How to Automatically Add Image Alt Text in WordPress with AI

Why Alt Text Matters for Your Website

Alt text makes your website easier to use for everyone, especially for those using screen readers. It also helps search engines understand your content, which can boost your rankings in image and web searches.

• Improves SEO: Descriptive alt text tells search engines what your images show.
• Increases accessibility: Screen readers rely on alt text to describe visual content.
• Better user experience: When images fail to load, alt text gives context.

But writing this text for hundreds of images? That’s time-consuming—until now.

AI Tools Make Alt Text Fast and Easy

Manually adding image descriptions is a huge task, especially for content-heavy sites. By using AI, you save hours, stay consistent, and don’t miss a single image.

We help clients implement smart automation tools, saving them time and increasing SEO performance dramatically. Contact us to get started.

There are two smart ways to generate alt text using AI in WordPress—one is premium with more features, while the other is free with daily limits. Let’s walk through both.

Method 1: Use AltText.ai with WordPress (Best for Large Sites)

AltText.ai is a powerful WordPress plugin that automatically writes alt text, captions, and even titles for your images using AI.

It works in 130+ languages and allows you to choose different writing styles like concise, standard, or elaborate.

Setup Steps

1. Visit AltText.ai and sign up for the free trial.
2. Create an API key in your account dashboard.
3. Install and activate the free Alt Text AI plugin from the WordPress plugin directory.
4. Paste your API key into the Alt Text AI settings inside WordPress.
5. Choose your language, writing style, and enable automation.

Features to Enable for Best Results

• Auto-generate alt text when new images are uploaded.
• Insert SEO keywords using your content’s focus keyphrases.
• Optional: Generate image titles and captions too.

Want to update existing images?

Use the Bulk Generate feature to scan your media library and fill in missing alt text with one click.

We can set up and customize the AltText.ai system for your WordPress site in one business day. Request a free quote.

Method 2: Use the Free AI for SEO Plugin

Using a tight budget? No problem. The AI for SEO plugin helps generate alt text and more with 5 free image credits daily.

Key Features

• Generate alt text, titles, captions, and descriptions.
• Works inside your Media Library—no need to leave WordPress.
• Supports multiple languages.

Setup Steps

1. Install and activate the AI for SEO plugin.
2. Go to the plugin settings and check the boxes for the fields you want to generate.
3. Choose your preferred language.
4. In the Media Library, pick an image and click “Generate With AI”.

You can regenerate alt text if the result isn’t perfect. Just click again for fresh AI output until you’re satisfied.

Bonus: Use Image SEO Tools to Maximize Results

Want even more value from your images? Combine AI tools with plugins like All in One SEO (AIOSEO) for advanced image SEO.

• Use dynamic tags for your image alt attributes.
• Automatically generate image XML sitemaps.
• Integrate branded metadata for better search engine recognition.

These tools help search engines index your images so they can rank on platforms like Google Images. Explore our full SEO services for more easy wins like this.

Final Thoughts: Start Automating Your Image Alt Text

Adding alt text doesn’t have to be a chore. With the help of AI, you can make your images accessible, improve SEO, and save hours doing it.

Whether you’re using a premium tool like AltText.ai or a free plugin, the key is to get started today.

Need help configuring AI-powered tools on your WordPress site? Contact us today for expert assistance.