seo friendly alt in the img tag?

[maxseo]

Just a question? Would google penalise you or me (so far it has not) for using alt in the images that are very small... let's say 2px by 2px and using your main keywords in those images?

I mean those type of images are mainly used for page formatting, and not displaying any relevant content?

Any suggestions?

[maxseo]

To give you an idea, check this url (one of mine)

http://www.web-directory-australia.info

and notice in the menu the dividing lines which are pictures. I have included some of the keywords in there ... (not too much of text alt text though).

Wanted to stay on the safe side.

[KeithO]

I don't follow. alt tags only display when images are disabled, broken, or on a mouseover. Why would you even concern yourself with anything beyond making them applicable to the image?

[maxseo]

alt text is cached with Google and is used in ranking your page, at leats i thought so.

Let's wait for few more opinions before making any final conclussions.

[KeithO]

with the increased usage of css, usage of small images for formating is going out. you may be treading in murkey water here.

[DMC_34]

I believe stuffing alt tags with too many words was addressed with an update last year regarding OOP. It seems they may have relaxed this somewhat now.

http://www.bestholidaycards.com/stat...home/index.htm

Notice the paragraph of obvious SPAM keyword stuffing used on this site yet it ranks #9 on Google.


BTW: I would note MSN loves this tactic

A 2px X 2px is stretch though. The only use for that is for trying decieve spiders. I would try to find a better safer more legit purpose than populating spacer images.

DMC

DMC

[steve_avs]

My understanding was the alt tags on images were only significant if the image was itself a link. If its not a link it seems that an alt tag is only necessary for those with cryptic browsers or extremely slow connections.

At least thats the way I've approached it.

Steve

[dburdon]

I'm not sure why anybody would use tiny text for images. We know the engines don't like it for normal text so why run the risk?

[cspelts]

Hey, keyword stuffing alt tags worked in 1998! But times change, and I doubt it's worked since then.

[cbp]

The benefit of keywords in alt tags for SE rankings is about as good as hyphenated domain names --- ie next to nothing. The spammers made sure of that. If a site does it and ranks well, they are most likely ranking well for other reasons. I doubt Google will penalise for it - at best you get probably get a very minimal benefit; at worst, its ignored.

Just use alt tags for what they were designed for ...

CBP

[maxseo]

Thanks for that info. I just decided to get rid of alt text.

[cbp]

I just decided to get rid of alt text.

Don't get rid of it.
Just use it for what it was designed for eg visualy impaired who may use screen readers.

CBP

[cbp]

I just decided to get rid of alt text.

Don't get rid of it.
Just use it for what it was designed for eg visualy impaired who may use screen readers.

CBP