Text Links vs Graphic Links

Is there a difference?

[HyperGeek]

Well, that pretty much sums up my question:

If I had an incoming link in the form of...

<A HREF="http://www.heftywidgets.com/">Widgets</A>

...then, how much more effective would it be than...

<A HREF="http://www.heftywidgets.com/"><IMG SRC="/img/widgets.gif" ALT="Widgets"></A>

...if at all?

[jatar_k]

I would probably say that

<A HREF="http://www.heftywidgets.com/">Widgets</A>

is better. The content of the link will help more than the alt on an img. Real content is always better than alt content. I would assume the same rules apply. Though that is in regards to spiders but for end user referrals would an image be more attractive and promote a higher CTR?

[Torben Lundsgaard]

I prefer text links, but I'm not sure that makes any difference

[smokin]

I would opt for using the link text as well as makin sure <h1>Widget</h1> is at the top left hand corner of the linked page. It would also help having widget strategically placed a few times in the body text.

IMO

[Craig_F]

Tough to say. It really depends where the link is on the page, the content of that page, and your goals.

You could use the image version in order not to upset the relevancy of the page, and you could use the text version to improve the relevancy if it is not well covered by your body text.

If you are trying to improve the relavancy of the page that the link is on for the word "widgets" I'd go with the text version.

Also, keep in mind that if the linking text "widgets" is not directly related to the page you are *linking to* you can mess up that pages relevancy a little. In that case go with the image with appropriate alt text.

[HyperGeek]

It's an interesting position we're in, because his site is the same sort of relationship to mine that "Dairy Products" would be to "Ice Cream" or "Sports" would be to "Football" - with little to no mention of "Ice Cream" or "Football" on the page at all, but a high relationship-oriented relevency.

I'm thinking of taking the <IMG> route so that I can load an ALT tag with the proper words to boost relevency.