Image ALT Tag (For SEO) Import

This article describes the process for adding Image ALT tags after images have already been imported or previously added to your products.

Export Product Image Data

• Navigate to Import & Export > Export Products

• Select Entity Type = Products
• Check-off "Extended Image Gallery Information
• Click "Export"

Modify & Prepare Your CSV For Importing Alt Tags

Open the CSV you exported in step one and remove all columns except the following:

• sku
• _media_image
• _media_attribute_id
• _media_label
• _media_title
• _media_position
• _media_disabled

The "Alt Tag" field in the CSV is called _media_label

Once you have modified your CSV, you can now start populating Image ALT Tags into the CSV.

Once completed, it should look like the below spreadsheet.

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SEO ALERT

Please note that Image Alt Tags WILL impact your SEO. Please review and follow all posted guidelines. Zoey urges merchants to avoid some common mistakes:

• Having the same Alt Tag for multiple images (All rows in your spreadsheet should be unique)
• Image Alt Tags that are too long or too short (While there is no official length restriction on the length of alt text, many experts recommend 125 characters or fewer because of restrictions within the JAWS screen reader. Many versions of JAWS break up longer text tracts into blocks of 125 characters, which can be confusing to users.)

For more information please review the following posted by Google:
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/114016

Importing Your CSV File

• Navigate to Import & Export > Import Products

• Select Entity Type = Products
• Select Import Behavior = Replace Existing Complex Data
• Upload the file and click "Check Data"
• If the file passes the check, you can click the Import button.

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REPLACE COMPLEX DATA

This process will replace any data from the columns in the CSV. For this reason PLEASE BE SURE TO REMOVE ANY COLUMNS THAT ARE NOT LISTED BELOW:

• sku
• _media_image
• _media_attribute_id
• _media_label
• _media_title
• _media_position
• _media_disabled

Refresh Your Store And Verify The Import

Often after running imports you may need to Flush Cache and Re-Index (from the "Refresh" menu in the blue sidebar) to see your changes live. to see your changes live.

To verify the import was successful you can navigate to any product in Products > Product List, click on the product and in the Images section, click the gear Icon and select the "Change Image Label" option. This will open a window with the _media_label (Alt Tag) that you imported.