Skip to content
    Moz logo Menu open Menu close
    • Products
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Pro Home
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Home
      • STAT
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Home
      • Compare SEO Products
      • Moz Data
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis
      • Keyword Explorer
      • Link Explorer
      • Competitive Research
      • MozBar
      • More Free SEO Tools
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO
      • SEO Learning Center
      • Moz Academy
      • MozCon
      • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Digital Marketers
      • Agency Solutions
      • Enterprise Solutions
      • Small Business Solutions
      • The Moz Story
      • New Releases
    • Log in
    • Log out
    • Products
      • Moz Pro

        Your all-in-one suite of SEO essentials.

      • Moz Local

        Raise your local SEO visibility with complete local SEO management.

      • STAT

        SERP tracking and analytics for enterprise SEO experts.

      • Moz API

        Power your SEO with our index of over 44 trillion links.

      • Compare SEO Products

        See which Moz SEO solution best meets your business needs.

      • Moz Data

        Power your SEO strategy & AI models with custom data solutions.

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
      Moz Pro

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

      Learn more
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis

        Get top competitive SEO metrics like DA, top pages and more.

      • Keyword Explorer

        Find traffic-driving keywords with our 1.25 billion+ keyword index.

      • Link Explorer

        Explore over 40 trillion links for powerful backlink data.

      • Competitive Research

        Uncover valuable insights on your organic search competitors.

      • MozBar

        See top SEO metrics for free as you browse the web.

      • More Free SEO Tools

        Explore all the free SEO tools Moz has to offer.

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
      Moz Pro

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

      Learn more
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO

        The #1 most popular introduction to SEO, trusted by millions.

      • SEO Learning Center

        Broaden your knowledge with SEO resources for all skill levels.

      • On-Demand Webinars

        Learn modern SEO best practices from industry experts.

      • How-To Guides

        Step-by-step guides to search success from the authority on SEO.

      • Moz Academy

        Upskill and get certified with on-demand courses & certifications.

      • MozCon

        Save on Early Bird tickets and join us in London or New York City

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
      Moz API

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

      Find your plan
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Digital Marketers

        Simplify SEO tasks to save time and grow your traffic.

      • Small Business Solutions

        Uncover insights to make smarter marketing decisions in less time.

      • Agency Solutions

        Earn & keep valuable clients with unparalleled data & insights.

      • Enterprise Solutions

        Gain a competitive edge in the ever-changing world of search.

      • The Moz Story

        Moz was the first & remains the most trusted SEO company.

      • New Releases

        Get the scoop on the latest and greatest from Moz.

      Surface actionable competitive intel
      New Feature

      Surface actionable competitive intel

      Learn More
    • Log in
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Dashboard
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Dashboard
      • Moz Academy
    • Avatar
      • Moz Home
      • Notifications
      • Account & Billing
      • Manage Users
      • Community Profile
      • My Q&A
      • My Videos
      • Log Out

    The Moz Q&A Forum

    • Forum
    • Questions
    • Users
    • Ask the Community

    Welcome to the Q&A Forum

    Browse the forum for helpful insights and fresh discussions about all things SEO.

    1. Home
    2. SEO Tactics
    3. Intermediate & Advanced SEO
    4. When using ALT tags - are spaces, hyphens or underscores preferred by Google when using multiple words?

    Moz Q&A is closed.

    After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.

    When using ALT tags - are spaces, hyphens or underscores preferred by Google when using multiple words?

    Intermediate & Advanced SEO
    11
    14
    35237
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as question
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with question management privileges can see it.
    • BrooklynCruiser
      BrooklynCruiser last edited by

      when plugging ALT tags into images, does Google prefer spaces, hyphens, or underscores?  I know with filenames, hyphens or underscores are preferred and spaces are replaced with %20.

      Thoughts?

      Thanks!

      sierragarcia 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
      • sierragarcia
        sierragarcia @BrooklynCruiser last edited by

        When using ALT tags for images, it's generally best to use hyphens to separate multiple words in the text. Google and other search engines tend to interpret hyphens as word separators, which can help improve the accessibility and SEO of your web content. While underscores can also be used, hyphens are the more widely accepted and recommended practice. Spaces should be avoided, as they might not work as expected in all situations, as you mentioned, they can be replaced with "%20" in URLs. Using hyphens in ALT tags ensures better readability and consistency.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • educationedge012
          educationedge012 last edited by

          Google prefers hyphens (-) as word separators in ALT tags when using multiple words. Using hyphens helps improve the readability and search engine optimization of the ALT text for images. For example, if you have an image related to project management professionals, it's better to use "project-management-professionals" in the ALT tag rather than spaces or underscores. This practice helps search engines understand the content of the image more accurately. (PMP Exam Prep) (Project Management Professional)

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Moodesburn1991
            Moodesburn1991 last edited by

            When it comes to using multiple words in ALT tags, there isn't a strict preference by Google for specific characters like spaces, hyphens, or underscores. Google's algorithms are designed to understand various formats and interpret them accordingly. However, it is generally recommended to use hyphens or underscores to separate multiple words in ALT tags, as they can improve readability for both search engines and users. Using either hyphens or underscores creates distinct word boundaries and makes it easier for search engines like Google to recognize and index the content accurately. Ultimately, the most important aspect is to provide descriptive and relevant ALT text to enhance accessibility and user experience.

            i am also researching ai at the moment to help me with tech stuff reading this blog

            https://givevaluefirst.com/artificial-intelligence-for-dummies/

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • Abbasdms
              Abbasdms last edited by

              Google prefers hyphens to spaces or underscores in alt tags when using multiple words. This is because hyphens are more descriptive and easier for screen readers to understand.

              For example, the alt text "black cat" is more descriptive and informative than "black_cat" or "black cat".

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • MOODYBUTTAR
                MOODYBUTTAR last edited by

                Google recommends using hyphens (-) to separate words in ALT tags when using multiple words. This helps improve the accessibility and SEO of your images by making them more readable and understandable for both search engines and users.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • gravymatt-se
                  gravymatt-se Subscriber @Alex-Harford last edited by

                  YES!!!!

                  Always use lowercase for filenames because if you use Upper and Lower (sometimes called camel case) for your internal and menu linking Google will crawl it and index the U&l. Then the fun begins when you have to match your sitemap to that!

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • rhutchings
                    rhutchings last edited by

                    1. File names- always use the hyphen.

                    2. Alt Text - use spaces and normal word structure.  Ryan is correct on the technical intent behind the alt tag, but it can also be a good SEO tool, and you should treat those as exact phrase keywords.  So nobody is searching for "city-bikes", they are searching for "city bikes".  The alt tag should be what the user will put into google.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                    • Alex-Harford
                      Alex-Harford @BrooklynCruiser last edited by

                      Yes, use hyphens for filenames, and lower case.

                      gravymatt-se 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • BrooklynCruiser
                        BrooklynCruiser @BrooklynCruiser last edited by

                        Thanks Ryan- so as with filenames, is it advantageous to us:

                        City-Bikes

                        or

                        City Bikes

                        with filenames, I am told preference is for city-bikes.jpg rather than "city bikes.jpg"

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • RyanKent
                          RyanKent @BrooklynCruiser last edited by

                          Ryan, it depends on your site design but you are correct.

                          Link Titles will appear when you hover your mouse over the link.

                          Alt tags are designed to display a text description for those who cannot see the image, such as visually impaired readers or crawlers. You can simply type as you would normally with spaces.

                          Alt tags do have a SEO significance, as do the image's file name. Both can be used to associate keywords or phrases with your web page, as well as the image search vertical.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • James77
                            James77 @BrooklynCruiser last edited by

                            It will probably show the link title if the image is wrapped in a link tag and you have no alt tag. Alt tags do have SEO significance - and they do show when you hover on an image. Use normal text

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • BrooklynCruiser
                              BrooklynCruiser @James77 last edited by

                              I am confused - I thought what you see when you hover is the Link Title - at least that's how my site has been functioning.

                              Does alt tag on images not have any SEO significance?

                              James77 RyanKent BrooklynCruiser Alex-Harford 4 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • James77
                                James77 last edited by

                                The Alt tag is primarily there for usaility - ie when you hover the user can see the alt information. Therefore write how you would write normal text

                                BrooklynCruiser 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote -1
                                • 1 / 1
                                • First post
                                  Last post

                                Got a burning SEO question?

                                Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.


                                Start my free trial


                                Browse Questions

                                Explore more categories

                                • Moz Tools

                                  Chat with the community about the Moz tools.

                                • SEO Tactics

                                  Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers

                                • Community

                                  Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!

                                • Digital Marketing

                                  Chat about tactics outside of SEO

                                • Research & Trends

                                  Dive into research and trends in the search industry.

                                • Support

                                  Connect on product support and feature requests.

                                • See all categories

                                Related Questions

                                • lcourse

                                  Capitalization of first letter of each word in meta description. Catches more attention, but may this lead to google ignoring the meta description then more frequently?

                                  Capitalization of first letter of each word in meta description. Catches more attention, but may this lead to google ignoring the meta description then more frequently? Same for an occasional capitalized FREE in meta description. Anybody had experience with this?

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | lcourse
                                  1
                                • Hall.Michael

                                  How to setup multiple pages in Google Search?

                                  How to setup multiple pages in Google Search? I have seen sites that are arranged in google like : Website in Google
                                                 About us.        Contact us
                                                 Services.         Etc.. Kindly review screenshot. Is this can achieved by Yoast Plugin? X9vMMTw.png

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | Hall.Michael
                                  0
                                • edward-may

                                  Ranking on google but not Bing?

                                  Any reason why I could be ranking for Google but not Bing?  

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | edward-may
                                  0
                                • SEOBirmingham81

                                  <aside>Tag Use</aside>

                                  Hi Guys, Just after some clarification - I have recently been told that by placing content in <aside></aside> tags spiders will ignore the content. Is this the case? I always thought that content placed in these tags was to identify related content. To put the query into some context, we have the same content on multiple pages on a site, which is relevant to the main body copy - but could throw up duplicate content issues... Thanks in advance.

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | SEOBirmingham81
                                  1
                                • Zanox

                                  If a website Uses <select>to dropdown some choices, will Google see every option as Content Or Hyperlink?</select>

                                  If a website Uses <select>  to dropdown some choices, will Google see every option as Content Or Hyperlink?</select>

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | Zanox
                                  0
                                • JohnPeters

                                  H2 Tag Backlink - is this safe?

                                  I have found that my site is getting a link from a good site, but my concern is that the link is in a H2 tag in the footer of the front page of the site Would getting a link from a site wrapped in H2 tags be safe? The anchor is my sites brand name

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | JohnPeters
                                  0
                                • mjk26

                                  tags inside <a>tags - is this bad?</a>

                                  Hi, I'm currently redesigning my website, and in many places, I've now decided to make links a little bit more obvious for the user, using tags within a <a>tag in order to make the entire block of text clickable.  I was just wondering if this could have a negative impact in the search engines.  My gut feeling is no, since I'm actually improving usability, but I guess it could have an impact on how Google looks at the anchor text?  An example of the HTML is as follows: </a> <a></a> <a></a> [Cristal Night Club Hotels <address>1045 5th Street
                                  Miami Beach, FL33139</address> 6.4 miles from Miami Dade County Auditorium](http://localhost:8080/frontend/venue-hotels/cristal-night-club-hotels/301022 "Hotels near Cristal Night Club") Thanks for your thoughts and comments, Best wishes Mike

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | mjk26
                                  0
                                • BeytzNet

                                  Should I use both Google and Bing's Webmaster Tools at the same time?

                                  Hi All, Up till now I've been registered only to Google WMT. Do you recommend using at the same time Bing's WMT? Thanks

                                  Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | BeytzNet
                                  0

                                Get started with Moz Pro!

                                Unlock the power of advanced SEO tools and data-driven insights.

                                Start my free trial
                                Products
                                • Moz Pro
                                • Moz Local
                                • Moz API
                                • Moz Data
                                • STAT
                                • Product Updates
                                Moz Solutions
                                • SMB Solutions
                                • Agency Solutions
                                • Enterprise Solutions
                                Free SEO Tools
                                • Domain Authority Checker
                                • Link Explorer
                                • Keyword Explorer
                                • Competitive Research
                                • Brand Authority Checker
                                • Local Citation Checker
                                • MozBar Extension
                                • MozCast
                                Resources
                                • Blog
                                • SEO Learning Center
                                • Help Hub
                                • Beginner's Guide to SEO
                                • How-to Guides
                                • Moz Academy
                                • API Docs
                                About Moz
                                • About
                                • Team
                                • Careers
                                • Contact
                                Why Moz
                                • Case Studies
                                • Testimonials
                                Get Involved
                                • Become an Affiliate
                                • MozCon
                                • Webinars
                                • Practical Marketer Series
                                • MozPod
                                Connect with us

                                Contact the Help team

                                Join our newsletter
                                Moz logo
                                © 2021 - 2025 SEOMoz, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved. Moz is a registered trademark of SEOMoz, Inc.
                                • Accessibility
                                • Terms of Use
                                • Privacy

                                Looks like your connection to Moz was lost, please wait while we try to reconnect.