Image maps and keyword density?!

[Crumpled_Dog]

If image maps/shapes are showing as keyword density in SEO tools, could they skewing the SEO effectiveness of a page?

[matbennett]

Keyword density has been a bit of a myth since at least the turn of the millennia to be honest.  Search engines are also pretty smart: They can read HTML and know the difference between what makes up the code of an HTML element and what constitutes visible copy.

There are a lot of things that they ignore (because it makes sense to). That doesn't necessarily mean it detracts from anything else going on that page.

The only possibly exception I can think of in this case would be a load of keyword stuffed Alt tags.  This could logical be used as a signal for over-optimisation, but if they make sense I wouldn't change them.

[Crumpled_Dog]

Thank you for spending some of your time to answer my question Mat.

I've been thinking similarly to you but am still searching to find some definitive research that will validate this for reporting purposes.

[matbennett]

You're welcome.  Good luck with finding definitive research though.  There is very little of that around in the world of SEO