Hey guy I need some help really I do some work for a site doing SEO work and advising on new things they could get the website design company to do that will help them out. It started out that I simpley wanted to add some text to the manufacturer pages like this one currently in use. So they got it ready and came back with this but without the text that is in the H4 tag, the h4 tag is the image BMW BTW if you have not checked it out. So I said well the text saying "Total Fleet Services unbeatable offers on BMW Car Leasing and BMW Contract Hire." Just needs putting in a header tag instead of a P tag and jobs a gooden, he then changes it so it has the text in the H4 tag and also left it in the P tag too. So it now says it the header part of the text twice, once behind the image inside H4 tags (does not show rendered in browser) and then also once in the P tag with strong around it to make up what looks like the header in the rendered page in the browser. So I then contacted them saying na that dodgy that as it is hidden text and you can get into serious trouble with that, to get the responce of well na its ok thats just using something called the fahrner image replacement technique. Which yes I totally agree is totally valid and leagal way of using hidden text, but only if the hidden text says the same thing as the image though. Surely if the imgae say BMW and the text behind it says "Total Fleet Services unbeatable offers on BMW Car Leasing and BMW Contract Hire." then that would be classed as trying to cheat the search engines and would be classed as bad type hidden text? Thing is the guy who makes the site is someone who has been to uni and got a degree and I am some guy who has just picked up stuff from learning on the internet, so I feel I have no right telling him he is wrong, but is he? Cheers for your time guys any help would be great
Yes, that is a hidden text technique, but it would work in favor of text based browsers and screen readers who can't view images.
would it though as the text behind the image is not what the images says anyways, so it is just hidden text IMO and has no place in the code other than to try and trick search engines. If it simpley said BMW then that would be the same as the image and would have a totally legit reason for being there but as it is...
Hidden text is hidden text...the question is whether or not the search engines care about it. In some cases they may...in others they may not. (Chances are that this would come down to a human review...even with Google) The problem is that it's impossible to know until it maybe too late. I recommend simply telling your client that you don't recommend it as it is not a "best practice". Put it in an email so it's in writing.
Just so you know, an image substitution technique (as well as a CSS based list dropdown menu) is an acceptable form of "hidden" text since the technique is being used to enhance the user experience (not to mention the usability of the site for some people). You do need to be careful though in which method you choose when using something like this though. A rule of thumb is that if you can turn off scripting and images and the content is still accessible to people (or in the case of a CSS dropdown menu, CSS itself), then chances are it's going to be fine. However, this is not always the case. If you're just going to stuff as many keywords into a bunch of H1 headings and then hide them with CSS (you're not, but some people do) so that people can't see them (while the search engine spider does) then you will be hit upside the head with a virtual brick (in other words, probably banned from the index).
yes I agree with Dan, hidden text technique is actually a "black hat" Seo technique you should not use it If you want to tell something through image then try to use "ALt text" so in that you can also use your keywords that will also help you in the SERP But if you use hidden text then you may be banned by google because it is a black hat seo technique
I love the way people bandi the term "black hat" around without really understanding it Anywho, in this circumstance the technique being used is fine. And the text is helping screen readers and is related the the rest of the content on the page. I would perhaps look to half the length of it just for personal preference but otherwise it looks fine and I would not expect search engines to have any issues with it. So feel safe