Site-wide Image Backlinks - Are they bad?

[Webrevolve]

Hey guys,

A little help required.

We are potentially taking on a new client who has over 5,000 image backlinks (4,000 of those from one site) from around 7,000 total backlinks.

Would this be a problem?

It's been noticeable recently that both footer and blogroll links seem to be getting targeted by Google. Would this be the case for images links too? Especially considering the top-heavy nature of the link profile?

Thoughts welcome.

Cheers.

[MickEdwards]

I don't know what the image is but I would imagine it is likely to be promoting the site somehow. If that's the case it must be no-follow.

[irvingw]

That isn't a huge number and image links don't pass semantics like a text link does so it's probably ok because images don't push rank, but I would nofollow them anyway because Google keeps changing the rules as they go.

[Webrevolve]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I think no-following is very much the answer here to be on the safe side.

[Doc_Sheldon]

I think I disagree with a couple of assumptions:

Saying that 5,000 out of 7,000 links isn't a huge number seems unrealistic to me. Over 70% of a link profile being any single link type is too heavy, IMO. 80% of them from one site is definitely concerning. I'd suggest some immediate diversification/pruning efforts to achieve a better balance.

I agree that nofollow is certainly a good measure, though. In fact, I'd put that at the top of my ASAP list.