Inventory by role
Record URL, page, subject, informative or decorative role, any link, language and visibility.
GUIDE / PROTOCOL
Audit a site’s editorial images
A useful image explains something; its role, source and representation should be explicit.
Direct answer
How do you decide which images to keep or fix?
Inventory images by page and purpose. Distinguish informative, decorative and functional images; check provenance and rights, accurate representation, text alternative, caption, dimensions and presence in HTML.
01 / Review method
Review method
Verify provenance
Record creator, origin, licence or permission, date, edits and any generation disclosure. Remove uses with unestablished rights.
Test meaning and access
Write contextual alternatives for informative images; avoid unnecessary announcements for decoration. Review captions, nearby text and contrast.
Check delivery
Inspect src and srcset, format, dimensions, loading priority where appropriate, file size, mobile display and licence metadata when relevant.
02 / Evidence to keep
Evidence to keep
Image register
Page, file, role, editorial owner and review date.
Rights trail
Source, licence or permission, restrictions and known transformations.
Meaning check
Alternative, caption, context and reason for decorative or informative treatment.
Technical check
Served HTML, dimensions, formats, weight and mobile result.
AFTER THE REVIEW
Decide from the evidence
An image is relevant but permission is missing
Remove it from public delivery until rights are evidenced, then record licence, restrictions and modifications.
The image conveys information absent from text
Add a contextual alternative or nearby text; check understanding with the image hidden.
03 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does every image need descriptive alt text?
No. Pure decoration may use empty alt; informative images need an alternative suited to context.
Is a CSS background enough for search?
For important editorial imagery, use an img element with src and nearby text; Google does not index CSS backgrounds as HTML images.
When add a caption?
When it gives source, fact, date or context that the image cannot establish alone.
What if rights are unclear?
Pause public use, find the licence evidence or replace the image with an authorized one.
04 / Official references