Which option best describes the primary purpose of ALT text in newsletter images?

• A. A text description for accessibility and when images are blocked
• B. Decorative filler with no purpose
• C. A replacement for the image
• D. A method to track clicks

Answer: (A)

ALT text is about making images understandable without relying on them visually. In a newsletter, its main job is to provide a concise description that screen readers can read aloud for subscribers who can’t see the image, and to give a meaningful cue when images are blocked by email clients. This ensures the message or function of the image is still clear even if the image doesn’t load.

The idea of ALT text being decorative filler isn’t accurate; while truly decorative images can have empty ALT text to avoid noise, ALT text itself has a purposeful role. It isn’t a replacement for the image—the description complements the visual content and helps convey what the image represents. It also isn’t a method for tracking clicks; ALT text is about accessibility and fallback clarity, not analytics.