This is a good article about ALT= and TITLE= attributes, since some Search Engines apparently look at both of them.<br />
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol6/html_no1.htm">http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol6/html_no1.htm</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
Use ALT= for images<br />
and<br />
Use TITLE= for links, tables, etc.<br />
<br />
However, I still have a question:<br />
<br />
In Netscape if:<br />
"ALT text no longer "pops up" when you run your mouse over an image. You have to use a TITLE attribute for that."<br />
<br />
Does that mean -- just to make sure text will pop up in Netscape -- I can put ALT and TITLE attribute for an image? Thanks.<br />
<br />
James<!--content-->Look, you always put an alternative description for a picture, and the search engine will read it. Title is useful as a little pop-up. Interestingly, Internet Explorer displays the alt as a pop-up as well, but I believe that title will overide it. It's your choice, remember that search engines will READ and NOT see, so the more you WRITE and DESCRIBE the better off you are.<!--content-->I tested in Explorer -- ALT with one word and TITLE with different word for the same image. And the word that appears on the rollover is the ALT word.<!--content-->Just to be clear, the "alt" attribute is there to provide alternative content for any user or user agent that cannot see your images. If you are the W3C and you have an image at the top of each page that says W3C then your "alt" attribute should be set to "W3C". If your image contains no meaning then it should be set to "". I've seen people who seem to think that the "alt" attribute is some sort of secret META element and the load them up with key words for the entire page. This is the moral equivalent of stealing white canes from the blind to use as closet coat hangers.<!--content-->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol6/html_no1.htm">http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol6/html_no1.htm</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
Use ALT= for images<br />
and<br />
Use TITLE= for links, tables, etc.<br />
<br />
However, I still have a question:<br />
<br />
In Netscape if:<br />
"ALT text no longer "pops up" when you run your mouse over an image. You have to use a TITLE attribute for that."<br />
<br />
Does that mean -- just to make sure text will pop up in Netscape -- I can put ALT and TITLE attribute for an image? Thanks.<br />
<br />
James<!--content-->Look, you always put an alternative description for a picture, and the search engine will read it. Title is useful as a little pop-up. Interestingly, Internet Explorer displays the alt as a pop-up as well, but I believe that title will overide it. It's your choice, remember that search engines will READ and NOT see, so the more you WRITE and DESCRIBE the better off you are.<!--content-->I tested in Explorer -- ALT with one word and TITLE with different word for the same image. And the word that appears on the rollover is the ALT word.<!--content-->Just to be clear, the "alt" attribute is there to provide alternative content for any user or user agent that cannot see your images. If you are the W3C and you have an image at the top of each page that says W3C then your "alt" attribute should be set to "W3C". If your image contains no meaning then it should be set to "". I've seen people who seem to think that the "alt" attribute is some sort of secret META element and the load them up with key words for the entire page. This is the moral equivalent of stealing white canes from the blind to use as closet coat hangers.<!--content-->