Inventory the image in its actual context
Start with one page and record each image, its nearby text, its purpose and whether it belongs to a link or control. Review the image actually displayed, not only its filename in the media library. A file called team-final.jpg could be a decorative banner in one place and a meaningful staff photograph elsewhere.
Ask what the reader would lose if the image were unavailable. Note that missing information in a short sentence before drafting anything. This gives the editor a content goal and helps avoid describing every visible object when only one detail explains the page. Flag unfamiliar equipment, people or data for verification instead of guessing their identity.
Choose the appropriate treatment
W3C distinguishes informative, decorative and functional uses. A meaningful photograph needs a concise alternative conveying its role in context. A purely decorative image can use an empty alt attribute, alt="". A missing attribute is not the same editorial choice as an intentionally empty one.
For an image that supplies a link or button’s meaning, communicate its destination or action. If accompanying text already provides the complete label within that control, avoid repeating it unnecessarily. Check the whole control and its accessible name before removing any label; deciding that an icon is decorative must not leave a button unexplained.
Edit for meaning rather than a keyword target
Draft the useful information in the language of the surrounding page. Remove stock phrases and unrelated service keywords. Read the alternative alongside the neighboring sentence to identify repetition or contradiction. Do not add claims such as award-winning or certified unless those facts are established and relevant to the image’s purpose.
A chart or detailed diagram usually needs more than a short alternative. W3C recommends a short identification together with a fuller text equivalent for complex images. Put essential values, relationships and qualifications in accessible page content, with a clear connection to the graphic. A long string squeezed into one attribute is difficult to maintain and review.
Apply the method to a hypothetical training page
Imagine a fictional tutorial screenshot highlighting the Save draft control. An alternative such as Editor toolbar with Save draft highlighted may convey the relevant visual clue. If the same instruction already explains the control completely and the screenshot adds nothing, reassess whether repeating that sentence helps. The decision depends on the screenshot’s contribution, not a rule that every file needs a verbose description.
Now imagine a chart of invented project counts: two in January and four in February. Identify the chart briefly and provide those values in nearby text or a suitable table, explicitly labeling the data illustrative. Do not describe the increase as a real business result. These examples demonstrate editorial decisions rather than certify any particular implementation.
Verify the output and record unresolved cases
Inspect the published image elements to confirm that the intended alternatives survived the content system. Check translated pages and reused assets individually. For functional images, test the relevant controls with assistive technology when available and confirm that their names still express the action. An automated missing-alt report cannot judge whether a description is truthful or useful.
Store the image location, purpose, old text, new treatment and reviewer notes in the website-audit action list. Escalate complex graphics whose meaning has no text equivalent instead of marking them complete after adding a generic label. This focused review improves image communication; it is not a full accessibility assessment or a guarantee of search visibility.