The answer depends on how the banner is tracked. Google may or may not follow the banner's link, depending on the implementation or the tracking script. For instance, Adsense banners are not followed by crawlers, since they are included into a page with JavaScript code which crawler doesn't execute. If the banner implements a direct dofollow link than it is simply a linked image and Google should treat it just as any other link.
In general, banner ads to not provide as much SEO benefit as text ads, mainly becuase there is no anchor text. Anchor text is a very strong factor in your SERPs. However, banner ads usually perform better in regards to sending direct traffic. Personally, when I have large campaigns to run, I like to utilize both, but for different reasons. Banners to send direct traffic, text link ads for SEO purposes.
Woah, not sure about the recommendation of using a text link over a banner. I think it definitely depends on what you are going for. If the site has a ton of related traffic to what you are selling, then I would much rather have the banner/image ad. It is going to have a far better CTR than a text link in most cases. However, if you are looking at it purely from an SEO point of view, then yes, the text link would easily be better.
What is your definition of 'over' in this post? If you mean 'instead of', then I don't see anyone in this thread recommending a text link ad instead of a banner. If you mean 'overtop of or above' then I don't see how that makes sense in your post.
Wey up (weigh up) - yeah I know you are not horses but Woo there Ladies and Gents (Gotta try to be funny it's my nature!) Perhaps I ought to clarify what I meant So - if at all possible there are many reasons why it is nice if you can get a nice anchor text link in above an image. Like > Keyword Text Image below Make sense? Let's not argue please!
I guess we are in the SEO section, therefore maybe everyone else is speaking in terms of getting your website ranked higher on a specific keyword. I have no argument there. However, if you are looking purely from a internet marketing standpoint, all we should care about are conversions, right? I mean, after all, we're in the business to make money, not just have a website that ranks well in the search engines. From that point alone, if I had the option of a banner (media buying) versus a text link, I would almost always choose the banner on a targeted/relative website 'instead of' a text link.
You're more than welcome to have a discussion on the best way to make conversions if you like. However, the question, very specifically was ... And my answer to this is no. Banner Ads do not provide the SEO benefit that text link ads do. That being said, I still don't see where you think that anyone in this thread recommended text link ads rather than banner ads. It seems to me that each response indicated very specifically that both have their merits. Banner ads provide direct traffic. Text link ads provide SEO benefit and indirectly increased organic traffic. As I said before, personally, I believe that a very well rounded marketing campaign would include both.
Revelation-Decoder's comment is what stuck out to me. It made it sound to me that he was recommending if a website had two options available, a text link or a banner ad, that he was recommending that the text link would be more valuable, or should always be the preferred choice. This was where I was disagreeing with him, however, it is possible that I read his post incorrectly. Here was his quote. This is something I can agree with:
When he said.. By 'above' I think he meant 'positioned above' not 'instead of'. Even if he meant 'instead of', in answer to this particular question regarding which provides greater SEO benefit, he still would have been right.
This is true but as we have both pointed out I did mean an anchor text link above an image/banner if at all possible Many people don't even know a banner/image link can be clicked on. My Mum for example didn't know until I told her. She was under the impression only blue hyperlinks can be clicked, so imagine how many others there are out there who think this way to.
Now you've done it. She's sure to be infected by a virus inside of a week. ('inside' in this case means within 7 days from now, not a virus that comes embedded in a calendar. )
LOL You are not far wrong selectsplat it was a couple of years back and I had the pleasure of getting all the firewalls, anti virus and anti this that and the other things in place not long after that as it happens. I just wish I could convince my Niece and Nephew to stop using all these file sharing services so I didn't have to keep fixing their computers to. They are only 12 and 15 and either get nasties on their computers or their things hijacked regularly due to not being all that savvy.
I think also same answer like selectsplat has provided. Banner ads are good for providing traffic to your website, but for seo purpose they are not that good because they dont have anchor text and unless they have ALT or TITLE text for the banner image then that is no good. But text links are very good for seo reasons because they contain the anchor text.
That's an interesting point Traffic Bug From my experience though for normal searches the anchor text links work best. Not only that using title and alt on pics is quite possibly presently the easiet thing to manipulate on the net and something Google and the likes might want to look at some sort of system (perhaps a report and rate system) in order to improve results. Well unless they want to give us free reign to just take the mick of course. If they want pics of Gorillas rather than Paris Hilton for Paris Hilton image search terms I might play!!!! Or they can sort out their things and tighten up which would do us all a load of good. I don't know about you but if I was searching for "Best photo of Paris Hiltons Breasts" and I gound a gorilla I would be likely to think Google images was absolute rubbish. I am just using examples btw!! I have no interest in Paris Hilton so don't get me wrong.
If you use alt text for the banner ad, google may see its relavancy to your keyword some help. There is no specific formula and nobody knows for sure what google uses to rank your site, but you have to assume every little thing does something.