Alt text is one of the most overlooked settings on Instagram, and one of the easiest wins for any Charleston business. It takes about thirty seconds per post, it makes your content accessible to people who use screen readers, and it gives Instagram more context about what your image shows. In this how-to guide, we walk through exactly how we write alt text for our clients and the mistakes to avoid.
What Alt Text Is and Why It Matters
Alt text, short for alternative text, is a written description of an image. People who are blind or have low vision use screen readers that read alt text aloud, so they can understand what's in a photo they can't see. Without it, a screen reader may only say "photo" or offer a vague auto-generated guess.
Instagram creates automatic alt text, but it's often generic, along the lines of "may be an image of one or more people and outdoors." That tells a reader almost nothing about your waterfront patio, your new menu or your boutique's fall collection. Writing your own alt text is a simple way to make your brand more welcoming to everyone.
There's a discoverability angle too. Instagram has said it uses a variety of signals to understand content, and social platforms are increasingly functioning like search engines. A clear, accurate description helps platforms understand your post. Just remember that accessibility is the primary purpose. Any search benefit is a bonus, not the goal.
How to Add Alt Text on Instagram
When you're creating a new post, after choosing your image and editing it, look for the advanced settings at the bottom of the caption screen. There you'll find an option for accessibility where you can write custom alt text for each image. In a carousel, you can add a description for every slide.
For posts that are already live, open the post, tap the three dots, choose edit, and look for the option to edit alt text on the image. It's worth going back and updating your most important evergreen posts, like pinned posts and top-performing photos.
A Simple Formula for Good Alt Text
We use a straightforward formula: describe the subject, the action or detail, and the setting. Keep it to one or two sentences.
Weak: "Restaurant photo."
Better: "A plate of shrimp and grits with a lemon wedge on a marble bar top."
Best: "A plate of shrimp and grits topped with scallions on a marble bar, with a sunlit window and King Street storefronts in the background."
Notice that the best version names a real place naturally because it's actually in the image. That's the right way to include local detail: only when it's accurate and helpful.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake is keyword stuffing, writing something like "Charleston restaurant best Charleston food Charleston SC brunch." That's useless to someone using a screen reader and looks spammy. Other mistakes include starting with "image of" or "picture of" (screen readers already announce that it's an image), repeating the caption word for word, and leaving out text that appears in the graphic itself.
If your image includes text, such as a promo graphic announcing your holiday hours, include that text in the alt description. Otherwise, people using screen readers miss the main message of the post entirely.
Alt Text for Different Types of Content
Product photos should mention the item, color, material and any standout detail: "A woven straw tote with leather handles on a white linen bench." Team photos should describe who's pictured and what they're doing: "Three members of our team laughing around a conference table in our Mount Pleasant office." Scenic and drone shots can describe the landmark and the view: "Aerial view of the Ravenel Bridge at sunset over the Cooper River." For video Reels, focus on captions instead, because accurate on-screen captions do the same accessibility job for moving content.
Make It a Habit
The easiest way to stay consistent is to write alt text at the same time you write the caption. If you use a scheduling tool, check whether it supports alt text fields so descriptions go out with every post. Many of our clients add an "alt text" column right in their content calendar so it's never forgotten. Apply the same habit to your website images, Facebook posts and LinkedIn, all of which support custom descriptions.
Let Us Handle the Details
At Palm Social, we manage social media for Charleston businesses from strategy to captions to accessibility details like alt text, so every post is polished, inclusive and working for your brand. If you'd like a team that sweats the small stuff for you, we're here.
Ready to elevate your Charleston business on social media? Palm Social is here to help — visit thepalm.social to get started.
