Executes Medium All plans Not yet verified on a live store

Write Alt Text for Product Images

/alt-text  Finds product images with missing or poor alt text and writes descriptive, keyword-aware alt text for approval.

Add to Sidekick

Add opens your Shopify admin with the skill prefilled; review it there and click Add. If nothing appears, use Copy and follow the steps below.

The skill

Suggested shortcut: /alt-text
Fix alt text on my product images.

## Steps
1. List active products and their images, with existing alt text. Flag images where alt text is empty, identical to the product title, identical across several images, or a file name.
2. For each flagged image, write alt text of 8 to 16 words that describes what is visible: product, colour or material, angle or context. Include the product type naturally. Never start with "image of" or "photo of".
3. Where several images belong to one product, make each alt text different (front view, detail, in use, packaging).
4. Show the proposed alt text in a table: product, image position, current alt, new alt. Ask for approval. Only after a clear yes, apply the changes.

## Output
A count of images checked and flagged, then the table, then "Apply these alt texts?"

Do not describe anything you cannot infer from the product data and image file name. If unsure, write a generic but accurate line and mark it "check".
How to add it to Sidekick
  1. Click Add to Sidekick above. Your Shopify admin opens with the skill ready to review. Click Add. Done.
  2. If the button does nothing in your store: click Copy skill, open Sidekick in your admin, type /, choose Create new skill, name the shortcut alt-text, paste the text as the instructions, and save.
  3. To run it, type /alt-text in Sidekick. Sidekick keeps up to 25 skills; manage yours from the skills menu.

What you get

Every product image gets a distinct, accurate alt attribute. Screen readers and image search both benefit, and you never write “front-view-final-v2.jpg” as alt text again.

When to use it

Once for the existing catalog, then monthly for new products. Combine with /meta-tags for a full on-page pass.

Variations

  • “Only products added in the last 30 days” for maintenance runs.
  • “Use British spelling” or “Include the brand name once per product”.

Limits

Sidekick’s view of images is limited. Rows marked “check” need a human glance before approval.

Status: Written for Sidekick but not yet run on a live store. Results may need a second prompt. Time saved: about 2 hours / catalog.

Author: MerchantSkill · License: CC0, no attribution needed · Updated: 19 Sept 2026 · Raw markdown

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