Menus - Text, Graphical w/html map, Graphical w/Server Map

[Owl]

I've read the articles on SEO, and some parts don't click too well since I'm a newbie.

Chris stresses text menus over graphical. Ok, sort of...

I'm programming with PHP. I can do graphicals menus that use html maps within the document, or I can program to pass x / y coordinates to the next script.

I can understand why the SE wouldn't understand the last form of graphical, but are they also blind to the map?

thanks!:rolleyes:

Owl be waiting for your answers...

[incka]

Text is better as the SEO know what it's going to, and what keyword it is targetted to.

[chromate]

Graphics aren't a good idea because the search engine doesn't understand a picture (obviously). If you use text instead then a page will benefit from the context that the text gives it.

[Chris]

If you want a graphical look with a text link check out this article:

http://www.websitepublisher.net/article/faking_graphical_link/

[incka]

I used that article when creating debt management guide.

[Owl]

Thanks people...

Owl have to make a few changes, but it seems pretty straight forward.

Chris, thanks for the pointer to the article.

[chromate]

Incka, how's your debt management guide site doing? Making any decent money yet?

[rocky1]

Best way to figure it out is to put it to the test. Set up two menus like you suggest Owl, one HTML, one php with mapped links, load them to your server and go to this site and check the two of them out. This site will show what the search engines see on your page.

http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html

If you dig down into the SEO recommendations at Google somewhere buried in there, it recommends use of the Lynx text only browser for review of your site, because this most accurately portrays what the Search Engines see. This link will take you to an on-line Lynx simulator. Same difference without the hassle of downloading it.

Then you'll know where you stand.