Listing issues: Images missing alt text
Listing issues: Images missing alt text
Alt text (alternative text) is a short description you can add to each listing image. It serves two important purposes: it makes your listings accessible to visually impaired buyers who use screen readers, and it gives search engines like Google additional context about your product images.
Missing alt text means you’re leaving accessibility and SEO opportunities on the table. Adding descriptive alt text to every image is a simple step that can improve both your reach and your shop’s inclusivity.
What Etsy recommends
Etsy provides the option to add alt text to listing images and encourages sellers to use it. According to Etsy’s image guidelines:
"Adding alt text to your listing photos helps buyers who use assistive technologies understand what’s in your images. It also helps search engines better understand your listings."
This means alt text is a best practice both for accessibility compliance and for improving your listing’s discoverability through Google image search.
Do’s & Don’ts
Do:
Add descriptive alt text to every listing image.
Describe what the image shows: the product, its color, material, and context.
Include relevant keywords naturally within the alt text.
Don’t:
Leave alt text blank on any of your listing images.
Use generic text like "image 1" or "photo" that doesn’t describe the content.
Stuff keywords into alt text. Keep it natural and descriptive.
How can Listadum help
Listadum automatically detects when your listing images are missing alt text as part of the listing’s completion score.
When editing a listing, use the AI helper to generate descriptive alt text for each of your images based on the product details.
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