SEO: Text headings vs. images

[mattpowers]

Since I didn't realize html tags posted....

Hey guys, I was designing a template with some of my headings in a non-standard font, and was planning on just using images for those... but the point was brought up that it's a bad idea for search engine optimization...

I was then wondering, since my understanding is that the <h1>, <h2>, (and so on) tags are used to determine the relevence of your site to a topic, if there is a way around this? My first thought was just to sneak in these tags, but make them styled like a  tag. What techniques are you guys using? or maybe an image with a <h3> subheading?

Let me know your thoughts. I get a little tired of looking at Arial all the time, and I know a lot of people are using images for headings. 

How can I get the best of both worlds?

Thanks,
Matt

P.S. how do you make your post non-html sensitive?

[Toon]

Create SEO friendly Text Images Headers

[tommylogic]

I use text-indent: -5000px;

[cerus]

You do realise that just because the header is the main thing people read in a section it doesn't have to be a H1. Use an image for the user saying almost what you want so they get the gist, then stick a H1 tag around the piece of text in the paragraph you want the Spiders to read as your main content header. Easy really

[tommylogic]

I believe the question was.. how do you use images and still achieve the SEO benefits of the tags

[lolly]

And it does, what's your point Tommy?

[tommylogic]

Originally Posted by cerus

... then stick a H1 tag around the piece of text in the paragraph...

Although effective in its own respect... it wasn't the question.

Pulling the text off the image link -2500px or so is kind of the standard way of doing it, particularly on the main logo.

[lolly]

I know what he means, not the paragraph text he means a piece of the text that the spiders need to know is the header, remember the actual image header is only an image to them.

Example.....

Welcome to Estetica (An image with alt text, no use for SEO but a nice welcome for users)

(Open H1 Tag)Estetica Graphic Design Forum(Close H1 Tag) is a design forum for people worldwide to discuss their designs.

Reads as....

Estetica Graphic Design Forum is a design forum for people worldwide to discuss their designs.

To the users but tells the search engine bot that the h1 heading of the page is 'Estetica Graphic Design Forum'.

Perfect use of the H tag and doesn't use tactics of hiding text.

[PR Design]

For accessible image replacement - Google the 'Gilder Levin' method.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by PR Design

For accessible image replacement - Google the 'Gilder Levin' method.

That's basically the technique I use. The header text is basically behind the image so still displays when mages are turned off. It's also read by more screen readers than the the 'text-indent' method is.

Here's a simple version:

http://benchmarc.co.uk/test/