Should I avoid using images with text included within them?

Yes — wherever possible, avoid uploading images that have text embedded as part of the image itself, such as a graphic with a headline baked in. There are several good reasons for this:

Search engines can't read it. Any text added through the DCMS as proper text is fully readable by search engines, but text embedded inside an image isn't — you lose any SEO value that text might otherwise have provided.

It's not accessible. Just like search engines, screen readers can't read text embedded in an image either, so visually impaired visitors miss out on that information entirely — defeating the purpose of alt text in the first place.

It often doesn't display well. Text baked into an image is fixed at a set size and position, so it can become difficult to read, crop awkwardly, or look poor on different screen sizes and devices.

It can't be translated. If your site supports multiple languages, text written through the DCMS can be translated automatically, but text embedded in an image can't be — it stays in its original language regardless of how a visitor is viewing the site.

If text absolutely needs to appear as part of an image, make sure to transcribe it within your alt text description — unless doing so would simply repeat information that's already elsewhere on the page.