35 replies to this topic

[azs]

Generally speaking when I design a Web site for a client I place a link back to my site from the homepage......"Web site designed by .....".

Is it advantageous to place this link at the bottom of each page in the site - as opposed to just the homepage? Could this look bad in the eyes of SE?

azs

[dragonlady7]

I think just linking once would probably look better and have just as much advantageous effect.
It might serve you to place the link on the page on their site that will have the most incoming links, but that's about as far as I'd take it.

[qwerty]

I agree. If people are so impressed with a design that they're actually curious about who created it, they'll look for a link to the designer on the home page. That's pretty standard.

If they see it on every page it'll seem pushy. I made the mistake of putting a link to my site in the footer of a site I designed, so it appeared on every page. After a day I realized it looked bad and removed it, leaving it only on the home page just above the footer. The problem is, the site got spidered that day! There are still SEs that list numerous pages from that site as links to mine, months later. It was only a few weeks ago that Google finally dropped it down to the one page.

[Scottie]

Here is the standard:

Would you do it if there were no search engines?

YES!

It's marketing and if the client doesn't have a problem with it, I say do it. I have a small link back in the footer of the sites I designed- every page. It's unobtrusive but there if someone wants to know who did the site. And as a usability issue, it is better to have it on every page.

I did this long before I knew anything about link popularity as a standard thing and I have since offered to remove the links from the sites if the client wishes. They tell me they are pleased to do it because most of them didn't pay me that much. I think it's a fair trade. Of course, they didn't get much of a design either...

I have a very different opinion on putting your SEO company link on sites, I don't think that is good business. You don't want to flag that the site has been optimized.

I'm also against hidden links, almost-hidden links, or links the client is not aware of... for obvious reasons!

[azs]

As long as it's not considered "spam" in the eyes of search engines, I agree with "scottiecl" that's good marketing. Obviously, I want to maximize my incoming links without compromising standards and ethics in the eyes of SE's. I also realize that I need to obtain more relevant links from other sources.

azs

[toprank]

Hi Scottie,

I am curious why it would be ok to have a link back for sites you've designed and not for sites you performed SEO work on? Both involve work on the site and getting credit for it (with the client's permission of course).

[azs]

That's very true. I was wondering the same. I include a link to myself on the same line as the site's copyright info. I make sure it’s placed at the very bottom and is the least prominent item on the page, never distracting viewers from the main content.

[mcanerin]

I do, as well. It's always in small type and never pushy.

I sometimes offer my SEO services through web designers for their clients. Since they want the branding in this case I go something like:

Website design and internet promotion by XYZ Webs Inc.

In this case the website design link is to the design company and the internet promotion is to mine, but the overall branding is theirs, which is how we are operating.

I don't like logos, though. It's a new dislike and I'm in the process of removing them. Calls too much attention, I think. The site is about the client, not the designers and promoters.

Ian

[Scottie]

Hi Lee-

It's more of a confidentiality thing than anything else- flags the site as optimized, draws more attention from competitors, possibly unwanted attention.

I don't have a problem with people who do put an optimization link on a site, I just don't. Especially since I don't solicit business that competes with each other... it goes back to the reason why I would put a link on in the first place. To get business referrals. Since I don't want referrals in that industry, it makes no sense to add a link to the site.

[toprank]

I appreciate what you're saying Scottie. In our case, the vast majority of our clients are in the same industry - granted, we're not providing SEO services for all of them, we also provide web design, PR and other marketing services.

We do work with competing companies from time to time. It's inevitable since we focus on just a few vertical markets. When that happens we'll mention it so there are no surprises.

I suspect that as our link popularity begins to come from other sources, we may not solicit our clients for these types of links as much.

[compar]

I don't have a problem with people who do put an optimization link on a site, I just don't.  Especially since I don't solicit business that competes with each other... it goes back to the reason why I would put a link on in the first place.  To get business referrals.  Since I don't want referrals in that industry, it makes no sense to add a link to the site.

First of all we put the credit on the bottom of every page. The message says:

Design, Hosting, SEO by (and a very discrete copy of our logo)

Obviously if we don't do all three things we only list the services we provide to that particular page. The logo is clickable and will take you to our home page.

Now my question for Scottie. What exactly do you mean by "I don't solicit business that competes with each other..."?

Do you mean that Design competes with SEO, or do you mean that you don't want to appear to compete with your partners or associates in the business?

Edited by compar, 31 August 2003 - 02:51 PM.

[Scottie]

Hey Bob-

I don't want to have 2 companies that are vying for the same or similar keyword phrases. Who gets your loyalty?

[compar]

Hey Bob-

I don't want to have 2 companies that are vying for the same or similar keyword phrases. Who gets your loyalty?

I get it. I get it. Interesting. I've never given it much thought, but of course you are correct. What it mean is that one cannot become a niche SEO specialist.

The only exception would be for similar sites in different goegraphical regions. For instance you could specialize in real estate sites as long as you never did two in the same city.

Otherwise one must be a bit of a generalist, which means a lot of research for each new client.

[azs]

Getting back to my original question about backlinks coming from sites I've developed. I understand that the quality of incoming links is perhaps more important than the quantity. Aside from the fact that I created many of the sites that are linking back to me, there's really nothing that my business and these other businesses have in common in terms of products and services. Doesn't this look bad in the eyes of Google - or does their spider pick up on the fact that my company developed the Web sites for these other businesses.

I hope this question wasn't too confusing.

azs

[Scottie]

Sorry azs- we tend to wander a bit off topic around here.

What your sites have in common is the designer, right? That is relevant.

I don't believe that is a bad thing. Others might have different opinions, but I think you have a right to link from those pages if the site owners have agreed to it- it is a form of advertising and IMO, a bona fide "vote" for your site.

I don't know that anyone can say for sure that is/isn't a good thing to do from Google's standpoint other than Google. But you shouldn't be building sites for Google- you should be building them for business. And those links can drive business for you.