# **🔍 Why Alt Text Quality Can Vary**

OTTO generates alt text by analysing the image file itself alongside the surrounding page context — including the page title, headings, and body copy. When any of these inputs are incomplete or ambiguous, the quality of the suggestion can drop. Understanding the root causes helps you get consistently strong results.

Common reasons for inconsistent alt text include:

- **Generic or unclear image file names** — files named **IMG\_4892.jpg** or **photo1.png** give OTTO very little to work with.
- **Low page context** — pages with thin content, missing headings, or no clear topic make it harder for OTTO to infer what an image represents.
- **Mixed image types on one page** — decorative images, product shots, and infographics all require different alt text approaches, and a mixed batch can produce uneven outputs.
- **Images with embedded text** — screenshots, banners, or graphics containing text are harder for OTTO to interpret accurately without additional context.
- **Very small or low-resolution images** — OTTO has less visual data to analyse, which can lead to vague suggestions.

# **🛠️ How to Improve Alt Text Consistency**

Follow these steps to give OTTO the best possible inputs before generating or regenerating alt text.

1. **Rename image files descriptively before uploading.** Use short, keyword-relevant names such as **red-running-shoes-side-view.jpg** instead of generic strings. This single change has the biggest impact on output quality.
2. **Ensure the page has sufficient content.** Navigate to **OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation)** (URL: **/seo-automation-v3**) and check that the target page has a clear H1, at least one H2, and a descriptive body paragraph before running OTTO.
3. **Separate image batches by type.** If a page contains both decorative and informational images, process them in separate OTTO sessions. This helps the model apply the correct descriptive style to each group.
4. **Add a manual hint in the image title or caption field.** Where your CMS allows it, fill in the image title or caption before triggering OTTO. These fields are read as additional context.
5. **Regenerate suggestions individually for outliers.** After a bulk run, review each suggestion. For any that look off, select that image individually and regenerate. A single-image pass gives OTTO a more focused context window.

# **✅ How to Review and Edit Alt Text in OTTO**

Once OTTO has generated suggestions, you can review and refine them directly inside the platform.

1. Go to **OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation)** (URL: **/seo-automation-v3**).
2. Select the relevant site and open the page you want to review.
3. Locate the **Images** section within the OTTO recommendations panel.
4. Click on any alt text suggestion to open the inline editor.
5. Make your edits and click **Save** to apply the change before deploying.

Always aim for alt text that is descriptive, under 125 characters, and relevant to both the image and the page topic. Avoid keyword stuffing — natural, readable descriptions perform better for both accessibility and SEO.

# **💡 Best Practices for Long-Term Consistency**

- **Establish an image naming convention** across your team before assets are uploaded to your CMS.
- **Run OTTO on pages that are content-complete** — avoid generating alt text on draft or placeholder pages.
- **Review OTTO suggestions before deploying** rather than auto-applying in bulk, especially for e-commerce product images where accuracy is critical.
- **Re-run OTTO after major page content updates** — if the page topic changes, existing alt text may no longer be contextually accurate.

# **🆘 Still Seeing Inconsistent Results?**

If you have followed the steps above and OTTO is still producing low-quality alt text for specific images, it may indicate an issue with how those images are indexed or served on your site. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.