How to make image-based clinic information readable to search engines

1. Put the information patients need in the body of the page

When a check-in deadline appears only in an announcement image, patients may struggle to copy it or read it on a small screen. Put clinic hours, the phone number, the address, and what to bring to a first visit in text. Use photos and diagrams to illustrate spaces and procedures.

The surrounding title and copy should show why an image is there. For example, add the entrance photo to the directions and describe it as ‘the entrance to the left of the elevator in the first-floor lobby.’

2. Write alt text based on what the image does

Briefly describe what an informational photo shows. For purely decorative images, use empty alt text so screen readers skip redundant content. You do not need to repeat the same location and service keywords on every photo.

For a photo that explains how to enter the car park, describe the visible sign or driveway a patient should look for. If the body copy already conveys the photo’s meaning, avoid repeating it in a way that interrupts reading.

3. Check size and speed on a phone

If patients must zoom in on text inside an image to read it, move the essential line into the page body. Serve files sized for their rendered width and check on a phone whether important images near the top load slowly. Before publication, also confirm permissions and check whether photos contain personal information.