Replacing Header Tags with Images

[Nicpoint45]

Bad idea? CSS style header tags to use a fancy bg img and hide the text (display:none) but still using SEO'd header text?

Viewed as a black hat? Keyword stuffing? Or hidden text not matter?

Example:
h1 tag:" Keyword Services and Keyword Products".
But the CSS hides that text and in its place I have an image with graphics and stylized text that reads something like:
"Hey, check Out our Stuff"

[Seofinder]

It should be fine to use images instead of header text. You can use H1, H2, etc and still use images. For example, if you have an image called "Best SEO" and you previously used that as an H1 text. You can use that image and utilize the H1 as well. Google states that as long as the H1 text you are using behind the image is the same as what the content of the image is, it would be okay.

[mangoface]

Replacing header tags with images can be seen as a bad idea from both an SEO perspective and a user experience standpoint. While it is possible to use CSS to style header tags with a background image and hide the text, this technique is generally discouraged.

From an SEO standpoint, search engines rely on the header tags to understand the structure and content of a webpage. Hiding the actual text and replacing it with an image may not be interpreted correctly by search engines, leading to a negative impact on your website's visibility and rankings.

Additionally, from a user experience perspective, using images instead of text can create accessibility issues for users who rely on screen readers or have slow internet connections. It can also make it difficult for users to copy and paste text or translate the content.

Replacing header tags with images may be viewed as a black hat SEO technique, particularly if it's done to manipulate search engine rankings. Keyword stuffing, which involves excessively using keywords in an attempt to rank higher, is generally frowned upon by search engines. If you hide the actual text and replace it with an image that contains different content, it could be considered as an attempt to deceive search engines.

While hidden text may not matter much for SEO purposes if it's still present in the HTML code, it's essential to consider the overall user experience. Web users expect websites to have readable and accessible content, including header tags. Hiding text and replacing it with an image could confuse or frustrate users who are looking for specific information or trying to navigate your site.


I don't think that's blackhat at all. I mean all you're doing is using an image within a <h1>,<h2>,<h3> ... tag right. I do that all the time for sites where I need a better looking font.

Although not as much of a problem anymore thanks to the css3 supported font-face attribute

[PCKen]

I haven't heard of this method at all nor do I understand it.. I think Header tags are extremely important for SEO results so I don't customize them too much in fear of getting punished by search engines