2 replies to this topic

[rolf]

I've just noticed a couple of visitors coming in from a site I've not seen in the logs before so I went to check it out.

The site seems to be a pretty good site, nicely designed, going for exactly our market, so it's really the kind of site you would hope to get syndicated by, however there are some things I'm not totally happy about and I'm not sure of the best way to approach it.

The articles don't contain the resource box, just a link saying 'article courtesy of ...' and then the company name and linked web address. Initially I thought that was OK, but on further consideration there are some problems with this.

First is that they're linking to the home page, and really we're hoping to get deeper links from syndicating these articles.

Second, there's no anchor text, so no benefit on that front.

Third, the reader doesn't necessarily know anything about what we do from just the company name, so we're probably going to get less clickthroughs than if the full resource box was there.

Last, and possibly most worrying, is that as they're not linking to the original article google may at some point consider them as the original and filter us out as a duplicate.

So, should I be grateful for the link and take it as it comes? Or should I approach the site owners and (as tactfully as possible) insist that they include the pre-specified resource box? Or take another approach?

[Hyperformance]

Hey Rolf -

I would approach the site owners and ask them to include the link information you provide... and for your following reasons. You could make it a requirement or simply ask them to remove your copyrighted material. If it has been good for them too, then they will see and understand your reasoning and make those changes - better for them, better for you scenario.

Everybody wins,

- Scott

[Jill]

So, should I be grateful for the link and take it as it comes?

Yes. Because it's good to have different sorts of natural links out there that aren't scripted exactly the same way.