[CMS] Máximum characters length in picture ALT tag

[manebe]

Do not know exactly why, cannot limit the máximum characters in picture ALT tag.
I am trying by this command “Caption Preview Length” in "User Profile: Album Options", that is "The amount of characters from a picture's caption that will be shown when a user hovers over the picture."

¿Is this a bug or am I doing something wrong ?

Thanks
manebe
vB 4.1.0 Patch Level 2.

[manebe]

Nobody knows why this could happen ?

That is really bad for SEO,
you know search engine do no like more than 6 - 9 words in ALT attribute.

As far as a user put a wide description text for his pic,
ALT atribute is getting the whole text !

Ridiculous and poor for SEO: those pics with a wide ALT text will be considered just spam !

No way to fix it ?

Have been looking at the template (album_pictureview), the code is this:

        <vb:if condition="$show['picture_nav']">
            <div id="picturelink"><a href="album.php?{vb:raw session.sessionurl}albumid={vb:raw albuminfo.albumid}&amp;attachmentid={vb:raw pic_location.next_attachmentid}" title="{vb:rawphrase show_next_picture}"><img src="attachment.php?attachmentid={vb:raw pictureinfo.attachmentid}&amp;d={vb:raw pictureinfo.dateline}" alt="{vb:raw pictureinfo.caption_censored}" /></a></div>
        <vb:else />
            <div id="picturelink"><img src="attachment.php?{vb:raw session.sessionurl}attachmentid={vb:raw pictureinfo.attachmentid}&amp;d={vb:raw pictureinfo.dateline}" alt="{vb:raw pictureinfo.caption_censored}" /></div>
        </vb:if>

Focalising on ALT atrribute:

alt="{vb:raw pictureinfo.caption_censored}"

[Steve Machol]

You would have to change this directly in the database.

If you feel this is a bug then report this in the vB4 Bug Tracker here:

http://tracker.vbulletin.com/secure/Dashboard.jspa

[manebe]

Steve, thanks for the answer.

How do I change it in the database ?

___________

I am going to check it, thanks.

If you feel this is a bug then report this in the vB4 Bug Tracker here:

http://tracker.vbulletin.com/secure/Dashboard.jspa

[Ace]

Nobody knows why this could happen ?

That is really bad for SEO,
you know search engine do no like more than 6 - 9 words in ALT attribute.

From http://www.google.com/support/webmas...&answer=114016 :

The alt attribute is used to describe the contents of an image file. It's important for several reasons:

It provides Google with useful information about the subject matter of the image. We use this information to help determine the best image to return for a user's query.
Many people-for example, users with visual impairments, or people using screen readers or who have low-bandwidth connections-may not be able to see images on web pages. Descriptive alt text provides these users with important information.
Not so good:

<img src="puppy.jpg" alt=""/>
Better:

<img src="puppy.jpg" alt="puppy"/>
Best:

<img src="puppy.jpg" alt="Dalmatian puppy playing fetch">
To be avoided

<img src="puppy.jpg" alt="puppy dog baby
dog pup pups puppies doggies pups litter puppies dog retriever
labrador wolfhound setter pointer puppy jack russell terrier
puppies dog food cheap dogfood puppy food"/>
Filling alt attributes with keywords ("keyword stuffing") results in a negative user experience, and may cause your site to be perceived as spam. Instead, focus on creating useful, information-rich content that uses keywords appropriately and in context.

Where does it say anything about a limit? A description made by a user is going to precisely fit the "uses keywords appropriately and in context" part.

[manebe]

Hi Ace:

Have you been trying to add a text description to an album picture ?

In that case the ALT atribute is getting exactly the same text written by a user !
What does it mean ?

If a user provides a wide text to describe his pic (i.e. 50 words or more), the ALT atribute for that pic is getting exactly the same length, 50 words !

Absolutely bad for SEO.

Please have a look at this Matt Cutts video: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogsp...s-smartly.html

Where does it say anything about a limit? A description made by a user is going to precisely fit the "uses keywords appropriately and in context" part.

[Ace]

Hi Ace:

Have you been trying to add a text description to an album picture ?

In that case the ALT atribute is getting exactly the same text written by a user !
What does it mean ?

If a user provides a wide text to describe his pic (i.e. 50 words or more), the ALT atribute for that pic is getting exactly the same length, 50 words !

Absolutely bad for SEO.

Please have a look at this Matt Cutts video: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogsp...s-smartly.html

Awesome, the same video that was on the main page about images on Google Webmaster central. Nowhere, nowhere at all on that page, or in the video, are the words 'limit' or 'max' mentioned, so I challenge you again: where does anyone say there should be a limit on the number of words in an alt tag?

(If your members are keyword stuffing, or otherwise making stupid descriptions, that's something you should try to educate them on.)

[manebe]

Ace:

Have you listened the video ?

Mr. Cutts advice:

"7 words" (read: seven).
"20-24 or more" looks suspicious.
"200" looks spamming.

Of course, Google never say to you "exactly" what is bad or not.
It just gives you some "general" advices.

I cannot educate my members to keep silence.. , they like to describe their pics. That is why they join a community ! Not to be silent, of course.

It is not a keywords stuffing issue, it is an ALT attribute words-length issue (ammount of words).

(If your members are keyword stuffing, or otherwise making stupid descriptions, that's something you should try to educate them on.)

That is not a "challenge" between me and you. Sorry if you "feel" it that way.

So I challenge you again: where does anyone say there should be a limit on the number of words in an alt tag?