When to use an image

Everything you add to your practice website needs to earn its place. Visitors are often in a hurry, distressed or anxious to get help. Adding images that don't enhance communication may present an unnecessary barrier for visitors to negotiate.

Don't forget visitors to your website might be using assistive technology to read out the text on the page. English may not be their first language. Images can be distracting or worse, misleading if not carefully considered.

Some good reasons to add an image

1. An image of a charity logo linked to that charity website will help patients recognise that charity elsewhere and would be a useful addition to your website.
2. A photograph of a team member would help a patient identify a clinician
3. A photograph of your disabled access might reassure a visitor with a physical disability

Some bad reasons to add an image

1. A decorative banner to "brighten up" a page
2. A photograph of an alarm clock on your opening hours page
3. A photograph of a document (information in a photograph can be invisible to a visitor with visual impairments using screen reading technology)

Alternative text

Always add alternative text (sometimes called alt text) when adding images. Alternative text describes the purpose, content or function of an image.