In my previous post about creating a subpar infographic using Canva, I demonstrated how to use ChatGPT to generate alt text for the image:
What Is Image Alt Text
Alt text is the text embedded in the HTML code of an image:
Since search engines like Google cannot visually interpret images, they rely on alt text to understand and classify them. Alt text has two primary purposes:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Alt text helps search engines identify and rank images in search results. It improves a website’s visibility, particularly in image search.
- Accessibility: Alt text helps people with visual impairments by working with screen readers and voice technology to describe what an image represents.
In other words, using alt text with all images on a website impresses both search engines and humans.
Creating The GPT
I created this GPT because I write frequently and wanted to save time on tasks that AI can handle. This is especially important for posts with many images that are both contextually significant and need to be discoverable through search. With this tool, I can upload an image, provide some context, and get accurate alt text that helps both users and search engines.
I tried other GPTs that generated alt text but wasn’t satisfied with any of them. Many produced alt text that was far too long, exceeding the recommended 125-character limit.
After gaining experience in building GPTs, I realized I could use ChatGPT to streamline the creation process instead of spending hours manually writing content.
Research Process: I knew from my years of SEO experience that alt text follows specific rules and character limits. Rather than writing everything myself, I found two reliable sources (one from Harvard, one from the US Government) that explained what alt text is and outlined the rules. I copied the text from both websites, pasted it into ChatGPT, and asked it to create a step-by-step guide for writing effective alt text.
The first page of my guide, pasted from ChatGPT to Google Docs
Creation Process: Rather than rewriting the steps to create an effective GPT myself, I asked ChatGPT to generate a step-by-step guide that I could paste directly into the “Instructions” field. After testing it with various images to ensure accuracy and effectiveness, I finalized the GPT and saved it.
Final GPT
Using the infographic from my last post, I’m testing out the GPT. It generated three options, all equally descriptive and within the character limits:
The image is an infographic, and I want both users and search engines to recognize that. That’s why the alt text includes terms like “visual guide” or “infographic.” However, in other situations, it’s obvious that the content is an image, so there’s no need to waste text with phrases like “This is a picture of” or “An image of”:
