E-commerce Image Accessibility: Making Product Photos Inclusive

2026/01/30

Why Accessibility Matters

Over 1 billion people worldwide have some form of disability. Making your product images accessible is not just ethical — it expands your customer base and improves SEO.

Alt Text Best Practices

Write descriptive alt text for every product image. Describe the product, its color, material, and key features. Keep alt text under 125 characters. Avoid starting with "image of" or "photo of."

Color Contrast

Ensure sufficient contrast between product and background. Products on white backgrounds generally have good contrast. For colored backgrounds, test contrast ratios. Do not rely solely on color to convey information (like size options).

Image Size and Zoom

Provide high-resolution images that support zoom. Users with low vision rely on zoom to see product details. Use Pic1.ai to export at maximum resolution for zoom capability.

Inclusive Photography

Show products being used by diverse people when including lifestyle shots. Represent different body types, skin tones, ages, and abilities. This is both inclusive and good business — customers buy from brands they see themselves in.

Technical Implementation

Use semantic HTML for image galleries. Ensure keyboard navigation works for image carousels. Provide text alternatives for image-based information (like size charts). Test with screen readers to verify the shopping experience.

Pic1.ai Team