Start Small: The Accessibility Habit Begins with Alt Text

Images add so much more depth and meaning to your documents, email and any other content you create. However, we tend to forget the accessibility aspect. Making your content more accessible doesn’t have to be overwhelming, it can start with one simple habit: adding alt text to your images. Alt text (short for “alternative text”) is a brief description of an image that helps people using screen readers understand what’s being shown. Whether it’s a photo, a chart, or a decorative icon, adding alt text is a quick way to make sure everyone can access and engage with your content. Here's a good tutorial from Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM) on using alt text.

The best part? It’s easy to work into your routine. Every time you upload a graphic, take a few extra seconds to ask yourself, “What’s the essential info someone needs from this image?” It’s a small step that makes a big impact. And once you start thinking about accessibility here, it naturally leads to other good accessibility habits. Accessibility isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. And progress starts with one alt tag at a time.