What This Violation Means

Alternative text (alt text) is a short description added to images on your website. When a blind person uses a screen reader to navigate your site, the screen reader reads the alt text aloud so they understand what the image shows.

Why Demand Letters Cite This Violation

Missing alt text is the most common violation cited in ADA demand letters because:

- It's easy to detect with automated scanning
- It clearly prevents blind users from accessing content
- It's a straightforward WCAG 2.1 Level AA violation (Success Criterion 1.1.1)
- Appears in approximately 70% of demand letters we review

Real-World Example from Actual Demand Letters

A typical demand letter states: "The website contains multiple images that lack alternative text descriptions, rendering them inaccessible to blind users who rely on screen reading technology. For example, product images on the homepage and category pages have no alt attributes, making it impossible for users with visual impairments to understand what products are being offered."

What the Law Says

Under WCAG 2.1 Level AA (Success Criterion 1.1.1 - Non-text Content), all non-decorative images must have meaningful alternative text. The ADA requires websites to be accessible to people with disabilities, and federal courts consistently cite WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the compliance standard for digital accessibility.

Code Examples: Incorrect vs. Correct

❌ Incorrect Implementation

<img src="product.jpg">

✓ Correct Implementation

<img src="product.jpg" alt="Blue running shoes, size 10, Nike Air Max, side view showing sole design">

How to Fix This Violation

DIY Approach

1. Identify all images on your site (use browser dev tools or automated scanner)
2. Write descriptive alt text for each meaningful image (be specific but concise - aim for 125 characters or less)
3. Add the alt attribute to your HTML
4. Test with a screen reader (NVDA for Windows is free)
5. Remember: Decorative images should use empty alt text: alt=""

Common mistakes to avoid:
- Writing "image of" or "picture of" (screen readers already announce "image")
- Being too vague ("product" vs. "blue Nike running shoes")
- Using filename as alt text ("IMG_1234.jpg")

Professional Remediation

Our team audits every image on your site using both automated tools and manual review. We determine which images are decorative versus meaningful, write context-appropriate alt text that balances SEO with accessibility, and implement the changes across your platform. For e-commerce sites, we've developed efficient workflows for adding alt text to product catalogs with thousands of images. Most sites take 2-4 hours to remediate professionally.

Cost to Fix

DIY Approach

Free (but time-consuming - typically 3-8 hours for a 20-page site, longer for e-commerce)

Professional Fix

$200-$800 depending on number of images (typically included in Basic Fixes package: $750-$1,200)

Full Remediation

$750-$1,200 as part of Basic Fixes, or $2,500-$12,000 for full WCAG remediation

Our Experience Fixing This Violation

We've added alt text to over 50,000 images across enterprise e-commerce sites like Ashley Furniture and Tractor Supply. The challenge isn't just adding any alt text - it's writing descriptions that are useful to screen reader users while maintaining SEO value. For product images, we balance technical accuracy with marketing language. For decorative images, we know when to use empty alt text to prevent cluttering the screen reader experience.

Missing Alt Text: What It Means and How to Fix It

What This Violation Means

Why Demand Letters Cite This Violation

Real-World Example from Actual Demand Letters

What the Law Says

Code Examples: Incorrect vs. Correct

How to Fix This Violation

DIY Approach

Professional Remediation

Cost to Fix

Our Experience Fixing This Violation

Related Accessibility Violations

Legal Disclaimer

Need Professional Help Fixing This Violation?

Written by Houston Web Compliance