entreprise à temps plein, la meilleure chose à faire lors de la planification d’un stage est d’en informer tous les clients et les gestionnaires / patrons à l’avance. Plus vous donnez d’avis à vos clients et à votre gestionnaire, plus vous avez tous le temps d’élaborer un horaire confortable et de prendre soin de toutes les priorités extrêmement urgentes avant de partir.
Fournir un plan de sauvegarde
Bien que vous travailliez toujours sur un workcation, cela ne fait jamais de mal d’avoir un plan de sauvegarde. Pour les pigistes en particulier, faire savoir à vos clients que vous avez déjà pensé à un plan de sauvegarde – s’ils en ont besoin – est à la fois rassurant et, tout simplement, la chose professionnelle à faire. Les plans de sauvegarde peuvent être aussi simples que d’offrir à un client un moyen secondaire de vous contacter ou peuvent être plus « littéraux » en fournissant un rédacteur / concepteur / photographe de sauvegarde si votre client a un problème urgent qui se pose pendant votre absence.
Conseil de pro pour les freelances : Vous ne savez pas où trouver un pigiste de secours à remplir si vous n’êtes pas en mesure de vous attaquer à une tâche de dernière minute? Explorez les talents de Bumbizz dans votre secteur. Lisez les profils, recherchez dans les portfolios, et si vous trouvez quelqu’un qui, selon vous, correspond à votre style et à votre calibre, prenez contact et établissez une connexion. Discutez avec quelques pigistes pour voir si l’un d’entre eux serait à l’aise pour remplir certains projets et tâches pendant que vous êtes hors d’état sur un workcation ou une externalisation pendant les saisons occupées lorsque vous avez un débordement de projets.
Rechercher et coordonner les fuseaux horaires
Pour planifier des vacances-travail réussies, prenez le temps de rechercher et de coordonner les fuseaux horaires. Cette étape est un must absolu. Vous voyagez peut-être dans un endroit qui est complètement à l’opposé de vos fuseaux horaires actuels. Que vous ayez une heure d’avance ou 35 heures d’avance, il est crucial de connaître le décalage horaire et de définir des attentes réalistes avec vos clients, votre gestionnaire ou vos collègues. Assurez-vous d’envoyer vos informations de fuseau horaire par e-mail et quand ils peuvent s’attendre à des réponses dans un e-mail à toutes vos parties correspondantes. Cela est non seulement utile, mais fournit une documentation écrite prouvant que vous avez clairement défini et informé toutes les parties de vos attentes et de vos limites, si vous devez vous y référer à l’avenir.
Assurez-vous d’avoir accès au Wifi
Bien que se prélasser dans une cabane dans les arbres magique suspendue dans les bois profonds sans accès à la technologie soit idéal pour des vacances entièrement débranchées, pour des vacances de travail, avoir un accès solide à Internet est un must-have non négociable. Si vous séjournez dans un hôtel, vérifiez s’il y a du wifi gratuit disponible ou si vous devez payer pour y avoir accès. Si vous louez une chambre via Airbnb ou un autre site de location, assurez-vous de lire la description pour voir si le wifi est une fonctionnalité fournie pendant votre séjour.
Désignez le temps de se replier et de travailler
La clé pour équilibrer le plaisir et la détente pendant les vacances de travail? Désignez le temps de travailler et le temps de se détendre. Au lieu d’essayer de prendre le temps de travailler entre les petites périodes de temps libre, créez un horaire spécifique où vous prenez le temps de vous pencher et de faire avancer les choses. Il peut également être utile d’informer vos gestionnaires, collègues et clients de vos heures de travail désignées au cas où ils auraient besoin de communiquer directement avec vous. Utilisez ce temps pour effectuer un travail plus approfondi et plus complexe et planifier des réunions d’équipe ou de client. Allouer du temps au travail peut ne pas sembler amusant. Néanmoins, cela vous permettra de vous concentrer pendant les heures de travail et vous donnera la liberté de vous détendre, d’explorer et de profiter sans excuse de tout ce que votre nouveau lieu de travail a à offrir pendant votre temps libre.
Sautez en mode Vacay (fonctionnel)
En fin de compte, la vie est trop courte pour s’enliser dans le travail 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7 et il est trop court pour attendre qu’une pile de jours de vacances s’accumule. Des vacances-travail sont un moyen idéal de prendre soin de vos responsabilités tout en profitant du moment présent dans une nouvelle destination. En fournissant des horaires détaillés et des plans de sauvegarde d’urgence avec vos clients et vos gestionnaires à l’avance et en vous procurant du temps pour le travail et du temps pour les loisirs, vous pouvez planifier une workcation réussie (et amusante!). Pour plus de conseils et d’astuces amusants pour les pigistes, assurez-vous de consulter le blog Bumbizz pour des ressources utiles, des sujets tendance, et plus encore.
Student and freelance: how does it work?
You are a student, and you plan to become a freelancer in parallel with your studies? The networking platforms between freelancers and clients are ideal for taking your first steps in the world of entrepreneurship, and finding a job that suits you. To help you get started, we answer your questions.
Becoming a freelance student: for whom? Why?
40% of students have a job alongside their training. However, being an employee-student can harm their success, because they are forced to miss classes, and to sacrifice hours of revisions.
Moreover, few students are lucky enough to find a fulfilling “little job” to put their skills into practice.
So why not look for a student job online?
Being a freelancer allows you to build a tailor-made student job, adapt your schedule, and above all, do a job you like!
As soon as you practice an unregulated liberal profession, that is to say one that does not require a diploma, you can monetize your skills. For example, a student in letters can offer writing services. Similarly, a biology student with a passion for video editing can earn money from his passion, in parallel with his studies. Find your field of choice, your skills, train yourself if necessary to offer quality content, and define your project.
What qualities are essential to start as a young self-employed worker?
Be organized and autonomous
To become your own boss is to set schedules, goals, and above all, stick to them! Learning to self-discipline is a prerequisite for success as a student-freelance. At the risk of disappointing you, know that being self-employed does not mean working 1 hour a day, even less when you start. So you have to be motivated, and ready to roll up your sleeves!
Getting involved in your projects
As you can see, entrepreneurship requires investment. While freelance platforms are often free or inexpensive, it is important to invest in yourself. Without a superior, it is up to you to take the initiative to train yourself to gain competence. The Internet is a gold mine full of free training ideal for students with a small budget. Also, an online student job allows you to work from home, at the library, in a coworking space, etc., and thus dedicate yourself to your activity as soon as you can.
Communicate professionally
Freelance platforms are gaining popularity and attracting more and more customers. Now is the time to prove to them that they can trust you! It all starts with writing a clear and detailed offer. Also, it means answering customers’ questions precisely. It’s up to you to prove that student and professional are not antinomic!
Be honest with your customers
If your services are related to your education, indicate that you are being trained. Your honesty will not scare away your clients, quite the contrary. Playing cards on the table with your prospects is a first proof that you are trustworthy. More and more customers are delighted to give young entrepreneurs a chance!
Be punctual and deliver customers on time
Juggling her studies with her freelance work involves setting realistic deadlines. Your clients prefer to wait a few more days and receive a decent job. Don’t forget that this online business must allow you to continue your studies!
How can entrepreneurship gain professional experience while studying?
Respecting the above points allows you to adopt a professional attitude and enter the world of work while continuing your studies. By applying these tips, you will gain the confidence of your prospects and meet their expectations. Each successful mission will allow you to complete your portfolio and establish your credibility. Indeed, concretely demonstrating your abilities through your achievements is even more rewarding than a CV, and allows you to stand out from the competition.
Being a student and freelancer helps you take a considerable lead over your professional career. Once you graduate, whether you want to apply for a salaried job or continue your self-employment activity, your portfolio will attest to your professionalism and abilities.
How to find customers on freelance platforms?
Starting an online business when you’re a student can be complex. Even with all the above mentioned qualities, your time is not unlimited. That’s why freelance platforms are ideal for working online. Indeed, sites like bumbizz.com have traffic and help you build a network of customers without spending your time canvassing them. Once your microservice is created, you can promote it on your social networks if you wish, but you avoid prospecting often very time-consuming.
Not only do you not have to chase after customers, but you also get rid of a lot of paperwork, including bills. Many young people who do not know how to deal with administrative matters are put off. Getting started on freelance platforms allows you to get started as an independent by learning as you go to become a seasoned self entrepreneur.
How do you make a living as a freelance student?
Let’s talk about turnover. When you start as a freelancer, revenues are not always stable. So if you’re looking for a student job to finance your studies, being freelance may not be enough, at least initially.
Being a student-freelancer still has a considerable advantage: you set the price of your services. Of course, you will not sell your first services at a golden price, because to find your first customers, you will surely offer them a discount. However, the more customers and reviews you have, the more legitimacy you gain, and the more you can increase your rates. Thus, unlike a salaried student job, an online student job allows you to increase your salary over time. Quickly, a virtuous circle is set up: more and more customers call on you and are satisfied, you gain visibility, you attract more customers, and you increase your turnover.
What legal status should I choose as a student entrepreneur?
As soon as you are of full age and working in an unregulated profession, you can accumulate the status of student and self entrepreneur. Earning money through service delivery requires legal status. The micro enterprise is the ideal status for students, as it requires no financial investment, and is created quickly.
As you will have understood, being freelance allows you to do a rewarding student job, both from a personal and professional point of view. So, if the profile described in this article fits you, do not hesitate to register on one or more platforms in order to take control and make your own experience in the world of entrepreneurship, while remaining assiduous in your studies.