34 Comments
Have you gone to Bing and carried out a site audit...
Only to find it comes back with image alt text errors....
A member ( RussellGR) asked about this in live chat and at the time i couldn't answer him...
But with a bit of investigation i found i suffered with the same issue...
Solving it was not too much of a problem and i have passed the solution over to him, and he has implemented it... it has solved his issue...
As most websites will have this issue i though i would pass on the solution, as anything you can do to help the search engines and reduce your errors the better...
So within this training you can :
- Find out how toidentify if you have the issue
- get the snippet of code ( don't worry it is a simple solution)
- add the snippet to your site so you don't lose it....
- activate the snippet
- and check that it has solved the problem for you....
For those who don't want to watch the vieo or need a memory jog of what was shown...
visit
https://crunchify.com/are-you-missing-wordpress-gravatar-alt...
To get the snippet
Add the code snippets plugin
Add a new snippet
Give the snippet a title
Paste hte code into the snippets plugin
Activate the code
Check the code has worked on your site...
Click the like button and leave a comment...
Carry on with what you were doing ...
Oonly kidding about the comment, but if you want to leave a comment then please feel free to, if you have problems then ask questions...
So thanks go to Russell for highlighting this issue and the crunchify team for providing an elegant snippet - not so keen on their solution as adding code to the theme files is lost every time the theme is updated....
And thanks to you for going through the training, i hoped it helped solve a small part of your site audit issues...
apologies for any audio issues you have , since updating my computer i have not been happy with the audio quality and am seeking a solution...
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feigner
Premium
Thanks Jovo.....
yeah as you say the script needs to be active to add the alt text to new gravatar accounts...
i was discussing with Trish below about generatepress and looking into the hooks part ...
i don't have the premium version so can't try it out at the moment....
i did look into the fact that you can add php into the wp-head section and that should do the same thing...but without testing i cannot say for sure...
the other way is to run the script every few months or so to update hte gravatars depending on how many new comments you get...
yeah as you say the script needs to be active to add the alt text to new gravatar accounts...
i was discussing with Trish below about generatepress and looking into the hooks part ...
i don't have the premium version so can't try it out at the moment....
i did look into the fact that you can add php into the wp-head section and that should do the same thing...but without testing i cannot say for sure...
the other way is to run the script every few months or so to update hte gravatars depending on how many new comments you get...
jvranjes
Premium
Yes I have them in hundreds and have not been able to understand where they were coming because I have never added a picture without alt attributes. So I learned something important today.
Do not like yet another plugin but it worked so I shall leave it there. Tried with header and footer boxes that are already available in the Genesis Studio Press mother theme, but it resulted in the code appearing on the site, terrible.
Later, I shall see how it works with GeneratePress, I use their premium theme.
So thanks again.
Do not like yet another plugin but it worked so I shall leave it there. Tried with header and footer boxes that are already available in the Genesis Studio Press mother theme, but it resulted in the code appearing on the site, terrible.
Later, I shall see how it works with GeneratePress, I use their premium theme.
So thanks again.
feigner
Premium
i think google accepts it , but bing is a bit more basic - (if it is missing - it is missing...)
as i say above it is one more thing you can control on your site - there is so much you cannot, so we must try to do what we can...
the plugin is useful and i have ideas for other scripts....
as i say above it is one more thing you can control on your site - there is so much you cannot, so we must try to do what we can...
the plugin is useful and i have ideas for other scripts....
feigner
Premium
that one is more tricky to sort - it relates to the size of the html for the page...it shouldn't be a problem - but simpler smaller pages will improve the speed of your site...
if there is a lot of code at the top of your page ( in the head section) then the actual html for the page may not be cached...so will take longer to display...
it will still get indexed in bing
i think what bing wants is back to the old days where you had very little styling css on page or other coding for different functions and purely had html to dispaly the page... they really haven't moved forward too much in over 20 years...
maybe that is why they are lagging well behind google.....
if there is a lot of code at the top of your page ( in the head section) then the actual html for the page may not be cached...so will take longer to display...
it will still get indexed in bing
i think what bing wants is back to the old days where you had very little styling css on page or other coding for different functions and purely had html to dispaly the page... they really haven't moved forward too much in over 20 years...
maybe that is why they are lagging well behind google.....
feigner
Premium
one of those errors that can niggle at you and is something you can do somethign about...
worth doing Stephen....
As Russell said, it took a couple of minutes' - as long as you don't have the same issues as Trish...
let me know if you need any more info...and how you get on if you do it...
worth doing Stephen....
As Russell said, it took a couple of minutes' - as long as you don't have the same issues as Trish...
let me know if you need any more info...and how you get on if you do it...
RussellGr
Premium
Thanks for doing this for the community, Phil. I really appreciated your help with this... I didn't even realise you had remembered by question! I'm sure it will help others.
Am I right that adding the snippet to function.php is fine to do if you're using a child theme? Don't know if that would help @Triblu but just a thought.
Am I right that adding the snippet to function.php is fine to do if you're using a child theme? Don't know if that would help @Triblu but just a thought.
feigner
Premium
hi Russell....I am a techy...techy problems interest me....and it was a problem i had as well...
it was just a reminder that i needed to sort it out....so again thank you for bringing it up...
i hope it will help others, shame Trish is having a hard time implementing it....but will be interesting to find out what the issue is , if we can...
if you create a child theme then any files you create in the child part are not updated, but as one of the mian files is the functions.php and this is one that would normally be changed then it brings up a question of security....i don't konw enough yet to say that this way would be completely safe through out the life of the theme...but will dig in...
from a brief look it looks like you create a blank style.css and functions.php in the child theme rather than copying them from the master theme....then you add styling and functions t othese and they are merged with hte ones in the main theme files....
so yes this would work...as long as it doesn't clash with anything else in the theme or plugins code...
but only if you want ot be a programmer....
even generatepress advise the code snippets plugin if you are not using a child theme for adding php functions...
it was just a reminder that i needed to sort it out....so again thank you for bringing it up...
i hope it will help others, shame Trish is having a hard time implementing it....but will be interesting to find out what the issue is , if we can...
if you create a child theme then any files you create in the child part are not updated, but as one of the mian files is the functions.php and this is one that would normally be changed then it brings up a question of security....i don't konw enough yet to say that this way would be completely safe through out the life of the theme...but will dig in...
from a brief look it looks like you create a blank style.css and functions.php in the child theme rather than copying them from the master theme....then you add styling and functions t othese and they are merged with hte ones in the main theme files....
so yes this would work...as long as it doesn't clash with anything else in the theme or plugins code...
but only if you want ot be a programmer....
even generatepress advise the code snippets plugin if you are not using a child theme for adding php functions...
richardgb
Premium
Great timing, Phil.
I had an item on my things-to-do list which says "alt text for avatars". Now I've ticked it off with minimum effort. Thank you for the share... since I already use the Code Snippets plugin it took just 2 minutes to implement given your excellent instructions!
:-)
Richard
I had an item on my things-to-do list which says "alt text for avatars". Now I've ticked it off with minimum effort. Thank you for the share... since I already use the Code Snippets plugin it took just 2 minutes to implement given your excellent instructions!
:-)
Richard
feigner
Premium
Hi Richard, thanks for dropping by and i'm glad it worked for you...
it may be a little thing but will help with less seo errors....
as you say on the list of things to do....
so now one less....
it does work with either code snippets or headers and footers plugins....
glad you are sorted...
phil
it may be a little thing but will help with less seo errors....
as you say on the list of things to do....
so now one less....
it does work with either code snippets or headers and footers plugins....
glad you are sorted...
phil
Triblu
Premium
Hey Phil,
WOW, what a great idea. Love that Code Snippet that the Headers and Footers plugin have now included with their plugin. Saved me adding yet another plugin just to add snippets.
When following your instructions, I have a different outcome. See screen print below...
WOW, what a great idea. Love that Code Snippet that the Headers and Footers plugin have now included with their plugin. Saved me adding yet another plugin just to add snippets.
When following your instructions, I have a different outcome. See screen print below...
feigner
Premium
Hi Trish,
i thought it was a good idea when i came across the snippet...
but it doesn't appear to be working on your site... it is worth clearing any cache you have on your site- either as a plugin or within the wa - if you use the sitespeed function...
you are looking for the alt 'avatar for ......' and title' gravatar for .....' within the image field...
didn't know that headers and footers now included snippets... thanks for that...
just a note that this one was created using headers and footers setting the snippet to php and running everywhere...
i thought it was a good idea when i came across the snippet...
but it doesn't appear to be working on your site... it is worth clearing any cache you have on your site- either as a plugin or within the wa - if you use the sitespeed function...
you are looking for the alt 'avatar for ......' and title' gravatar for .....' within the image field...
didn't know that headers and footers now included snippets... thanks for that...
just a note that this one was created using headers and footers setting the snippet to php and running everywhere...
Triblu
Premium
Yes Phil, because you mentioned clearing the cache that was the first step I took when I saw that it wasn't working properly.
Huh, in checking the SAME page again... see screen prints below...
#1 the ALT tag is empty...
#2.the code is not liked by the Code Snippet plugin
Wondering why Code Preview shows there's an issue... I went to the All Snippets page and the Status appeared to be OFF. So, I switched it on, reloaded the page... and YIKES... check out screen print #3.
Not sure why it's not working for me. :-(
Huh, in checking the SAME page again... see screen prints below...
#1 the ALT tag is empty...
#2.the code is not liked by the Code Snippet plugin
Wondering why Code Preview shows there's an issue... I went to the All Snippets page and the Status appeared to be OFF. So, I switched it on, reloaded the page... and YIKES... check out screen print #3.
Not sure why it's not working for me. :-(
feigner
Premium
i did go away and try it with headers and footers on a different site and did set it to php
but i then turned it on where it is shown in screen print 1 rather than in screen print 2...
i found it switched off automatically in screen print 2 without a warning but turning it on in inside the snippet worked...
weird i know
but i then turned it on where it is shown in screen print 1 rather than in screen print 2...
i found it switched off automatically in screen print 2 without a warning but turning it on in inside the snippet worked...
weird i know
feigner
Premium
was hopeful Trish, but it may be clashing with something else on your site...
real shame...
but at least it has given you the alt" " which will stop bing throwing up an error for those gravatars...
but strange it doesn't add the title tag...
maybe take that out and see if that works...
maybe clashing with your theme....
it would be interesting to see if it works with the code snippets plugin - as a temporary addition...
real shame...
but at least it has given you the alt" " which will stop bing throwing up an error for those gravatars...
but strange it doesn't add the title tag...
maybe take that out and see if that works...
maybe clashing with your theme....
it would be interesting to see if it works with the code snippets plugin - as a temporary addition...
feigner
Premium
it does make me wonder whether it is clashing with another plugin as none of the themes hooks are named similar....
i don't use generatepress as i found the free version very limiting and i would have had to upgrade to premium to get the level of customization other themes allow for free...
but even they advise the use of code snippets for adding php functions...
i take it you do know that you could use the hooks to add the code to hte head section and hte footer section...getting rid of the need for the headers and footers plugin...
i don't use generatepress as i found the free version very limiting and i would have had to upgrade to premium to get the level of customization other themes allow for free...
but even they advise the use of code snippets for adding php functions...
i take it you do know that you could use the hooks to add the code to hte head section and hte footer section...getting rid of the need for the headers and footers plugin...
Triblu
Premium
Yes Phil, I did purchase GeneratePress that's why I said "premium", and it is soooo worth it for me as the customizing and help Tom's staff has provided for me makes their theme walk circles around the ThriveThemes I used to use.
I did use the Code Snippets but when Google came out with their newer version of Analytics, the hook didn't work for me on one site, so I used the headers and footers... PLUS, I USED to have my sites all ADA Compliant... until THAT vendor deserted his platform that I had paid for. Grrrrr...
Just another reason I do NOT like depending on one developer like the ADA Comply vendor. Don't think I'll ever trust that vendor again. I pity those who had paying customers for that option. Thankfully I didn't feel confident enough to even mention THAT option to my clients.
Thanks for all you help. I may revisit removing the headers and footers at a later date. Not sure yet, as they migrated the Code Snippets that I created to their Code Snippets part of their new, all inclusive plugin.
I did use the Code Snippets but when Google came out with their newer version of Analytics, the hook didn't work for me on one site, so I used the headers and footers... PLUS, I USED to have my sites all ADA Compliant... until THAT vendor deserted his platform that I had paid for. Grrrrr...
Just another reason I do NOT like depending on one developer like the ADA Comply vendor. Don't think I'll ever trust that vendor again. I pity those who had paying customers for that option. Thankfully I didn't feel confident enough to even mention THAT option to my clients.
Thanks for all you help. I may revisit removing the headers and footers at a later date. Not sure yet, as they migrated the Code Snippets that I created to their Code Snippets part of their new, all inclusive plugin.
feigner
Premium
must admit i should upgrade at least one of my themes to a premium version...
i do like the idea of being able to use the hooks easily...
so it is probably between GP and Kadence or neve....
yeah i almost bought into the ADA until i looked into it - the cost effective software i bought probably has gone now...these things have a lifetime of less than two years now...
i dislike the online software as it is so easy for them to abandon it and leave us in the lurch...but that is the way of the world nowadays...
headers and footers has changed since i last used it a few years ago ... must have another look at it...
it is a shame this didn't work seamlessly for you Trish..
i do like the idea of being able to use the hooks easily...
so it is probably between GP and Kadence or neve....
yeah i almost bought into the ADA until i looked into it - the cost effective software i bought probably has gone now...these things have a lifetime of less than two years now...
i dislike the online software as it is so easy for them to abandon it and leave us in the lurch...but that is the way of the world nowadays...
headers and footers has changed since i last used it a few years ago ... must have another look at it...
it is a shame this didn't work seamlessly for you Trish..
Triblu
Premium
I'm thankful that you found a workaround that other can use Phil.
In the meantime, I'll pray that WordPress pulls up the socks and starts improving what IS instead of reinventing their Dashboard again in the near future. Their new Block Editor is NOT as impressive as many think it is.
In the meantime, I'll pray that WordPress pulls up the socks and starts improving what IS instead of reinventing their Dashboard again in the near future. Their new Block Editor is NOT as impressive as many think it is.
feigner
Premium
it was the first one i went to....
i agree with wordpress now being worse than it was...
adding affiliate links as images or amazon text and graphics is a right pain now with hte block editor....
i do like the block editor for creating pages but not for 'normal' blogging...but it is what is there...
i still create offline with web content studio and paste into a new post....
there is a lot still wrong with wordpress - the block editor being one...
i was going to try oxygenbuilder which only pulls in what is absolutely required from wordpress....
speed is not an issue with that builder...
i agree with wordpress now being worse than it was...
adding affiliate links as images or amazon text and graphics is a right pain now with hte block editor....
i do like the block editor for creating pages but not for 'normal' blogging...but it is what is there...
i still create offline with web content studio and paste into a new post....
there is a lot still wrong with wordpress - the block editor being one...
i was going to try oxygenbuilder which only pulls in what is absolutely required from wordpress....
speed is not an issue with that builder...
Triblu
Premium
Sounds like you may be onto something with OxygenBuilder then Phil. Do keep us all posted on that one, should you decide to take it for a test run.
I too still create my content offline and then copy and paste it into WordPress. Their block editor requires a LOT more clicks now to do what I used to be able to do with ONE click when using the Classic Editor HTML option.
I too still create my content offline and then copy and paste it into WordPress. Their block editor requires a LOT more clicks now to do what I used to be able to do with ONE click when using the Classic Editor HTML option.