Using Image Maps for SEO

Anyone use Image Maps? It has become necessary for me to use one for a specific purpose. My question: what are the potential downfalls?

The only downfall I can plainly see is that you can't include anchor/link text in an image map, so the link doesn't pass any keyword density on...

But my main concern is whether link maps are spiderable. If they aren't then it is a worthless solution to my problem.

Thanks for any input.

I have several image maps, but I don't know if they're spiderable - tell me how I can tell and I'll let you know
I use webtrends - so where would I look?

Well, if the page is accessible only by the image map link and by NO OTHER links, then that would prove for sure that they are spiderable.

But that's about the only way to tell.

Well, then I can't tell. Sorry

How about using the image map in your design and putting a small set of text links at the bottom of your page. That way you get the design benefit of the image map and still have link text (I assume that the link text at bottom of page would be counted).... seems we have uncertainty any way this is cut.

No that's the problem, I can only use an image and an image map. No text at all. That's why I'm asking, I'd love to put real text in there but unfortunately the solution I am using doesn't allow for that.

So really, I guess I'll be the first one to test this for sure?

No you won't image maps are spidered see: www.medicalaids.com you will see I have an image map for the main buttons, allergy relief etc no html links to those pages and they are all in G

Satisfactory.

Thanks Seo.

seen sum on

http://www.hotshotsdesigns.co.uk/google_tests/

Cool site Buckwheat Ima steal that lol ahem I mean create something similar but completely different for my tutorial

stealin' gits you in big trouble

yeah im just playin man but I like the concept

Welcome buckwheat to seo chat... it's nice to have your knowledge added to the forum! Good information.

thanks Miss Gail, found that surfin

hi, correct me if i'm wrong, but i think some word density checker should do the trick, to see if image maps are spiderable, don't you think?if it gets the words from the href titles, that's it.....