Images vs Text on Websites: Why Search Engines Can't Read Your Menu

Author: Chris Budzban

Posted on: January 2, 2026

Many small business websites look great at first glance — but under the surface, they’re nearly invisible to search engines.

One of the most common mistakes we see is important content being placed inside images or PDFs instead of real text. While it might seem harmless (or even easier), this practice can seriously hurt your website’s searchability, accessibility, and user experience.

Let’s break down why text beats images for SEO, common examples of what not to do, and how Feldspar Creative helps fix it.

Why Text Matters for SEO

Search engines like Google rely on readable text to understand what your website is about.

When your content is:

• written as real HTML text
• properly structured with headings
• crawlable and indexable

…it becomes searchable.

Images and PDFs, on the other hand, don’t communicate context well to search engines — even if they look perfect to humans.

Common Website Mistakes That Hurt Search Visibility

Here are some real-world examples we see all the time.

1. Restaurant Menus as Images or PDFs

Many restaurants upload:

• a scanned menu
• a photo of a printed menu
• a downloadable PDF only

Why This Is a Problem

• Google can’t easily read menu items or prices
• Menu pages won’t rank for dishes or cuisine types
• Mobile users struggle to zoom and read
• Updates require re-uploading files

Better Approach

Create a real HTML menu page using text for item names, descriptions, and prices. Images can still be used alongside text — not instead of it.

2. Service Lists Embedded in Images

Some businesses place:

• service offerings inside hero images
• pricing tables as graphics
• “what we offer” sections as banners

Why This Is a Problem

• Services won’t rank in search results
• Screen readers can’t interpret the content
• Search engines miss critical keywords

Better Approach

Use headings, bullet points, and paragraphs for service descriptions. Visual design should support content — not replace it.

3. Product Price Guides as PDFs

Contractors and service businesses often use PDFs for:

• pricing sheets
• spec lists
• downloadable brochures

Why This Is a Problem

• PDFs are rarely optimized for SEO
• Content isn’t easily crawlable
• No internal linking or keyword context
• Poor mobile experience

Better Approach

Turn pricing and product information into dedicated web pages with structured text. PDFs can still exist as optional downloads, not the primary content.

4. Text Baked Into Background Images

Design-heavy websites sometimes include:

• paragraphs placed inside images
• headlines that only exist in graphics
• buttons with unreadable image text

Why This Is a Problem

• Search engines ignore most image text
• Accessibility suffers
• Content can’t be resized or translated
• Page performance often suffers

Better Approach

Use real text layered over backgrounds via CSS. This preserves design while keeping content readable and searchable.

Accessibility Is Affected Too

This isn’t just an SEO issue.

When text lives inside images or PDFs:

• screen readers can’t read it
• visually impaired users are blocked
• accessibility compliance is harder to achieve

Accessible websites are not only more inclusive — they also tend to perform better in search.

How Feldspar Creative Helps

At Feldspar Creative, we design websites that look great and work the way search engines expect.

We help businesses by:

• converting image-based content into real text
• rebuilding menus, services, and pricing pages for SEO
• maintaining design quality without sacrificing performance
• improving accessibility and mobile usability
• structuring content for long-term search growth

Final Thoughts: Design Should Support Content

Images are powerful — but they should enhance your message, not hide it.

If your most important information lives inside:

• images
• PDFs
• scanned documents

…your website is likely working against you.

A website built with searchable text, proper structure, and smart design gives your business the best chance to be found online.

If you’re not sure whether your website is helping or hurting your visibility, Feldspar Creative is here to help.

👉 Contact us to start a conversation.