Are text links or images better for internal linking?

[markovald]

I have to create a website for car selling. The customer suggested me to insert a logo for every brand (example: Audi, BMW...) in the homepage. I thought that's good for a design standpoint, but maybe for seo it's better to have text links that points to brand page.

What do you think? It's best to have text links or images for internal linking?

[aakk9999]

I think text link is better but if you do go with image, make sure it has alt text.

Also, why not have both - image and text link - it is common enough and also better from the usability point of view. Someone may not recognise the logo so having a text link below or next to the logo will make it clearer.

[Leosghost]

The customer suggested me to insert a logo for every brand (example: Audi, BMW...) in the homepage.

You may have to get written permission from the brand owners to use their logos..or get incoming lawsuits..

[tangor]

While probably not necessary in this context, there are accessibility concerns in some countries which have consumer laws in that regard. (You don't expect blind people to buy and drive cars, but they could.... for their chauffeur!)

[markovald]

Leoghost, it's strange because every car selling website in the world use the logos of auto, but that's not the question. I just want to know if the value of text link is equal or not of an image link (for internal linking)?

[tangor]

There are many ways to assess value. One is performance, that is, does it work for the user the way you want it to? Another is if the search engine can recognize it for intended purpose. An image with proper alt text will have the same value (meaning) of a TEXT link to a search engine.

Is there a rule? Not that I can think of. Is there a known value? Not that is clearly specified, though real world results indicate a nav image without good alt text is hit or miss from time to time.

[ganzojin]

If in the top sites of a specific query there is a reiterate behaviour, stylewise, just go for it.

[FranticFish]

If you want the best of both worlds, you can have a text link and use CSS to replace that with an image.

This technique is used on a car dealership site that I work on, in their main navigation system as well as 'brand filters' on various sub-navigation systems and it does not seem to harm their rankings.

N.B. this is used as an accessibility feature first and foremost - we DO NOT add an extra words to the text, just the brand name.