{"id":53,"date":"2025-11-25T22:05:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T06:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robertwest.ca\/blog\/?p=53"},"modified":"2026-03-31T00:51:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:51:48","slug":"%f0%9f%93%b8-the-easiest-fix-that-steals-your-competitors-jobs-your-alt-text-audit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertwest.ca\/blog\/2025\/11\/25\/%f0%9f%93%b8-the-easiest-fix-that-steals-your-competitors-jobs-your-alt-text-audit\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udcf8 The Easiest Fix That Steals Your Competitor’s Jobs: Your Alt-Text Audit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to Leads Not Liabilities<\/strong>. Last time, I introduced the huge, untapped market of over 1.1 million potential BC customers<\/strong><\/a> your competition is ignoring, and the $250,000 fine<\/a><\/strong> you need to avoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we dive into complex code, I want to give you the fastest, easiest fix you can do right now that addresses both problems at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s called Alt-Text<\/strong> (Alternative Text), and it\u2019s the perfect example of how fixing a technical barrier for an accessible user also becomes a powerful tool that makes Google send you more business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What the Heck is Alt-Text?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Think of Alt-Text as the spoken label for every picture<\/strong> on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you, a tradesperson, look at a photo of a clean, new furnace you installed, you see the quality of the job. But a visually impaired customer using a screen reader<\/strong> (software that reads the web page out loud) just hears: \u201cImage 459.jpg.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a useless, frustrating experience for them\u2014a major WCAG violation<\/strong>\u2014and a missed opportunity for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alt-Text is a short sentence you add to the image settings that describes the picture.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udee0\ufe0f Why You Need to Fix It (The Two-Part Win)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udfaf The Leads Side (SEO & Google)<\/strong><\/td>\ud83d\udee1\ufe0f The Liabilities Side (Accessibility & Law)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Google Can’t See:<\/strong> Google\u2019s search engine bots can\u2019t look at your photos. They rely entirely on your Alt-Text to figure out what the picture is about and how it relates to your services.<\/td>The Screen Reader Solution:<\/strong> This text is read aloud to customers who can’t see the image, ensuring they get the same information as everyone else.<\/td><\/tr>
Ranking for Services:<\/strong> If your Alt-Text is missing, Google won’t rank that image or page for the work it shows.<\/td>Easy WCAG Compliance:<\/strong> Missing Alt-Text is one of the most common and easiest-to-fix WCAG 2.1 Level AA<\/strong> failures, instantly reducing your legal risk.<\/td><\/tr>
Image Search Traffic:<\/strong> Customers often search Google Images for “boiler repair.” If your Alt-Text is good, your picture shows up, and you get the click.<\/td>1.1 Million Customer Access:<\/strong> You remove a technical barrier, making your site fully usable for the millions of Canadians using screen readers.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Bottom Line:<\/strong> If you don’t use Alt-Text, you’re only communicating 50% of the value of your work, and you’re failing to communicate with Google and 27% of the population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udcdd The Tradesperson\u2019s 3-Step Alt-Text Blueprint<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This isn’t hard, and it takes seconds per image. You can do this yourself right now inside your website platform (like WordPress) where you manage your media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Prioritize the User (WCAG First)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The golden rule for Alt-Text is to describe the image accurately and naturally.<\/strong> Don’t try to stuff a huge list of keywords into it. That’s called “keyword stuffing,” and it frustrates users and can actually earn you a penalty from Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus on what is happening<\/em> and what the object is<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n