Hi all- I have slowly been working on optimizing one of my sites and I have a question on optimization using the alt tag. I have a simple Template Monster Affiliate website. I used one of the Template MOnster templates and the links on the left nevigation bar are dynamic links and not real pages on my site. I dont think these are really spiderable links for the search engines. So I want to go through and create a webpage for each one of the links in my left navigation bar. So for example where it says "wedding" or "3d" I will create a new page on my site for Wedding website templates and so on. In order to further optimize this can I use a small arrow graphic and then use an alt image tag for each one or will I get penalized for this? The alt image tag would be something like this <img border="0" src="images/arrow.jpg" width="160" height="136" align="left" alt="wedding website templates arrow."> Is that okay or not? Oh and you can see my site at the link in my sig file Crown Templates Thanks Ichibanda
Will the arrow image be linked? I could sure do that if it would avoid any problems. I don't want to be accused of keyword spamming or anything so if that would keep it on the level I could sure do that. In fact it would make more sense to link the image and the text both. Thanks Ichibanda
Then yes, if the image is linked, I would go ahead with the "optimized" alt text. Having the image linked makes alt text more like anchor text to search engines (or so I've been told ).
ViciousSummer- Thanks for the advice. I thought it was okay but always like to check things out and bounce ideas off of others. Thanks Ichibanda
Well...ViciousSummer- Since you are so helpful I guess I will take advantage of the fact and post another question. Which is open to anyone really. What about using the alt tag in this way? I have a large image that I have sliced in the top of my website. The image is my header image and so it is on everypage. However I have used an alt tag on some of my optimized pages with these two header images. For example one of the pages on my site that sells wedding website templates I have optimized the header image this way: <img border="0" src="images/new-top_01.jpg" width="401" height="144" alt="wedding web site templates top nav bar left."> Then of course the other image is the same but it ends with "top nav bar right". You can view this at my site at Crown Templates Unfortunatly this is the first site that I have tried to really market and optimize and I choose a pretty tought area to break into becase everyone is selling these templates. Therefore I need every advantage that I can get and will probably move on to developing and marketing some other sites soon. Anyway what do you all think? Thanks Ichibanda
If I am not wrong, there is no need to add "top nav bar right" at the end. Also its good idea to link the logo image to your home page. Making the heading of each page in <H2><H3>.... will add more value to your heading.
I would keep the "top nav bar right" because I don't think you'd want all of your images named the same thing and because alt text isn't that big of a factor to worry that much about. If you're looking for SEO results I would concentrate on getting links to your site (try joining the coop network if you havn't done so already).
Hi Syncmaster and Viscious Summer- I have gone ahead and started optimizing my site and the individual pages. It is going to take me a few days to get this done at any rate but thanks a lot for the help and suggestions. I am going to check out the Co op network also. It looks pretty interesting. Thanks Ichibanda