Wix alt text is a short description you add to each image in the editor so screen readers and search engines understand what the photo shows. Click the image, open Settings, enter alt text that describes the product or scene accurately, and publish. Do this on product heroes, gallery slides, and blog images that carry information. Alt text supports accessibility and image search. It does not replace compressing oversized files or writing full product descriptions.
Broader SEO order: how to improve Wix SEO, Wix SEO checklist. Speed context: speed up a Wix website.
What alt text does on Wix
- Accessibility: screen readers read alt text aloud when shoppers cannot see the image
- Context when images fail to load
- Signal for Google Image Search on descriptive, relevant photos
- Not a ranking shortcut on its own and not a fix for missing page copy
Google treats helpful alt text as part of good page quality. See Google Search Central image SEO.
How to add alt text in Wix
- Open the page in the Wix Editor.
- Click the image, gallery slide, or strip background image you need to label.
- Open Settings (gear) or the image settings panel.
- Find Alt text and enter a concise description.
- For multi-image galleries, set alt per slide, not one generic line for all.
- Save and publish, then spot-check on the live product page.
Tip
Audit your top 20 product URLs first. Hero and first gallery slide matter most for both accessibility and image search.
How to write good alt text
| Image type | Write this | Avoid this |
|---|---|---|
| Product front view | Product name, color, view | best shirt cheap buy now |
| Lifestyle shot | Who is wearing it and setting if relevant | woman photo image1 |
| Detail close-up | Feature shown: stitching, sole, label | detail |
| Size chart image | Size chart for product name | chart |
| Logo in header | Store name logo | Long marketing paragraph |
- Keep most alt text under roughly 125 characters unless the image is complex (infographic, chart).
- Do not start with Image of or Picture of unless Wix requires plain language for your audience.
- One idea per alt string. Split gallery slides instead of one repeated line.
Product and gallery images
Ecommerce alt text should help a shopper who cannot see the photo still understand variant and use.
- Match alt text to the SKU or variant shown, not a generic catalog label.
- When color variants share a template, update alt when the photo changes.
- For bundles, name what is in frame: three-pack socks, gray, ankle length.
- Blog images that demonstrate a product should name the product and action shown.
Checklist slot: Wix SEO checklist alt text section.
Decorative vs informative images
Not every pixel needs a paragraph. Pure decoration (abstract shapes, repeated textures with no product meaning) should not waste screen reader time.
- Informative: product photos, diagrams, charts, screenshots with steps
- Decorative: borders, spacers, background blobs with no product info
- Use Wix decorative or empty alt options where available
- When unsure, ask whether a blind shopper would miss product facts without the description
Alt text vs image file size
Alt text and file weight are separate problems. A well-described 4000px PNG is still slow. Largest Contentful Paint on Wix stores often traces to oversized heroes, not missing alt strings.
- Compress and resize product images before you worry about deferring scripts
- Speed Booster - Load Faster helps with third-party script deferral and PageSpeed measurement. It does not optimize image files or edit alt text
- Full cleanup order: speed up a Wix website
- Vitals framing: Wix Core Web Vitals
Common mistakes
- Same alt text on every gallery slide
- Keyword stuffing that does not match the photo
- Leaving alt empty on product heroes
- Writing alt for decorative backgrounds and cluttering screen reader output
- Expecting alt text alone to fix thin product pages or indexing issues
Our take
Speed Booster - Load Faster defers third-party scripts and runs on-demand PageSpeed Insights checks (FCP, LCP, CLS, TBT, SI). Install after image and unused-app cleanup. Faster pages support SEO. Speed Booster does not edit titles, sitemaps, or schema.
Speed Booster - Load Faster
Defer heavy App Market scripts on Wix product pages and measure real PageSpeed metrics before and after.
Install Speed Booster on WixFAQ
How do I add alt text to an image on Wix?+
Click the image in the editor, open Settings or the image panel, and find the Alt text field. Enter a short description of what the image shows. Publish when done. Repeat for gallery slides and hero images on money pages.
Is alt text important for Wix SEO?+
It helps accessibility and gives Google context for image search. It does not fix slow pages or thin product copy. Use it on informative images, especially product photos, as part of broader on-page work in /blog/how-to-improve-wix-seo/.
Should I put keywords in Wix alt text?+
Describe what is in the image first. Include a product name or color when it is accurate. Keyword lists that do not match the photo hurt trust and can read as spam.
What alt text should product images use?+
State the product, variant, and one visible detail: material, color, or use case. Example pattern: Blue linen camp shirt, front view, button closure. Match what a sighted shopper would say when pointing at the photo.
Do background and decorative images need alt text?+
Pure decoration should use empty alt or Wix decorative controls so screen readers skip them. Do not describe abstract textures unless they convey product information.
Does Speed Booster optimize alt text or images?+
No. Speed Booster defers third-party scripts and runs PageSpeed checks. Image compression and alt text are separate jobs. See /blog/speed-up-wix-website/ for file size work.
Still deciding what fits your store?
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