Start with what the image does
A campaign page can look clear while leaving an image link hard to understand. A photograph might open a volunteer application, a logo might return to the homepage, and a graphic might download a guide. Before describing the picture, work out what selecting it actually does.
W3C's functional image guidance says the text alternative for an image used as a link or button should communicate its purpose. For an image that opens an application, a useful name might be 'Apply to volunteer'. 'People around a table' describes the scene but leaves the action unexplained. Check the actual destination before choosing the wording.
Start with one page your organization already uses. List each image that people can select, its destination, and the text associated with it. This small inventory gives your reviewer something specific to inspect.
Source: W3C WAI: Functional Images.
Read the whole link together
The surrounding text matters. When an image and descriptive words share the same link, those words may already explain the destination. W3C shows that an image adding no further information can have an empty text alternative in that situation. This avoids repeating the same name. Ask the person maintaining the page to confirm how the image and text are connected.
Treat a separate image link as its own item during review. Words elsewhere on the page may look nearby without being part of that link. A useful review note identifies the image, the destination, and the proposed name, rather than simply asking someone to 'add accessibility'.
Source: W3C WAI: Functional Images.
Source: W3C WAI: Decorative Images.
Keep the information available in text
If a promotional graphic contains essential instructions, put those instructions into the page's ordinary text too. Decide which information belongs in the invitation and which belongs at the destination. A person should be able to understand what they are being offered without deciphering a tiny poster on a phone.
Avoid turning the image alternative into a second advertisement. Start with the action or destination, then include only information needed to distinguish it. If two images lead to different resources, give each a name that helps a reader choose the right one.
Check the finished page
Ask the page maintainer to review the implemented link names with keyboard and screen reader checks. Compare each announced name with what the destination actually offers. Also open the page on a phone and follow the links yourself. Record corrections against the specific image so the next editor can repeat the check.
This review covers a narrow part of accessibility; it does not certify the whole page. Finish with a short list of confirmed destinations and names that can travel with the campaign materials. Explore Snickerdoodle when you are ready to review the current offering.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked October 3, 2026 (UTC). This is our review date, not each source’s publication date.