Image vs. Text Links

[sew2002]

In terms of getting linkbacks placed from other websites, is there a SEO difference between getting a text link vs. an image link?

I run a directory and people who want to get listed in the directory are required to link back to my site. Right now, I'm asking them to give me a text link, something like:

<a href="http://www.my_site.com">Recommended by My Site.com, the most comprehensive XXX directory on the web</a>

Now, some of the webmasters say they rather have a .gif badge that says the samething as the textlink. They think it makes their inclusion in the directory look more distinguished.

With text links, being able to control the anchor text is a big SEO advantage. But that is really all I know about the difference between text and image links.

Are image links counted as equally in terms of linkback calculations? Are there a lot of downsides to getting image links?

[Jill Whalen]

If you use the same wording in the alt attribute of the imagin, what you would have placed in the anchor text you should receive similar benefit, in my opinion.

[sew2002]

Thanks Jil. :)

I wonder though, if the Search Engine would value the text link higher than the graphic link due to the fact that it is harder for webmasters to manipulate text links than graphic links.

For example, you could describe a graphic link as "link to apple store," but then the graphic actually says "link to orange store."