Is there a reason not to place a link on a client's web site?

[spamjim]

I've run across a few sites lately where the page footer says "site created by [some web design company]" but there is no link to the web developer's site.

Can anyone explain a reason that a link would be absent, short of neglect by an inexperienced designer that has no clue about SEO? I've mostly seen this on amateur sites but I just ran across it on a more expensive site.

 

[ChrisHirst]

Links on clients pages always seems a little spammy but just a name is branding.

It's the equivalent of MacDonalds or Burger King giving way brightly coloured bags so every body who you walk past sees it

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.
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[IPGuru]

I still cant see why you would not mack it clickable

Unless of course the client refused to allow it (but then why would they allow just the msg?)



A Maintenance contract is essential, not a Luxury.
Do things on the cheap & it will cost you dear

 

[ChrisHirst]

As I 'sort of' said, it always looks like you are using your clients pages as a "link building" exercise to boost your Google "rankings", while just having your name there is a fairly innocuous presence whithout any undertones.

A question to ask yourself is "What would it look like if I put my telephone number there?"

What I started doing, provided the client aggreed, was to put a "designer profile" page on the website and link to that, it still gets you a presence on the site without it being a bit "in your face".

HOWEVER, even this stopped when we started creating templates for Joomla and Wordpress, because you have no control with what clients do to the pages once they start putting content on there, because, believe me, you really wouldn't want to be associated with the pages after that.


Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.
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[spamjim]

The designer profile page idea sounds a bit more intrusive than a footer link. But I am fully with you on hiding our relations on CMS templates. I worked for an organization for years as a CMS developer and had to actively seek to remove my name from any "credit" they tried to give me for working on their web site.

After a day's thought on this I am ready to assume this question is answered by simple inexperience of the web designer.

I would think that if a client declined to have a visible link, there should be little harm in placing a hidden link for the benefit of your own site's link popularity. We're already writing hidden author meta tags and RDF.

 

[ChrisHirst]

there should be little harm in placing a hidden link for the benefit of your own site's link popularity.

Hopefully that's not something you are actually contemplating doing.


Meta information and RDF? Fine, it's not a particularly useful/important signal/factor (if it is a factor at all).

But using hidden links stands a fair chance of getting both sites banned or heavily penalised when it is reported or found.

Is that something you want to risk for your clients websites?

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.
Webmaster Forum

 

[spamjim]

I'm confused why you are taking this position while you 'spam' this forum with links to your own webmaster forum and present an unobtrusive referral link to joomla on your own site. Even the source JS on your site has descriptive URLs in the remarks that are not apparent (ie: hidden) to the site visitor.

 

[audiopro]

I don't see anything wrong with a small link to the designer's website in the footer, if the site owner is agreeable.


Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[darryncooke]

There is nothing wrong with this if the client agrees. In fact if the work is something to be proud of then this link is beneficial to the developer/designer.

Darryn Cooke

http://www.darryncooke.com

| Marketing and Creative Services

 

[ChrisHirst]

The Joomla! link is one way to give something back to Joomla! for providing a totally FREE product, did you not get paid for creating your clients website? Or did you offer a discount for the branding and marketing links your clients are providing you with?

Signature links at forums etc. are provided to members as a "thank you" gesture or on "quid pro quo" basis for providing content and material for the forum and/or for giving up the time to answer questions. The signature link is the "payment" for that.

And yes there are many many times where "hidden" links and text are used as a legitimate design features, tabbed layouts, CSS "drop down" menus. However "spam" is not the action, it is the INTENT with which it is done, which is something I have said a few times before.

There are a couple of forums that I participate where I do not have a signature link, simply because I do not feel that my infrequent participation does not give me the right to expect a return gesture from there.

For a paid work the copyright is not yours, neither should it be your given right to expect 'backlinks' from your clients property.
A real world scenario would be like an Estate Agent (Realtors) leaving a "Sold By" sign permanently on the property.


Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.
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[audiopro]

Or the name of a car dealership printed on a number plate.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk