Image buttons vs. Text buttons

[coastal]

Is the little bit of text info on a text link button important enough for SEO that you should use TEXT links rather than beautiful image link buttons?

[ResaleBroker]

I suppose that depends on what credit you give to "anchor text".

[new_webmaster]

There's a way to make a rollover image link AND still have text in the link.

If you know CSS, it's easy. Some methods indent the text -10000px or so, others make the height of the link box zero, overflow hidden, and set top padding to say 100px and have the image reside there. Either way if CSS is off, these methods degrade to regular text links.

I've actually seen and was able to create my own fully image links with rollovers, while retaining the same exact syntax in HTML as a normal text link.

check out the navigation menu at http://www.happycog.com/ their HTML looks normal but dig around in their css code. It's pretty easy to do once you figure it out.

[ltkruger]

Another example of CSS text navigation is at www.exploding-boy.com
He uses the "sliding doors" method.

[coastal]

Leif, I guess that answers that question.

[drewnick]

Good question and great responses. Call me lazy, but I think for now I'll just stick with the plain old text links and stay away from the CSS tricks!

[jerxs]

Text links all the way, if you dont know CSS learn, if you dont want to learn hire someone to do it for you, Anchor text is very important and even more important when pointing to your site.......

[axemedia]

Even very basic CSS can be used to make simple yet attractive mouseover effects on your text links. Like change color or add an underline when you mouse over the link.

These simple CSS effects can be added to HTML and table based pages without having to get into full CSS layout and design.