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Free playbook · Updated July 2026

Agency guide: remediating client alt text at scale

A practical SOP for WordPress agencies: scope the work, prove the gap, prioritise pages that matter, bulk-draft with human approval, and report coverage without overclaiming accessibility.

Who this is for

Built for agencies and freelancers who inherit WordPress (or WooCommerce) sites with thin, missing, or filename-style alt text — and need a repeatable way to scope, price, and deliver remediation without promising a full accessibility certificate.

  • Account managers who need SOW language clients understand
  • Production leads running juniors through batch QA
  • Accessibility-minded teams pairing image work with broader audits

1. Scope the engagement

Ambiguous scope is how remediations overrun. Lock content types, style rules, and a coverage target before anyone opens the Media Library.

In scope

  • Featured images on posts, pages, and products
  • In-content images that convey information
  • WooCommerce product + gallery images (if applicable)
  • Style rules document the client signs off

Usually out of scope

  • PDF / SVG icon systems and theme chrome
  • Video transcripts and captions
  • Full WCAG / ADA legal certification
  • Every historical attachment forever

SOW one-liner

“We will remediate featured and in-content images on agreed templates to a documented style guide, with human review before save — not a formal WCAG conformance certificate.”

2. Prove the gap

Clients fund what they can see. Before kickoff, evidence the problem on public pages they already care about.

  1. Run the free image SEO audit on 5–10 public URLs (home, top services, top products, 2–3 blog posts).
  2. Screenshot scores and missing/weak counts for the proposal appendix.
  3. If you have staging access, spot-check Media Library items that match those URLs.
  4. Optional: turn results into a shareable score card for Slack or email.
Open free audit

3. Prioritise by client value

Do not start with “oldest attachment ID.” Start with revenue and discovery surfaces, then sweep the long tail.

Tier A — money pages

Fix first; highest client risk if wrong.

  • · Home / landing heroes
  • · Key service or product pages
  • · Top conversion templates

Tier B — discovery

Templates that attract organic and referral traffic.

  • · Category / archive heroes
  • · High-traffic blog posts
  • · Campaign landing pages

Tier C — long tail

Sweep after A/B; keep new uploads clean.

  • · Remaining empty/weak alt
  • · Older media library backlog
  • · Low-traffic archives

4. Execute with review-before-save

Install OpptiAI Alt Text Generator, scan missing/weak alt, generate in batches, and approve before save. Never promise “set and forget AI” — juniors still need a checklist.

  1. Stage first: confirm roles, backups, and who can publish.
  2. Scan Tier A only; generate a small batch (20–50) to calibrate style.
  3. Review every suggestion; edit brand voice; save approved items only.
  4. Expand batch size once reject rate is low; then move to Tier B / C.
  5. Follow the bulk alt text workflow for library-scale passes.

Paid plans start at £4.99/month/month when free credits are not enough — see pricing.

5. QA sample & style guide

Sample 10–20 approvals per batch. Reject filename-as-alt, stuffing, and wrong-subject drafts. Train juniors with a short rubric and the free grader.

Reject
Prefer
IMG_4821.jpg as alt
Replace with a short description of what is shown
Keyword stuffing (“best SEO agency London cheap”)
Accurate visual description; brand only if visible or agreed
Wrong product / wrong person in the draft
Reject the batch item; regenerate or write manually
Decorative divider described as “purple line”
Empty alt for pure decoration (agree policy in SOW)
Open alt text grader

6. Report coverage

Report operational metrics clients understand — not vague “we improved SEO.” Leave a path for new uploads so the gap does not reopen next quarter.

  • % of in-scope attachments with non-empty, reviewed alt
  • Tier A coverage vs target (e.g. ≥95%)
  • Sample before/after strings (5–10 examples)
  • Remaining backlog count + recommended retainer cadence

Offer a light monthly retainer: review new uploads, spot-check autopilot suggestions, and refresh Tier A after major campaigns. Pair with the agency case study pattern for before/after framing.

One-page checklist

Print or paste into the project ticket. Tick as you go.

  • Confirm in-scope content types and decorative policy in writing
  • Run free image SEO audit on 5–10 public URLs; attach screenshots to SOW
  • Agree style rules: length, language, brand names, product specifics
  • Map Tier A / B / C with the client (revenue + traffic, not vanity)
  • Install OpptiAI Alt Text on staging first, then production
  • Generate in batches; review-before-save on every suggestion
  • QA 10–20 items per batch with the grader + style guide
  • Ship coverage report + optional monthly “new uploads” retainer

More agency resources

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FAQ

Is this legal or accessibility certification advice?

No. It is an operational playbook for remediating image alt text. Formal WCAG conformance needs a broader evaluation across templates, content, and assistive technology testing.

Do clients need their own OpptiAI plan?

Often yes after handover. During a sprint, agencies may run remediation then leave OpptiAI Alt Text Generator installed. Free tier covers light ongoing use; paid plans start from £4.99/month when libraries grow.

How do we avoid keyword-stuffed AI output?

Document style rules up front, reject bad batches early, and never enable silent overwrite. Use the free alt text grader to train juniors on red flags before they approve at volume.

How long does a typical remediation sprint take?

A focused Tier A pass on a mid-size marketing site is often 1–2 weeks including QA. Full library sweeps depend on attachment count — estimate from the audit backlog, not guesswork.

Should we promise “100% WCAG compliant images”?

No. Promise operational coverage for agreed scopes (e.g. featured images on money pages) and a process for new uploads. Overclaiming creates legal and trust risk.

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