Anchor Text

[TheWebDoctor(tm)]

In an article entitled "Google’s New Update - Is Google Bombing You? (http://www.webpronews.com/ebusiness/seo/wpn-4-20041011GooglesNewUpdateIsGoogleBombingYou.html)" by Martin Lemieux discusses the poor situation with SEO specialists and the agressive use of the TITLE attribute.

Lemieux states, "Anchor text is the "explanation" that pops-up when you put your cursor over a link."

Regrettably this is incorrect.


The title attribute may be set for both A and LINK to add information about the nature of a link. This information may be spoken by a user agent, rendered as a tool tip, cause a change in cursor image, etc.
Source for above quote. (http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-html40-19980424/struct/links.html#h-12.1.4)


In the example that follows, the A element defines a link. The source anchor is the text "W3C Web site" and the destination anchor is "http://www.w3.org/":

For more information about W3C, please consult the
W3C Web site (http://www.w3.org/).
Source for the above anchor definition (http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-html40-19980424/struct/links.html#h-12.2)


...text before the anchor...
<A name="anchor-one">This is the location of anchor one.</A>
...text after the anchor...

This creates an anchor around the text "This is the location of anchor one.". Usually, the contents of A are not rendered in any special way when A defines an anchor only.
Source for the above anchor definition (http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-html40-19980424/struct/links.html#h-12.2)

In either case the end result is the text between the opening and closing anchor tags is called the source text or the anchor text. Nowhere is the anchor text defined as the TITLE attribute.

I hope this clears up any confusion brought by a misconception.

I will agree that the title attribute is frowned upon. However, it is only frowned upon when the SEO consultant uses the attribute as a repository for additional keywords. Using the TITLE attribute as well as any other tag or attribute according to HTML/XHTML standards is not frowned upon.

[sfowler]

To be W3C compliant you have to use it. Just to clear up a second slight misunderstnading, what appears when a linked image is covered by the mouse depends on the browser: Mozilla shows the title and IE shows the ALT text.

[TheWebDoctor(tm)]

The TITLE attribute is not an acceptable attribute for the image element. The available attributes for the image tag are:

src #REQUIRED -- URI of image to embed --
alt #REQUIRED -- short description --
longdesc #IMPLIED -- link to long description
(complements alt) --
name #IMPLIED -- name of image for scripting --
height #IMPLIED -- override height --
width #IMPLIED -- override width --
usemap #IMPLIED -- use client-side image map --
ismap #IMPLIED -- use server-side image map --
align #IMPLIED -- vertical or horizontal alignment --
border #IMPLIED -- link border width --
hspace #IMPLIED -- horizontal gutter --
vspace #IMPLIED -- vertical gutter --

Actually, the TITLE attribute is illegal on images, objects and applets. The easy rule of thumb is if the HTML element uses the ALT attribute then the TITLE attribute is not allowed.

I hope this helps.

[greeneagle]

Many directory inpots do not have provision for HTML input!

Ken

[sfowler]

I will accept your correction. I would edit my post if it was possible in this thread. Sorry, I had been told to use it and the GoLive software asks for it. I tend to fill out anything that is requested.

[sfowler]

I tried it on W3C validation and there were no warnings about the matter, so I find it strange.

[Duncan Pollock]

Assuming that it is advisable/recommended to use both alt and title tags, I'm wondering what the order of text phrases ought to be.
In other words, should the code be:
http://www.surf-canada.com/images/surflogo2.gif
or is
http://www.surf-canada.com/images/surflogo2.gif
a better choice?
Or, if I can put the question another way, which of the two (i.e. ...listing... or ...logo...) is considered the anchor text?

And perhaps I can add that my uncertainty here is triggered by a recent addition of title tags (as per choice one -- i.e. alt=listing / title=logo) that has been accompanied by a drop in PR, although I'm fairly certain that this is a pure coincidence.

Duncan

[sfowler]

You're right and I'm wrong. The TITLE is only present when the image is also a link.

[TheWebDoctor(tm)]

According to HTML standards the TITLE attribute is not acceptable on images, objects or appletes. You many put the TITLE attribute on the ANCHOR element.

To answer Duncan's question, neither option would be correct due to the TITLE attribute being applied to the image.

Just because a WYSIWYG editor offers blanks to be filled in doesn't mean that all blanks need to be filled in. Remember, the software manufacture's goal is to develop software that is universal and meets everyone's needs. The editors do not have artificial intellegence programs running to know what your intended goal or use is for the image.

Hopefully this helps.