Alt text examples › Blog featured images
Featured images are where most WordPress sites have no alt text at all. The right alt depends on what the image does: an editorial photo that shows the story's subject needs a description; a generic stock header that only sets the mood can be empty. What it should never be is the post title repeated.
| # | The image | Bad alt | Good alt | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Featured image of a post titled "How to Start a Vegetable Garden": raised beds with seedlings | How to Start a Vegetable Garden | Raised wooden garden beds with lettuce and tomato seedlings | Repeating the title means the screen reader reads it twice. Describe the photo. |
| 2 | Generic stock photo of a coffee cup and notebook on a productivity post | coffee notebook productivity tips 2026 | alt="" | Mood-only stock imagery adds no information. Empty alt beats keyword stuffing. |
| 3 | News post featured image: the product being announced | new product | The redesigned Acme Kettle 2 in matte black on a kitchen counter | News images show the subject of the news. Name it. |
| 4 | Travel blog photo inside the article | beach | Empty beach at Praia da Marinha at sunrise, limestone arches on the left | Travel readers want the place. Location plus what makes it special. |
| 5 | Inline photo illustrating a tutorial step | image | Hand tightening the compression fitting with an adjustable wrench | Tutorial photos show how. Describe the action. |
| 6 | Featured image with text overlay: "7 SEO Mistakes" | blog header | 7 SEO mistakes | When the image is mostly text, the alt is that text. |
| 7 | Author-made illustration of a robot reading a book | AI | Cartoon robot reading a book under a desk lamp | Original illustrations are content; a brief description respects the work. |
| 8 | Same featured image reused as a thumbnail in the post list | (full description again) | alt="" when the thumbnail sits inside a link that already has the post title | In archive lists the title link carries the meaning; an empty alt avoids repetition. |
WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A). Search engines also use featured-image alt for Google Images and Discover, so informative headers benefit from a real description. The full requirement is explained in our guide to WCAG 1.1.1 alt text requirements.
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