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Alt Text for Creatives

Alternative text, or "alt text", describes the appearance or function of an image or advertisement on a page. It’s read aloud by screen readers and used by people with visual impairments. This text also displays in place of an image or ad if it fails to load.

When writing alt text for a creative, keep the following tips in mind.

Alt text:

  • Can be written according to this template: “[Brand name]. [Text used in the creative].”

  • Must be limited to 120 characters, including spaces. 

  • Must contain the text used in the creative, including the text of the Call to Action (if the creative contains a CTA). This also includes text describing sales, discounts, legal text, and copyright text.

  • Must utilize proper grammar and spelling. 

  • Doesn’t have to describe images within the creative, but may if the character limit allows.

  • Should be as concise as possible, containing abbreviations if necessary.

  • Shouldn’t contain unnecessary phrases like “image of” or “ad of.” 

  • Doesn’t need unnecessary punctuation (dashes, commas, apostrophes), unless part of a brand name.

  • Should have symbols and dates spelled out: use “copyright” instead of ©, “percent” instead of %, and “May 1, 2023” instead of 5/1/23.