Can search engines read alt text on my website images?

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

Two members report that search engines aren’t picking up the alt text on their Shopify sites’ images despite adding it and making adjustments.

Key requests and questions:

  • How to implement alt text in a way that search engines reliably read it, modeled after an example “skateboard” site provided via link.
  • Whether their current alt text might be hardcoded in the theme and, if so, how to modify it (they specifically ask if JSON can be used to change it).

Context and terms:

  • Alt text (alternative text) is the image attribute used by screen readers and search engines to understand image content; correct implementation is important for SEO and accessibility.
  • Links to their sites and a reference example are provided, but no code or screenshots are included.

Status and outcomes:

  • No solutions or confirmations yet on whether search engines can read their current alt attributes or how to adjust them within Shopify/JSON.
  • Discussion remains open with unresolved questions about proper implementation (hardcoded vs. dynamic) and the correct method to edit alt text.
Summarized with AI on January 24. AI used: gpt-5.
2

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to address the pressing issue I am facing with my website’s SEO and kindly request your assistance. Despite my diligent efforts to optimize the website by adding appropriate alt text to images, it appears that search engines are unable to read the alt text. I have thoroughly reviewed my website and made necessary adjustments, but the problem persists.

In light of this, I would greatly appreciate your guidance on implementing alt text similar to that used on other successful websites, like the one skateboard linked here [insert hyperlink]. Specifically, I am curious if my alt text is hardcoded and, if so, I would like to know how I can modify it using JSON. Any advice or suggestions you can provide would be immensely valuable to me in resolving this issue.

Thank you sincerely for taking the time to assist me with this problem. I am truly grateful for your support.