Short answer
Etsy alt text is a short description of what a listing photo shows, read aloud to buyers who can't see the image. Keep it under 250 characters, describe the visible product and the purpose of that specific photo, and don't paste a list of keywords. Your title and tags already carry the keywords.
What Etsy alt text is for
Alt text, which Etsy calls a text alternative, gives buyers who use screen readers a description of each listing photo. It is hidden on the page and read aloud when the image is reached. Etsy's guidance is to keep it brief and to make sure it would make sense to a blind or low-vision person hearing it read aloud. Etsy has said alt text is one of many factors in search placement, but its main job is to describe the image. Google gives the same advice for images on the web: write useful, descriptive alt text and avoid filling it with keywords.
Where to add alt text on Etsy
In Shop Manager, open Listings, choose the listing, select a photo, and enter the description in the alt text field, then save. You can add alt text for each photo separately. The field accepts up to 250 characters. Alt text is currently tied to shops whose default language is English, so check the listing editor if you don't see the field.
A simple formula
Write one or two plain sentences: what the product is, the visible detail that matters in this photo, and the context if it helps. Describe this specific photo, not the product in general. A close-up and a lifestyle shot of the same item should have different alt text.
- Product“Ceramic mug with a speckled cream glaze”
- Detail this photo shows“close-up of the unglazed foot ring and hand-painted blue rim”
- Context, if relevant“held in one hand to show size”
Good and bad examples
Good alt text describes what a sighted buyer would notice. Bad alt text repeats search phrases that don't describe the image. These examples use the table lamp from Lystiva's public method example.
- Good (hero)“Table lamp with a pear-shaped wood-grain base, brass neck, and tapered linen shade on a white background.”
- Good (detail)“Close-up of the lamp's brass neck where it meets the wood-grain base.”
- Good (context)“The same table lamp on a bedside table next to a stack of books, switched on.”
- Bad“Best table lamp gift bedside lamp unique lamp home decor lamp sale.” It repeats keywords and describes nothing.
- Bad“Solid walnut 40 cm dimmable lamp.” It states a material, height, and feature that the photo cannot show and the seller has not confirmed.
Keep facts in the listing, not the image description
Alt text should describe what is visible. Specifications such as exact dimensions, bulb type, wattage, metal purity, or care instructions belong in the description and attributes, where you can state them once you have confirmed them. If a photo changes, for example after you replace a draft image, update its alt text so it still matches what the buyer would see.
A quick review checklist
Before you save, read each description out loud and ask whether it tells someone what the image shows.
- Is it under 250 characters?
- Does it describe this photo rather than repeat the title?
- Does every detail actually appear in the image?
- Have you avoided keyword lists, prices, and promotional phrases?
- Does each photo in the listing have its own description?
Questions sellers ask
How long can Etsy alt text be?
Up to 250 characters per image. One or two short sentences is usually enough.
Does Etsy alt text help SEO?
Etsy has said alt text is one of many search placement factors. Its main purpose is accessibility, so write a description, not a keyword list.
Should every listing photo have different alt text?
Yes. Each photo shows something different, so each description should describe that photo, such as a close-up, a scale view, or a context scene.
What happens if I leave alt text empty?
The photo has no specific description for screen-reader users. Adding a short description for each image is the better experience for buyers.
Sources
Requirements change. These are the official pages this guide was checked against, so you can confirm the current rule yourself.